In all reality, the chances of the Broncos bringing in a big name free agent tight end (not that there really is one) are slim to none. Barring a surprising cut, Denver will enter the offseason with the same faces as last year: Owen Daniels and Virgil Green.
If an upgrade is going to come from anywhere, it’s probably going to come from Jeff Heuerman, who was drafted in the third round of last year’s draft. At Ohio State, Heuerman showed flashes of receiving prowess, but they came sparingly; he only caught 52 balls during his entire four-year career, just 17 of which came during his senior year.
And if that’s not enough of a question mark, he also missed the entirety of his rookie season, training camp and all, with a torn ACL.
Sure, there was a reason why John Elway reached for him in the third round, but if the Broncos are expecting him to suddenly be the pass-catching threat they were missing so dearly from the tight end position last year, they’re asking an awful lot.
So that leaves Owen Daniels as Gary Kubiak‘s best option. Well, as long as they don’t pull the trigger and bring in someone in free agency, which is still a possibility.
And if they do, here are five guys they should consider (Be prepared for a lot of Saints):
5. Michael Hoomanawanui
EXPERIENCE: 6 years DRAFT: 5th round (132nd overall) out of Illinois
CAREER STATS: 51 receptions; 594 yards; 7 touchdowns
BEST SEASON: 13 receptions; 146 yards; 3 touchdowns (2010)
LAST SEASON: 11 receptions; 76 yards; 3 touchdowns
WHY BRONCOS COULD BE INTERESTED: Michael “Hoo-Man” Hoomanawanui isn’t going to be the receiving threat the Broncos are looking for; 51 receptions over six years isn’t exactly .. inspiring. But he could be the utility player the Broncos need.
As a blocker, both at the tight end and fullback position, Hoo-Man is one of the best in the league.
4. Josh Hill
EXPERIENCE: 3 years DRAFT: Undrafted out of Idaho St.
CAREER STATS: 36 receptions; 340 yards; 8 touchdowns
BEST SEASON: 14 receptions; 176 yards; 5 touchdowns (2014)
LAST SEASON: 16 receptions; 120 yards; 2 touchdowns
WHY BRONCOS COULD BE INTERESTED: Last offseason, the New Orleans Saints were attempting to convince everyone that they’d be fine without Jimmy Graham because they had some guy named Josh Hill. Well, that didn’t go all that well.
Still, he’s a guy who did turn 20 targets in 2014 into five touchdowns. That’s the epitome of a red zone threat.
He is, though, a restricted free agent, which means the Saints will have every opportunity to retain his services. But if he does manage to escape free (I doubt it), he could be a young, cheap option with a lot of upside.
3. Ladarius Green
EXPERIENCE: 4 years DRAFT: 4th round (110nd overall) out of La-Lafayette
CAREER STATS: 77 receptions; 1,087 yards; 7 touchdowns
BEST/LAST SEASON: 37 receptions; 429 yards; 4 touchdowns (2015)
WHY BRONCOS COULD BE INTERESTED: Much like Hill, Ladarius Green was praised as the heir apparent to a perennial Pro Bowl tight end. The only difference is that Antonio Gates never left San Diego or stopped being a high-quality receiver.
Going into his fifth season, though, Green is about to get his first opportunity to be “the man.” And with his speed and natural athleticism, he absolutely can be. As a down-field threat, there aren’t many better than him at the tight end position.
For the Broncos, he could end up being the guy they thought Vernon Davis was going to be.
2. Benjamin Watson
EXPERIENCE: 12 years DRAFT: 1st round (32nd overall) out of Illinois
CAREER STATS: 434 receptions; 4,963 yards; 38 touchdowns
BEST/LAST SEASON: 74 receptions; 825 yards; 6 touchdowns (2015)
WHY BRONCOS COULD BE INTERESTED: The only other free agent tight end who can even compare to Benjamin Watson’s receiving abilities is Antonio Gates, but I’d be shocked to see Gates ever play a down in something other than a Chargers uniform. So for all intents and purposes, Watson is the best guy on the market.
Really, the only reason why he isn’t No. 1 on the list is because he’s 35 years old. Even if he is coming off the best season of his career, it’s hard to count on sustained production at that age.
But if Watson was looking to join a championship contender on a one-year deal, the Broncos could be a good option.
1. Dwayne Allen
EXPERIENCE: 4 years DRAFT: 3rd round (64th overall) out of Illinois
CAREER STATS: 91 receptions; 1,045 yards; 13 touchdowns
BEST SEASON: 45 receptions; 521 yards; 3 touchdowns (2012)
LAST SEASON: 16 receptions; 109 yards; 1 touchdowns
WHY BRONCOS COULD BE INTERESTED: Dwayne Allen is probably exactly what the Denver Broncos need: A tight end who can dominate both as a blocker and receiver.
While last season was a disappointing year for Allen, you could say that about the entire Colts franchise; I’m going to let it slide.
What I do know is that this is a guy who caught 45 balls as a rookie and had eight touchdowns after missing the vast majority of the 2013 season with a hip injury. I’d be more than happy to have him in Denver.