Calls for the Broncos to improve Courtland Sutton‘s wingman situation have gone unheeded for a while, and the team quieted concerns about the situation in a blowout win over the Cowboys on Sunday. That game featured regular contributions from Troy Franklin and Pat Bryant and more tertiary work from Evan Engram, who has come along slowly in Sean Payton‘s offense.
Engram remains the Broncos’ starting tight end, but The Athletic’s Dianna Russini indicates the team has looked into the trade market at this position ahead of the November 4 deadline. Rather than add a player to challenge Engram atop the depth chart, the team may instead be aiming for a depth move.
Stationed on IR, Lucas Krull is not in position to be activated anytime soon. The backup is set to undergo foot surgery, 9News’ Mike Klis reports. Krull, a former Saints UDFA who has been with the Broncos for three seasons, has been on IR for four weeks.
He would be eligible to come off the injured list for Week 9, but this surgery is now on track to sideline him for roughly two more months, the Denver Gazette’s Chris Tomasson notes, adding the surgery is on track for today. The initial plan of rehab did not end up working, leading to the surgery route.
Krull made some minor contributions to the 2023 and ’24 Broncos editions, squads that did not receive much from their tight end contingents. In 2024, Krull caught 19 passes for 152 yards. He has just two catches for 15 yards this year. Additionally, Klis notes tight end/fullback Nate Adkins sustained a knee injury that appears likely to cost him time. Categorizing Denver’s TE search as for a depth option, Klis reiterates Engram and ex-Saint Adam Trautman remain the top two for the 6-2 team at this position.
Denver has seventh-round rookie Caleb Lohner, a converted basketball player, on its practice squad. Patrick Murtaugh also resides on the Broncos’ taxi squad. A trade for a depth tight end would not exactly move the needle, but the Broncos have prioritized these roles. Trautman has played 48% of the Broncos’ offensive snaps this season; after returning from ankle surgery last month, Adkins has logged a 35% snap share.
Not rostering much receiving help at the position since including Noah Fant in the Russell Wilson trade, the Broncos gave Engram a two-year, $23MM deal. Two early-season injuries limited the former first-round pick, and while he has made some contributions during Denver’s five-game win streak, the eight-figure-per-year player is averaging just 8.3 yards per catch (26/215). To be fair, Engram was at just 8.4 in his 2023 Pro Bowl season in Jacksonville. But Payton had eyed the 31-year-old target as a potential field-stretching presence, his coveted “Joker” piece.
It does not, however, look like the Broncos are eyeing a player who would push Engram for time. It remains to be seen if the Broncos will make a move for receiving help — after two reports last week suggested teams had that on their radar — but some assistance is being pursued elsewhere on offense.