Denver Broncos: Austin Traylor, the forgotten tight end
The tight end position underperformed over the years with the Denver Broncos and Austin Traylor is the overlooked player in the position group.
The Denver Broncos are searching for a compliment to Jake Butt similar to what they had in Virgil Green.
In the offseason, Green left the Broncos but stayed in the AFC West with the Los Angeles Chargers.
There is one player often overlooked in the Broncos’ tight end group and that’s Austin Traylor.
Jeff Heuerman is talented enough to solidify the number two spot on the roster, but his lack of production and injuries are cause for concern.
Heuerman is a good receiver capable of running nearly every route, but the Broncos added even more competition when they drafted Troy Fumagalli in the 2018 NFL Draft. There must be progression at this position this upcoming season
Since there are no clear favorites, the door is open for others to step up.
Traylor saw playing time at the tail end of the 2017 season and he showed flashes of brilliance. He is the consistent run blocker that Denver needs full-time, but Traylor also showed reliability in the passing game.
One trait Traylor possesses is an underrated fifth gear. He is capable of hitting the second level not many think he can reach.
Consistency is still a problem at times with all the tight ends. However, the Denver Broncos have to be enamored in Traylor’s ceiling to potential be an all-around tight end.
One play in particular showed Traylor’s capability to be a big body in the open field. It came during the 2017 preseason as Kyle Sloter found Traylor against the Arizona Cardinals.
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The Broncos need more out of the tight end position in 2018. There are high expectations for Jake butt, but don’t count out Austin Traylor as the best compliment to Butt.
Case Keenum needs multiple tight ends he can trust. All things considered, Traylor is the forgotten player in this position group.
Come Training Camp 2018, don’t be surprised if Traylor is second on the depth chart behind Jake Butt. In a small sample size, he showed the flashes to be a perfect duo with Butt.