The Broncos have spent most of their offseason trying to keep the machine intact, but there’s still one move that could change the look of this roster before Week 1.
Denver has largely stayed true to the group that powered last year’s 14-3 run, keeping the core together while only making a few notable changes. John Franklin-Myers is gone to the Tennessee Titans, Jaylen Waddle arrived via trade, and otherwise this is still very much the same Broncos team that rolled into 2025.
That continuity suggests Denver may be perfectly content to ride with what it has. The safer bet is that the Broncos leave the veteran market alone and head into training camp next week without shaking up the depth chart.
But the door is not shut. There are still a few veteran free agents sitting out there, and Denver does have cap space if it wants to use it. That makes a late addition less far-fetched than it might seem at first glance.
If the Broncos do decide to make one more move, tight end feels like the clearest place to look.
That room got a little attention in the draft, when Denver added Justin Joly and Dallen Bentley on day three. Even so, unless one of those rookies pops in camp - or 2025 seventh-round pick Caleb Lohner turns heads - the group still looks a lot like it did a year ago. It’s workable, but it doesn’t exactly jump off the page.
A veteran addition would at least give the Broncos another body and another test in camp. Denver could see how that player fits alongside the younger options and decide from there.
If it works, he could settle in as a TE2 behind Evan Engram or a TE3 behind Adam Trautman. If it doesn’t, the Broncos could move on before the season without much consequence.
Among the available names, Jonnu Smith and Darren Waller stand out as the most productive and healthiest options. Smith looks like the cleaner fit for Denver because of his age and his ability to contribute both as a blocker and as a receiver. Waller, meanwhile, only recently came out of retirement in 2025, and his NFL future still doesn’t have a clear next step.
There are also two bigger names with health questions attached: Will Dissly and Zach Ertz. Dissly was released by the LA Chargers after a failed physical in March, while Ertz tore his ACL in Week 14 last season. Neither comes with a clean bill of health, but both could still be on Denver’s radar if the Broncos want more depth at the position.
If Denver does make a call, Jonnu Smith looks like the best bet. He would be affordable, healthy, low-risk, and capable of playing meaningful snaps as a respectable TE2 while helping smooth out some of the Broncos’ well-documented issues at tight end.
For now, it remains just something to watch as the Broncos get closer to getting back on the field at the end of the month.
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