There is a good chance the Denver Broncos could draft a tight end in the first round of the 2025 NFL draft.
If the Broncos are truly looking for an elite offensive weapon and Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty is off the board at the No. 20 overall pick, it wouldn’t be a stretch to envision them taking a player like Penn State tight end Tyler Warren.
Even if they do draft a tight end, it would be foolhardy to think Warren might be a big-time producer right away like Las Vegas Raiders rookie tight end Brock Bowers was in 2024, so they’ll need an insurance policy at the position.
That can’t really include anyone on the current roster, where the tight end position was one of the biggest weaknesses for the offense in 2024. That means the Broncos need to find a veteran tight end through free agency. Juwan Johnson could be the perfect fit.
Bleacher Report’s Alex Kay listed Johnson as one of the NFL’s top “Bargain-Bin” free agents in 2025 after he just finished a 2-year, $12 million contract with the New Orleans Saints.
The Broncos might be able to get Johnson on a 1-year contract in the range of $4 million to $5 million depending on the market.
“Juwan Johnson may not be the most versatile tight end in the NFL, but his size and ball skills should make him a relatively popular free-agent candidate for teams in need of a playmaker at the position,” Kay wrote on January 28. ” … He’s racked up 18 touchdowns over the last four seasons and averaged a rather impressive 11.1 yards per reception in that span — a stat proving his ability as a downfield threat in addition to being a red-area safety net.”
Johnson, Broncos Linked at Trade Deadline
ESPN’s Seth Walder suggested the Broncos make a move to trade for Johnson before the NFL trade deadline on November 5.
“Denver has been playing Adam Trautman and Lucas Krull at tight end, with Greg Dulcich being a healthy scratch the past few games,” Walder wrote. “Johnson, who is in the last year of his contract, would be an upgrade. He has averaged 1.3 yards per route run over the past three seasons and had a 65 open score last season in ESPN’s receiver scores, fourth best among tight ends.”
Despite the Saints bottoming out with a 5-12 record in 2024 and firing head coach Dennis Allen after a 2-7 start, Johnson still showed up and balled out. He finished the season with 50 receptions for 548 yards and 3 touchdowns — the type of numbers a team like the Broncos would kill for out of a tight end.
Broncos Tight Ends Were Problem in 2024
It’s hard to call the production the Broncos got out of a rotating group of tight ends in 2024 as anything other than a failure — Adam Trautman, Lucas Krull and Nate Adkins combined for 46 receptions for 455 yards and 5 touchdowns.
That is essentially less than half of the production of 2 of the other starting tight ends in their own division with Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (97 receptions, 823 yards, 3 touchdowns) and Bowers, who set NFL records for rookie tight ends with 112 receptions for 1,194 yards and 5 touchdowns. It’s also about equal to the production of Los Angeles Chargers tight end Will Dissly (50 receptions, 481 yards, 2 touchdowns).
