If Evan Engram is the answer, Broncos Country does not want to know the question.
Team Retention is bent on becoming Team Redemption. But one blemish on the Broncos’ roster remains.
The tight end position is the mole on Cindy Crawford’s cheek.
For the Broncos to reach the Super Bowl, it stands to reason they need more impressive returns, or receptions, from Engram. He is not going to morph into Shannon Sharpe or Julius Thomas.
But can he remind us of the salad days of Noah Fant?
All of the Broncos’ bets on continuity have held up to scrutiny. The defensive line seems more versatile and ornerier with the emergence of Eyioma Uwazurike and the affable irritability of Malcolm Roach.
J.K. Dobbins did not play a single snap in the preseason, but held true to his pinky promise of good health by missing only one practice with a soft-tissue injury. And rookie Jonah Coleman has convinced the coaches that he is a capable backup along with R.J. Harvey.
Fans believe the Broncos are vulnerable in coverage at inside linebacker with Alex Singleton and Justin Strnad — which is perhaps why you hear faint talk radio calls to sign Bobby Wagner — but it has not shown up in practice.
And cornerback Jahdae Barron is inconsistent in coverage, but truth is, if Riley Moss has to miss time with a rib injury — unlikely right now — Kris Abrams-Draine can fill in.
Then there is tight end. And nothing to suggest that 2026 will be much different than 2025 and 2024.
Justin Joly (80) of the Denver Broncos blocks Chaz Chambliss (40) of the Minnesota Vikings during the third quarter at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver, Colorado on Friday, August 28, 2026. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)
“We are working through it. It is a deep room. What is the role, what is the vision? That is something we are still working through and trying to look closely at,” said coach Sean Payton after the Broncos thrashed the Vikings 34-6 in the preseason finale. “It is one of the topics that will be high on the list.”
Justin Joly has all the attributes to make noise. But his entire summer was a whisper until he snared an 88-yard touchdown pass Friday that was contested only by gravity. He made a reception that was the equivalent of a fair catch as he waved his arms to get quarterback Sam Ehlinger’s attention.
“It was like an open layup in basketball,” said Joly, unsure if he was ever more open in his football career. “Just had to catch it. And not drop it at the 1-yard line.”
If nothing else, the moment should help Joly make the team. But the play was more of an anomaly for Joly. And it is not like fellow rookie Dallen Bentley made a splash. He did not have a single catch in three games, and only a few more in workouts.
We knew Adam Trautman was coming back. He is a better blocker than most realize, but has reached his ceiling in the passing game. And unless you think Nate Adkins is a secret weapon or that Caleb Loehner is going to magically heal to avoid getting stashed on injured reserve, the Broncos find themselves starting right where last season ended: trusting Engram.
This is an offense that needs all the help it can get from targets beyond Courtland Sutton and Jaylen Waddle.
And it is weird that everyone talks like it will be Engram, the veteran who had to plead for the ball to get a touchdown at Philadelphia last season and spent the rest of the year playing the good soldier and biting his tongue.
He is a tremendous teammate. When Joly returned to the sideline after his score, Engram was the first one to greet the rookie. Engram celebrates the success of others. He takes work home with him. He is always prepared.
But the Broncos don’t need dedication. They need production.
Head coach Sean Payton of the Denver Broncos works against the Minnesota Vikings during the third quarter at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver, Colorado on Friday, August 28, 2026. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)
Engram finished with 50 catches for 461 yards and a touchdown last year. It was better than what the Broncos had in the previous two seasons, but Denver’s tight ends still ranked 26th in receiving yards (719), 28th in touchdowns and 30th in first downs.
For the middle of the field not to look like the middle of a donut, the Broncos need Engram to deliver more under first-time play-caller Davis Webb. He is assuming more responsibility in the run game to log more snaps — he played a career-low 42% in 2025.
He made big plays against the Jets and Commanders a year ago. But also contributed to the Broncos’ tight ends posting the league’s highest drop rate by dropping 10.5% of his targets.
“I felt like there were things that definitely I can improve on,” Engram said recently. “And there were things I did really well.”
As Engram stood on the sideline Friday, the imagination wanders of what could be. He is built like a receiver and can run routes in the slot. It is frightening to think that the Broncos cannot find more mismatches for him.
Denver will win games because of Sutton and Waddle. But Engram is the kind of player who can steal a first down in the fourth quarter to set up a critical field goal. Or catch a slant that sets up Waddle for a deep shot a few series later.
He didn’t get much action, not even at camp, to suggest a bigger role is incoming. He caught one pass for 24 yards in the first quarter against the Falcons three weeks ago. And then blended into the fabric.
This is not supposed to happen. And can’t happen again.
Webb recruited Engram to the Broncos. His offense has more outlets for Engram to explore. Bo Nix insisted that they are implementing Engram in different ways.
Just because it did not show up this summer doesn’t mean it won’t. There is no reason for Webb to put anything on tape with Engram — or really anyone — that might surprise the Chiefs on Sept. 14.
The problem is the Broncos talked up Engram last season and he never met external expectations.
How will it change in his 10th season? Engram has to give them reason to use him. Get separation off the line, box out on run plays and hold onto the ball more consistently.
Everyone wants to believe all of the Broncos’ shortcomings will be addressed by Waddle and a healthy Dobbins.
But mark it down. When a championship is the goal, the Broncos offense won’t be good enough if it doesn’t feature more of Engram.
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