The Broncos may have already fixed one of their biggest offensive needs for the short term, but a new mock draft says Denver still has work to do at tight end.
ESPN’s Jordan Reid projected Oregon tight end Jamari Johnson to the Broncos at No. 18 in his way-too-early 2027 first-round mock, pointing to the uncertainty surrounding Evan Engram and the team’s desire for a more complete player at the position.
“With Evan Engram a pending free agent and Adam Trautman primarily a blocker, the Broncos are looking for a more well-rounded player at the position,” Reid wrote Wednesday.
“Johnson would fulfill that, having the alignment versatility to play inline or in the slot. He has solid hands and is a good-enough run blocker. Denver spent two Day 3 picks on tight ends in April, but that wouldn't stop them from taking Johnson here.”
The fit makes sense on paper. Sean Payton has long wanted a tight end who can handle the “Joker” role, and while Engram was brought in to fill that job, Denver is already looking past the present and into the future. Engram is in the final year of his two-year deal, and even a productive 2026 season might not guarantee he stays beyond that.
Johnson’s 2025 season at Oregon gave him a strong case to rise into first-round conversation. He was the Ducks’ TE2 behind Kenyon Sadiq, but he still produced 32 catches for 510 yards and three touchdowns while averaging 15.9 yards per grab.
At 6he size creates problems for defenders, and he moves better than most players built like him. That combination is what makes him such an appealing projection for Denver: a tight end who can line up inline or in the slot, work as more than just a blocker, and give the offense another mismatch piece.
The Broncos are coming off a 14-3 season and tried to strengthen the offense this offseason by keeping most of the 53-man roster intact and adding receiver Jaylen Waddle. Waddle, who opened his career with three straight 1,000-yard seasons while sharing targets with Tyreek Hill in Miami, is expected to pair well with Courtland Sutton and give Bo Nix another reliable option in the middle of the field.
If Denver wants to keep pushing the offense forward, the next obvious step could be finding the kind of tight end Payton has been chasing. Johnson, at least in this mock, is the name attached to that job.
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