The Denver Broncos have been one of the best success stories in the last few seasons. Despite the albatross of the Russell Wilson contract, head coach Sean Payton has been able to build an elite defense while finding a stabilizing force at quarterback in Bo Nix.
Last year, they made it all the way to the AFC Championship Game, but were without their starting quarterback in the final game. Now, as they try to make another push, potentially to the Super Bowl, they might have some amount of excess on the roster.
Broncos Further Optimize Their Roster
Two years ago, defense was Denver’s calling card, and its offense needed a ton of tweaks. In two offseasons, the organization has done an excellent job of surrounding Nix with the right pieces around him.
From Courtland Sutton, Troy Franklin, Pat Bryant, and Marvin Mims in the wide receiver room to J.K. Dobbins and RJ Harvey as their running back duo, they found a ton of playmakers for him.
However, not all of them worked out perfectly. Evan Engram was brought on as a do-it-all Swiss Army Knife on offense, but his tenure never truly got off the ground. As a result, Jacob Infante of PFSN sees him as an expendable asset for the Broncos.
Listing down a trade candidate for each roster, he was clear on the two-time Pro Bowler being the choice for Denver. “Engram failed to live up to expectations,” Infante claimed, before breaking down some of the circumstances that could indicate his tenure’s end.
“His 28.8 receiving yards per game marked the second-lowest average he’s had in his NFL career,” Infante wrote. “The Broncos doubled down on tight ends by drafting both Justin Joly and Dallen Bentley this year, which could push Engram out as he remains on the decline.”
Add in the blockbuster move to bring in Jaylen Waddle, and the pass-catching opportunities are going to be few and far between. As a result, a player like Engram, who might still have a market as a quality tight end, could be the perfect choice for the Broncos.
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Tallying 461 yards and just one touchdown, he was third on the team in total receiving yards and finished as the 46th-ranked tight end in the league, according to PFSN’s TE Impact Metric. But his production could be mimicked by the new additions Denver has made this summer.
Ultimately, it might boil down to results, but for a team that was a game away from the Super Bowl, any upgrades would be a welcome addition to get them over the hump.
