What I’m hearing about the Denver Broncos heading into free agency
Broncos Expected to Sign TE in Free Agency Connected to Sean Payton: Report
The offseason for the Denver Broncos is going to be all about adding more weapons for quarterback, Bo Nix. The Broncos will add more help at running back and at tight end, but the big question is if they’ll address it in free agency or the NFL Draft.
According to Tony Pauline, the Broncos will likely add a tight end during free agency. “I’m told they (Broncos) may address the position during free agency and sign Juwan Johnson, who is up for free agency.” Johnson went undrafted in 2020 and ended up signing with Sean Payton and the New Orleans Saints. The former Oregon Duck proved that he could play in the NFL by playing for the Saints for the past five seasons. In the two years that Johnson played under Payton, he had 17 receptions for 198 yards and four touchdowns. Last season, Johnson appeared in all 17 regular-season games and caught 50 passes for a total of 548 yards while finding the endzone three times.
Last year, Adam Trautman led all Broncos tight ends in receiving yards with just 188 yards and two touchdowns. The Broncos have not had a tight end score five or more touchdowns since Julius Thomas scored 12 in 2014. Denver also hasn’t had a tight end go for over 500 yards in a season since Noah Fant did it in 2021 when he had 670 yards. While
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looking at mock drafts, the Broncos have been linked the most to Michigan tight end Colston Loveland with the 20th overall pick. In Mel Kiper’s latest mock draft, he has the Broncos selecting Loveland and explains that Loveland would be a great addition for Nix.
“If you look at what Loveland has done at Michigan and his skill set, he could help fill that (Joker) role. He can separate, and his 6-foot-5 frame makes it difficult for opponents to match up. Loveland would be quarterback Bo Nix’s best friend in the pass game.” Depending on what the Broncos do with the tight end position in free agency, it likely will not stop their plan in what they want to do in the draft in April.
“If you look at what Loveland has done at Michigan and his skill set, he could help fill that (Joker) role. He can separate, and his 6-foot-5 frame makes it difficult for opponents to match up. Loveland would be quarterback Bo Nix’s best friend in the pass game.” Depending on what the Broncos do with the tight end position in free agency, it likely will not stop their plan in what they want to do in the draft in April.
The 2025 NFL Scouting Combine is over. And with the results in Indianapolis, there are sure to be some risers (and fallers) on draft boards around the league.
This is reflected in my second mock of the 2025 NFL Draft’s first round, as I try things out — including some shakeups at the top — to see where the dominoes might fall. My first few mock drafts always have some aggressive swings — which we often see in the actual draft — and then I respond as I believe the teams might.
Now, NFL franchises will address various needs in free agency — which officially kicks off at 4 p.m. ET on March 12 — and that will obviously impact how things play out at April’s draft in Green Bay, Wisconsin. But in the calm before the FA frenzy, here is my latest simulation of Round 1.
