Broncos' Search For a 'Joker': Exploring Potential Fits for Payton's Offense

Sean Payton is obsessed with finding a “joker” for this Denver Broncos offense. Denver's head coach has broached the subject many times since being hired, including as recently as Super Bowl week.

Payton's issue has been the potential players to fill the role — former Broncos tight end Greg Dulcich and running back Jaleel McLaughlin — weren’t up to the task. Is there a player available before the NFL draft who could become that matchup nightmare that has eluded Payton so far?

There may be a couple of options.

What we do know is the “joker” needs to be a tight end or running back with elite receiving skills, according to Payton's definition. That rules out every tight end currently on the Broncos' roster and nearly every running back.

However, there is one running back who could be a surprise to take the role in 2025. That sleeper is Blake Watson.

Before trashing this idea, hear me out. First of all, Payton mentioned Watson as a possibility in the 2024 offseason.

Add that to the fact that Payton kept Watson on the roster after an injury sidelined him for significant time during training camp and forced him into mostly mop-up duty in the preseason, and he's obviously valuable to the coach. For a player like Watson, who was on the fringe, keeping him on the 53-man roster to shield him from being snagged off of waivers indicates that Payton had higher hopes for him than one would expect.

Why were the hopes high? Watson has the receiving skills Payton's looking for in a running back. Watson finished his senior season at Memphis with 53 receptions for 480 yards and three touchdowns.

That's solid production out of the backfield. It remains to be seen whether it translates to the NFL, but the potential is there with Watson, and with a year of seasoning, he may be ready to break out.

The aforementioned injury stunted Watson's rookie growth. What the Broncos do in free agency could indicate the confidence they hold in him.

Speaking of free agency, what options available? It's slim pickings at the running back position. There isn’t an elite receiver at that position who is still under 26 years old.

However, there are a couple of options at the tight end position. The name that should be at the top of the list is New Orleans Saints tight end Juwan Johnson.

Johnson is a 28-year-old converted wide receiver who finished 2024 with 50 receptions in only five starts. He could fit the "joker" role quite well and be a full-time starter in Denver's lackluster tight end group. If Payton really wants a joker, Johnson may be the only immediate option without rolling the dice in the draft.

The other two options are New England's Austin Hooper and Cincinnati's Mike Gesiki. Both are less desirable than Johnson due to their age, which could lead to diminishing skills. Perhaps in a joker role within Payton’s offense, they could be more impactful than what their past performances suggest. 

Bottom Line

If the Broncos offense is in desperate need of a joker as Payton suggests, he will need to go full-steam ahead in finding that player. Hopefully, he will give himself more than one option to hedge his bets on one addition panning out.

A true difference-maker will put this Broncos offense over the top and help the team become a true contender.