Greg Dulcich is suddenly the kind of player Broncos fans are being asked to picture in a very different uniform, with a very different role.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler laid out a 2026 forecast that would have sounded wild not long ago: Dulcich could not only break out for the Miami Dolphins, but also finish as one of Malik Willis’s favorite targets and possibly lead the team in catches.
“It wouldn't shock me if tight end Greg Dulcich flirts with the team lead in catches. Achane, coming off a 67-reception season, is a prime candidate, too. But word is that Dulcich developed a chemistry with Willis in the spring and it has carried over to the summer.
On the day I visited, Dulcich had a nice catch over the middle in team drills. He posted 222 receiving yards over the last five games in 2025.
Dulcich showed promise early in his career but battled severe hamstring issues. Now recovered from that, he could be a breakout candidate in Year 5."
- Jeremy Fowler, ESPN
For Broncos Country, that kind of projection is tough to digest. Dulcich once looked like he might become the “Joker” in Sean Payton’s offense, but the promise never really turned into dependable production. He flashed as a rookie, yet the bigger issue was always the same: availability.
Denver took Dulcich in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft, but injuries kept wrecking the plan. By the start of the 2024 season, after more injuries and uneven play, the Broncos finally moved on from him. That was an unusual call for a team that generally does not give up quickly on its higher draft picks.
Dulcich later got another chance with the New York Giants, both during that season and again in the 2025 offseason, but New York cut him. He then surfaced with the Dolphins, played in 10 games last season, and did enough to land another contract in Miami this offseason.
Now the former Bronco is being discussed as a possible centerpiece of the Dolphins’ passing game and a piece of their long-term rebuild. Fowler’s report points to his spring chemistry with Willis and notes that the connection has held through the summer.
That’s where the sting sits for Denver. Sean Payton was complimentary about Dulcich early in his Broncos tenure, but the fit never lasted. Dulcich’s inability to stay healthy, block consistently, or make a real impact in the passing game during the 2024 season wore out the patience that once existed.
The Broncos also haven’t made a habit of cutting bait that early on draft picks before the fourth year of their rookie deals. Even Drew Sanders, who has bounced around positions and has had his own injury problems, is still at Broncos training camp in his fourth season.
With Payton often saying he doesn’t want to see a player leave and then succeed somewhere else, Dulcich’s potential breakout in Year 5 is exactly the sort of scenario Denver would rather not have staring back at it. And with no real clarity at tight end, it only sharpens the question of why the Broncos still can’t get that spot to produce in the passing game.
In Other News...
Broncos Preseason Opener May Have Settled Three Real Roster Fights
The Broncos preseason opener against Atlanta did more than offer an early look at the roster, it seemed to clarify a few of the most practical decisions looming on the back end of camp. Denver walked away with some movement in the quarterback room, where the backup spot behind the starter had been one of the cleaner competition points, and there was also a noticeable boost for a player trying to win a niche but valuable role on offense.
On the other side of the ledger, the tight end group still looks crowded enough that every snap matters, especially with roster limits forcing tough calls. Health and a few late developments could still shift the picture, but the opener left one players path looking less secure while giving the Broncos a clearer sense of which depth pieces are starting to separate themselves. [Read more 🡒]
Jarrett Stidham Just Reignited The Broncos Backup QB Debate
Jarrett Stidham gave the Broncos a useful reminder in the preseason win over the Falcons, and he did it in the kind of controlled showing Sean Payton likes from a quarterback. He went 9 of 15 for 131 yards and a touchdown, and Payton came away talking about Stidhams resiliency, the way he handled the game, and how quickly he operated. For a Denver team trying to settle its depth chart, it was the sort of outing that keeps a backup quarterback conversation alive a little longer.
Stidham also carried a little more context into the night, still dealing with the disappointment of that AFC Championship game and the way it ended for him. Even so, he said the focus remains on working hard and moving forward, which is the only way a quarterback in his spot can really approach this stretch. The performance helped his case, but it also made the competition behind the starter feel more interesting than it did a week ago. [Read more 🡒]
Broncos Defense Already Looks Like This Teams Biggest Strength
The Broncos first preseason look offered a familiar reminder of where this team may be strongest. Denvers defense wasted little time setting the tone against Atlanta, forcing turnovers and turning one of them into a 97-yard interception return for a touchdown by Jahdae Barron. Even in a limited sample, the starters 15-play run showed the kind of early disruption and energy the Broncos want to carry into the fall.
Zach Allen pointed to the groups positive attitude, while Sean Payton has stressed pressure and connection across all phases as the standard for the roster. That showed up in the way Denver limited Atlanta early and kept the offense from settling in, which is exactly the sort of foundation the Broncos need if the defense is going to be the unit that drives the team forward. The bigger question now is whether that fast start was just a preseason snapshot or the beginning of something more dependable. [Read more 🡒]