When the Broncos open training camp this week, Caleb Lohner has a clean shot to put himself back in the conversation.
The second-year tight end has already drawn praise from Sean Payton this offseason, and for good reason. Payton pointed out in May that Lohner had made a noticeable leap from his rookie year to 2026, calling out the way he was moving, the shape he was in, and the athleticism that still jumps off the page.
That matters for a player whose football background is still unusually thin. Lohner was a basketball player who logged just 59 snaps for Utah, which is exactly why Denver took the swing on him in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Last season, he spent the entire year on the practice squad. The Broncos used him not only at tight end, but also had him mimic edge-rushing looks on scout team. He showed up for rookie minicamp earlier this offseason and earned that strong report from Payton, but then he missed the rest of the offseason program while recovering from a lower body procedure.
The good news for Lohner is that the Broncos’ camp availability update did not include him among the injured or recovering players who will sit out. So after a spring that was part encouraging, part frustrating, he gets another chance to make the staff pay attention.
Payton’s comments in May made it clear the team noticed real growth.
"I’ll tell you who stood out, [TE] Caleb [Lohner]. He looks entirely different in this camp. Now he was here in this camp a year ago as a draft pick, but he stood out.
In fairness to him, remember [he] was a basketball prospect that had limited snaps of a year. So one year into the program, and how he’s moving, what he’s doing, everything looks entirely different.
That learning curve and growth curve was greater for someone who had far less experience maybe than others, if that makes sense. It’s entirely noticeable, and he’s in great shape.
You see his athleticism... There’s a physical aspect to the way he plays.
Even on look team last season, he’d play an outside linebacker rushing our tackles. He’s 6’7”, 265 pounds and he’s not afraid of the contact.
So it’s been good to see him in Year 2. You knew there was going to be a developmental upside, but that was encouraging.”
The tight end room is already crowded at the top, with Adam Trautman, Evan Engram, and Justin Joly seemingly locked in. That leaves the rest of the group fighting for whatever chance is left, and the real issue for Denver is whether it can afford to let developmental players slip through waivers.
For Lohner, the path is straightforward: show something right away. Even without pads, training camp gives tight ends plenty of chances to flash.
At 6-foot-7 and 265 pounds, he’s impossible to miss, and Denver already likes bigger bodies at the position. But size alone won’t move the needle.
What will matter is whether he can look comfortable against the Broncos’ starters or even the backups. If he does, the buzz that followed him into the league can start building again fast.
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