3. Tight End
Virgil Green (85) runs with the ball after making a catch with Green Bay Packers strong safety Micah Hyde (33) in pursuit during the second half at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. The Broncos won 29-10. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports” width=”900″ height=”636″ />
Maybe Jeff Heurerman is the future for the Broncos at tight end, but I’m definitely not betting my life on it. Not only is he coming off a torn ACL, but even when he was healthy, he never received much run as a pass catcher at Ohio State.
During his best season, his junior year, Heurerman caught 26 balls for 466 yards and four touchdowns, but he followed that up with a 17-catch, 207-yard campaign the next year. Even at his best, those numbers don’t scream out “Tight End of the Future!”
Now, maybe Heurerman was simply underutilized in college, and maybe he has the natural ability to be a big-time pass catching threat in the NFL, but we haven’t seen it. He hasn’t even played a preseason snap.
Aside from him, Virgil Green is a nice player, but if we were ever to see a breakout season from him, we would have seen it. At this point, he’s no more than an additional offensive lineman who can break out into a route every once in awhile.
Whomever ends up starting at quarterback for the Denver Broncos, I’m sure they would greatly appreciate a big receiving threat over the middle to bail them out when things go haywire. We’ll see if they find one.
