ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — One Broncos drafted tight end remains on the 53-player roster as the team marches into the regular season — and considering that the last rookie tight end standing was the penultimate pick in this year’s NFL Draft, it came as a mild surprise.
Given overall roster constraints, there was likely room only for one of Dallen Bentley or Justin Joly on the 53-player roster. And given that Bentley went off the board 104 picks after Joly, it was newsworthy to see him stick while Joly became the highest-drafted member of the 2026 draft class to hit the waiver wire.
But tight end Evan Engram wasn’t surprised to see the Utah product stick on the roster.
“Well-deserved,” Engram said. “I thought Dallen had an amazing camp.”
“… As a rookie tight end in this offense, it’s a lot to learn. It’s a lot to pick up. It’s a lot to play fast with. And thought he did a great job. And I told him that it’s well-deserved.”
BRONCOS FELT BENTLEY WAS A “DIFFERENT” ILK OF PLAYER THAN JOLY
Broncos coach Sean Payton emphasized earlier in the week that Joly and Bentley were “entirely different-type players,” and indeed, although both are tight ends, they effectively have different primary positions, with Bentley more of an in-line “Y” tight end and Joly better suited to being an “F” tight end in space.
“But we felt that Bentley earned that [roster spot],” Payton said.
The difference comes down to blocking, primarily. Bentley is more technically sound; Joly is decidedly a work in progress. And with Adam Trautman and Nate Adkins both entering their fourth years with the team, the Broncos will carve out space for blocking-first players at the position.
That’s only part of the long-term challenge in front of Bentley. But now he has that chance, as he effectively bumped Lucas Krull off the 53-player roster and onto the practice squad. Krull will likely be the relief option for “F” tight-end snaps if something happens to Engram.
It’s possible Bentley and Caleb Lohner — the Broncos’ other recent Round 7 tight end from Utah, selected last year — could eventually be battling for one spot, or could end up comprising the team’s depth at tight end. But Bentley will have the chance here, while Joly casts his lot with the Miami Dolphins, who claimed him off waivers largely based on their pre-draft evaluations of him, as
And when Bentley seeks assistance, Engram will be happy to provide it.
“Obviously, I just want to be any type of help I can be for him,” Engram said. “I’ve I’ve experienced a lot and I enjoy passing down those experiences and kind of give him the lessons before he might have to go through them.”
