The Broncos already took a swing at the top of the tight end market, and the answer came back no. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Denver called the Arizona Cardinals about Trey McBride, only to get shut down as the trade deadline approaches on November 10.
That doesn’t mean the Broncos are done shopping. If they’re still hunting for help at tight end, there are a few names that make sense at different price points - from a familiar face in New Orleans to a possible long-term play in New York.
Juwan Johnson is the most obvious connection. Sean Payton helped uncover him as an undrafted free agent with the Saints back in 2020, and Denver has been linked to him before because of that history.
The Broncos chose Evan Engram in 2025 free agency instead, betting on the bigger ceiling and the more explosive “joker” type. At the time, that looked like the safer bet.
Now, it’s hard to ignore what Johnson has done. He put up 77 catches on 102 targets for 889 yards and 3 touchdowns last season, while Engram has 101 total targets in 24 games with Denver so far.
Johnson has already scored 3 touchdowns in the first 7 games of the 2026 season, and the Saints have Noah Fant and third-round pick Oscar Delp behind him. If New Orleans keeps sliding before the deadline, Johnson could become a name to watch.
Dallas Goedert would be the cleaner short-term fit. Philadelphia could be open to moving veteran players on expiring deals, and Denver has shown interest in him before.
He’s not the kind of move that changes a franchise’s future, but he brings dependable hands and red-zone value. The Eagles have been rumored to be willing to move on from him for a while, and it was something of a surprise that he ended up back there in 2026.
With Jalen Hurts now on the shelf for 2026 and Joe Milton starting, Philadelphia might be in a position where dealing Goedert makes sense.
If the Broncos want to think bigger than a rental, the Jets might be the team to call. Darren Mougey, formerly George Paton’s right-hand man in Denver, now runs a New York tight end room that’s crowded with options.
The Jets have four tight ends playing meaningful snaps, and they just added Oregon’s Kenyon Sadiq with a first-round pick after using a high second-rounder on LSU’s Mason Taylor a year earlier. Denver liked Taylor coming out in the 2025 NFL Draft, and he’s the more intriguing name here.
Jeremy Ruckert is another possibility, though his pass-catching upside doesn’t match the others on this list.
There’s also the long-shot dream scenario: Sam LaPorta. The Lions look like Super Bowl contenders, so moving him would make little sense.
Still, if Detroit doesn’t plan to extend him long term and Denver were to dangle a first-round pick, that’s the kind of offer that at least forces a conversation. It’s a near-impossible move, but not one to completely dismiss.
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Denvers early-season win over Jacksonville looked like a solid September result at the time, but it has taken on a much bigger meaning as both teams have settled into the race for the top of their respective divisions. The Broncos sit at 6-2 and already own the head-to-head edge over a Jaguars team that has played well enough since then to keep the matchup relevant far beyond Week 2.
If both clubs keep winning and finish as division champions, that result could become a major piece of the AFC playoff picture, especially when seeding and tiebreakers start to matter. It is the kind of game that can quietly shape January, and for Denver, it now looks less like an early-season checkpoint and more like a result that could pay off in a much bigger way later on. [Read more 🡒]
Courtland Sutton Could Be The Key To Denvers Next Red Zone Jump
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Suttons overall production has dipped this season, which is part of why the discussion matters in the first place. Even so, recent games have hinted that he could be headed for a bigger role as the Broncos look for a steadier red zone identity. If Denver is going to turn a solid scoring rate into something more reliable, Sutton may be the piece that helps make that jump. [Read more 🡒]
Broncos Defense Is Becoming The Reason This Team Keeps Winning
Through eight games, the Broncos have built their recent surge on a defense that keeps making life miserable for opposing quarterbacks. Denver has been especially disruptive up front, piling up pressure at a rate that has turned the pass rush into a weekly problem for offenses trying to protect the pocket and extend plays.
That edge has mattered even more against mobile quarterbacks, where the Broncos have still found ways to close space and finish the job. It was a major factor in the win over Kansas City, a game that showed how quickly Denvers defense can swing the momentum when it starts winning on the line of scrimmage. [Read more 🡒]