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The Denver Broncos might have found another offensive answer in a place most fans think of as an extra lineman. With Lucas Krull on injured reserve and Nate Adkins still sidelined, Adam Trautman — long labeled a “blocking” tight end — is starting to flash real playmaking ability for a 10-2 Broncos team trying to stay atop the AFC.
A new local feature from 9News even framed Trautman as the Broncos’ “blocking” tight end who can be a playmaker, too, after he turned a heavier route load into a quietly important night in Denver’s overtime win at Washington.
Broncos ‘Blocking’ TE Adam Trautman Is Starting to Make Plays
Trautman has been doing the dirty work for Sean Payton’s offense since arriving from the New Orleans Saints, where he first made his name as a physical in-line tight end. Denver re-signed him to a two-year deal in 2024, banking on his blocking and his familiarity with Payton’s system.
The receiving production is finally starting to follow.
Through 13 weeks, Trautman has 14 catches for 140 yards and a touchdown, numbers that don’t jump off the page but do represent meaningful complementary production behind featured tight end Evan Engram. He was especially noticeable in the Week 13 overtime win at Washington, catching three passes for 47 yards, including a chunk gain on Denver’s game-winning drive.
That performance lines up with how he’s viewed by film and data folks. A tight end blocking breakdown from Mile High Report highlighted Trautman as one of the league’s better run-blocking TEs, noting that Denver’s tight end group posted a low blown-block rate and held up well in the run game despite modest receiving numbers overall.
Now, with the Broncos making a late-season push, his role is expanding from unsung sixth lineman into trusted outlet for Bo Nix — especially on early downs and play-action, where his blocking reputation can help sell the fake.
What Trautman’s Emergence Means for the Broncos’ Tight End Room
Denver’s tight end depth has been tested all year. Krull is on injured reserve after surgery to repair a fractured fifth metatarsal in his left foot and is expected to miss roughly eight weeks. Adkins hasn’t practiced since hurting his knee in the October 26 win over the Dallas Cowboys and has been ruled out again for Week 14 at the Las Vegas Raiders.
That has left the Broncos leaning heavily on Engram and Trautman, with veteran Marcedes Lewis now promoted from the practice squad to the active roster after using up his standard elevations.
Engram is still the centerpiece at the position, with 38 receptions for 339 yards and a touchdown in his first season in Denver, including a season-high 79 yards and a 41-yard catch in the overtime win at Washington. But as defenses tilt more attention toward Engram and wideouts like Courtland Sutton, Trautman’s ability to slip out of blocking looks and win underneath gives Nix a valuable safety valve.
For Payton, Trautman’s emergence helps the Broncos stay in their preferred personnel groupings. Denver can keep its heavy, run-first identity, show two-tight-end looks and still threaten defenses with play-action and boot concepts that get both Engram and Trautman into routes.
If Krull remains out deep into December and Adkins doesn’t return quickly, Trautman’s snap share and target count could continue to creep upward — especially in the red zone, where his size and quarterback background from Dayton give him a feel for finding soft spots.
Stats, Schedule & Context for the Broncos
The Trautman storyline is unfolding against one of the most successful stretches Denver has seen since its Super Bowl 50 run:
Record: 10-2, first place in the AFC West, riding a nine-game winning streak after the overtime victory at Washington.
Week 14: Road matchup at the Las Vegas Raiders (2-10) on Sunday, with Denver trying to complete a season sweep of its division rival.
Trautman 2025 stats: 14 receptions, 140 yards, 1 touchdown.
Engram 2025 stats: 38 receptions, 339 yards, 1 touchdown, leading the Broncos’ tight ends and sitting among the team’s more productive pass-catchers.
Tight end injuries: Krull on IR after foot surgery; Adkins out again with a knee injury.
For a Broncos offense that has been searching for balance behind Engram and its wide receivers, Trautman evolving from “just a blocker” into a legitimate complementary threat gives Payton one more way to keep the chains moving, and one more reason this hot streak might be sustainable.
Erik Anderson is an award-winning sports journalist covering the NBA and NFL for Heavy.com. Anderson is also the host of The Rip City Pod on The I-5 Corridor, where he dives into the stories and personalities shaping the Portland Trail Blazers. His work has appeared in nationally-recognized outlets including The New York Times, Associated Press , USA Today, and ESPN. More about Erik Anderson
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