Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton is heading into this week’s mandatory minicamp still looking for upgrades at the skill positions. The Broncos reinforced Quarterback, wide receiver, and running back in the draft, but the early signs are that Payton is content enough to roll with what he’s got in the tight end room.
Undoubtedly, much will ride on the gamble the Broncos are taking on the improved availability of the explosive (when healthy) Greg Dulcich in 2024. Above and beyond that leap of faith, the fleeting glimpses of talent that former undrafted free agent Lucas Krull provides have seemingly convinced Payton he’s got something to work with.
“The same things we see in Dulcich relative to we see a certain stature we like,” Payton said of Krull last week. “So that means we have a bigger target. He has good vertical speed. He’s young, so we think there is room to grow. That was one of the reasons we signed him. So these camps benefit certain players—like I said the other day—a little bit more than others because you can get into your patterns and see some things. So he’s doing well.”
Payton likes Krull’s mix of speed and size, and with tight ends always requiring a blend of blocking and receiving skills, you can see why the head coach is excited to see how he can mature. Of course, Krull’s scant eight catches for 95 yards and one score in 2023 will keep the 25-year-old Kansas native flying under the radar, at least, until bigger numbers make the NFL “know who 85 is.”
Much like starting safety P.J. Locke, Krull has done it the hard way, fighting his way up through the practice squad and contributing on the special teams before a level of trust was established. The NFL’s school of hard knocks is notoriously brutal for undrafted players, and often sees them tap out, but not Krull. He’s determined to fully embrace the grind.
“Really just keeping my head down and working as hard as I can,” Krull said via the team’s website. “Busting my tail every day at practice. When I was on [the] practice squad, treating it as if it was a game. Taking all those reps, every rep I can, just diving into every opportunity. Just pushing myself and obviously getting practice squad reps and going against the starting defense, you’re going against the best of the best.”
Krull’s diligent work habits have clearly caught the eye of his coach, but now the push becomes about capitalizing on the opportunity he’s been afforded. Spending half of last season on the practice squad has also prepared Krull for the inevitable setbacks of forging a professional career from the bottom up, so he’s ready for anything.
“When you fail, there’s obviously learning in everything,” Krull said. “To be able to just take that [experience] and bounce back and [do] everything I can to help this team and be the player I am for this team and this coaching staff, that’s really all I can ask [for].”
Keep on eye on No. 85, Broncos Country. It could be well worth it.
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