Broncos Predicted to Cut Ties With Veteran Who Had Hype in 2024

Lucas Krull had a buzz-worthy offseason for the Denver Broncos in 2024, earning praise from coach Sean Payton for his performance during OTAs.

Following one particular practice, Payton went so far as to tell the assembled media that they’d soon get to know Krull’s name.

“If you didn’t notice everyone in the media was looking down at their rosters to see who (No.) 85 was,” Payton said, via Broncos on SI. “I said, ‘Someday soon, they’re going to know who 85 is.’ He’s looking sharp.”

That didn’t necessarily translate to game days. By the regular season, the third-year tight end was merely a bit player, catching 19 passes for 152 yards across 13 games (two starts).

Fast forward several months, and the Broncos now have a clear-cut No. 1 option at tight end in Evan Engram. Behind him is Caleb Lohner, a seventh-round draft pick out of Utah who has quickly become Payton’s new flavor of the month.

What does that mean for Krull? One Broncos writer, Sayre Bedinger of Predominantly Orange, suggests that Krull could face an uphill battle to make the roster.

“The luster has worn off on Lucas Krull, sadly,” Bedinger wrote. “He’s going to have to come out and have a phenomenal camp and preseason to force the Broncos into tough decisions at the position.”

Who is the Broncos Top Tight End?

Seeking more productivity at tight end, the Broncos signed Engram to a two-year, $23 million deal, with $16.5 million guaranteed, in free agency. Engram became a cap casualty in Jacksonville after missing eight games last season with hamstring and shoulder injuries, but when healthy, was highly productive.

In 2023, Engram had a career-high 114 catches for 963 yards and four touchdowns, resulting in his second Pro Bowl appearance.

There’s still room behind Engram on the roster, but Krull will need to stand out at training camp. Complicating matters, Payton has been bullish on the 6-foot-7 Lohner, a former college basketball player.

Following stints at BYU and Baylor, Lohner finished his college career at Utah, where he caught four touchdown passes in 2024. With his background, Lohner has naturally drawn comparisons to another former Payton tight end, Jimmy Graham.

“When you get a chance to see him play football, he goes through a season of putting pads on, but his movement skills and his height, weight and his eye, hand coordination, there’s a lot of developmental upsides and we’re excited about that,” Payton said via NFL.com.

What is Lucas Krull’s Path to Making the Roster?

Other Broncos tight ends include Adam Trautman and Nate Adkins. As Bedinger noted, neither is very athletic, giving Krull a potential leg up for one of the final spots on the roster.

Training camp, of course, will be pivotal. Veteran players will report on July 22.

Bedinger said of the roster: “The Broncos aren’t heading into training camp with many veterans on the chopping block. There are plenty of players on the roster bubble, as you would expect, but if you’re looking for more obvious names, there really aren’t that many.”