Broncos linked to veteran tight end in latest free agency prediction

Broncos linked to veteran tight end in latest free agency prediction originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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The Denver Broncos came into the offseason needing to add more depth at the tight end position, and they used two picks on the third day of the draft to do so. The Broncos selected Justin Joly of North Carolina State in the fifth round and Dallen Bentley out of Utah in the seventh round. 

But did the team do enough to bolster the position behind starter Evan Engram and holdovers Adam Trautman, Nate Adkins and Lucas Krull? The team also has last year’s seventh-round pick — Caleb Lohner — still on the roster. He will be this year’s biggest wild card. 

There are more players in the room, but it is a young room. 

Bryan De Ardo of CBS Sports recently predicted the landing spots for several of the top remaining free agents sitting on the market and he believes that the Broncos are a fit for veteran tight end Jonnu Smith. The idea of Smith coming to Denver has been discussed before. 

“The Broncos didn’t get a ton of their production out of their tight ends last season as Evan Engram and Adam Trautman combined to catch just 70 passes for 656 yards and two scores. In Smith, the Broncos would be getting a player who is just two years removed from setting career highs with 88 receptions for 884 yards and eight touchdowns. 

Smith’s skill set also meshes with Sean Payton’s offense, which gives pass-catchers a chance to make plays after the catch”, wrote De Ardo. 

The Broncos do have several options at the position, but the only one who has proven to be a viable option in the passing game is Engram, who is coming off a disappointing season. Adding Smith would eliminate someone like Krull immediately, but it could give the Broncos a better outlook from the tight end spot in the passing game this season. 

The Broncos have blocking tight ends in Adkins and Trautman, but Bo Nix will need another option in the passing game, particularly if Engram struggles again. There will be hopes that Joly can assume that role, but Sean Payton rarely puts much on the plate of his rookies. 

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Smith may not even be a blip on the Broncos’ radar less than one month out from training camp, but the idea of the team signing him makes sense. For his career, Smith has 345 receptions for 3,529 yards and 30 touchdowns. He had a quiet season with the Pittsburgh Steelers last year, catching just 38 balls. 

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