The Denver Broncos got their rookies into camp on Wednesday, and for one first-year player in particular, that early arrival may matter more than it does for most. With veterans set to report on July 28 and training camp about to get rolling in full, fifth-round tight end Justin Joly enters a crowded room and a roster that doesn’t exactly hand out easy openings.
Denver’s depth chart leaves little breathing room. The Broncos used seven draft picks this year without landing a first- or second-rounder, and none of those rookies has a clear runway to a starting job.
Some are even fighting just to stick around. Joly, though, has drawn enough attention this offseason to stand out from that group.
NFL Draft On SI’s Justin Melo recently included Joly among 10 overlooked rookies who will “force coaches to take notice” in camp. Melo pointed to Joly’s athletic profile, his Senior Bowl recognition, and the production that came with nearly 500 receiving yards and seven touchdowns last season.
He also noted the long view in Denver, writing, "Justin Joly is an athletic pass catcher who was named Tight End of the Week at the Senior Bowl. Joly produced nearly 500 receiving yards and seven touchdowns this past campaign.
With Evan Engram on an expiring contract, the Denver Broncos have reasons to start developing a young pass-catching threat behind him," Melo wrote.
That future-facing logic makes sense. The Broncos clearly view Evan Engram as their top receiving tight end, with Adam Trautman handling the primary blocking work.
If Engram were to miss time, Joly could get on the field as a rookie, though even then the role would likely be limited. If Engram stays healthy, Joly’s best early path may be as a red-zone piece - another big, athletic target who can create matchup problems.
But first, he has to survive the numbers game.
The tight end room is packed. Nate Adkins and Lucas Krull are both back on new deals, and while those contracts don’t make them untouchable, they do show the Broncos still value them.
Then there are Caleb Lohner and Dallen Bentley, the team’s 2026 and 2027 seventh-round picks, adding even more competition to the mix. Denver has also drafted three tight ends over the past two years, all on Day 3, which says plenty about how the staff is approaching the position.
Joly does have one thing working for him: the Broncos traded up to get him in the fifth round, giving up a sixth-round pick in the process. That doesn’t guarantee anything, but it does give him a little more draft capital than some of the other young tight ends in the room. If he turns heads this summer, that could matter.
Still, he’ll need to beat out at least one veteran to make the 53-man roster, and the most obvious target is Krull, who has served as Denver’s backup F-tight end in recent years. The Broncos usually keep four tight ends, and one projection has Engram, Trautman, Adkins, and Joly making the cut, with Krull on the outside looking in.
Adkins brings the best blocking ability of the group and could even offer some fullback flexibility if Denver decides to get heavier elsewhere on the roster. That kind of move could affect Adam Prentice, though that’s a separate conversation.
For now, Joly remains one of the more interesting rookies in Broncos camp. He flashed at Senior Bowl week, where he looked like a big-bodied wide receiver moving through drills, and he has enough upside to make this a real battle. But unless injury opens the door, a featured offensive role in Denver probably isn’t coming until 2027 at the earliest.
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