The Broncos’ workout of 12-year veteran tight end Kyle Rudolph on Friday — first reported by Jay Glazer of Fox Sports — revealed what has seemed clear for weeks: that the Broncos are likely not done adding to the tight-end room.
But the question now is this: Will the Broncos bolster their complement in free agency, the draft — or both?
When asked about the position March 18, general manager George Paton replied, “I’m sure we’ll address it in the draft.” But the degree of the draft pick matters; if the Broncos look to Day 3 to add to the room, then that player would likely be a special teamer first and foremost as a rookie.
A Day 2 pick, on the other hand, could take snaps from both Albert Okwuegbunam and Eric Tomlinson, the incumbent and free-agent pickup, respectively — especially if that potential addition can handle both the “Y” (the in-line tight end) and “F” (the “move” tight end in space) roles.
Tomlinson, who said last month he wants to play at 265 pounds — but blocks with a ferocity bigger than that — is a blocking-heavy “Y” tight end who will factor on special teams, potentially on punt- and field-goal protection.
“Every time I’ve been out [there], I’ve been a blocking tight end,” Tomlinson said last month. “I think that’s what I bring to this organization.
Okwuegbunam, whose receiving skills far outstrip his blocking proficiency, is a prototypical “move” tight end who operates best in space — and should have more opportunities to do so in the wake of Noah Fant’s departure via trade to Seattle last month.
“We feel good about Albert,” Paton said on March 18. “We’re going to bring in some competition for him.”
It is key that Paton said it after the Broncos had acquired Tomlinson. They view the two tight ends as different players playing different positions.
“[Okwuegbunam] is going to be one of those ‘move’ tight ends,” Broncos coach Nathaniel Hackett said at the NFL Annual Meeting in Palm Beach, Fla. on March 28. “He’s going to be more of a receiver right now.”
But Hackett wants to get Okwuegbunam up to speed as a blocker, too.
“We want to train him in blocking so he can be right there next to Tomlinson,” Hackett said. “He’s going to be a guy that we’re going to slowly develop and we’re very excited to see him work.”
But one thing is clear: Okwuegbunam won’t be working alone, which makes tight end a position to watch in the coming weeks.
