Evan Engram is entering the final year of his free agent contract with the Denver Broncos, and all signs point to the team having a new tight end for the 2027 season. The Broncos have not had a consistent, threatening tight end in a handful of years despite taking several swings at the position. It might be time for the Broncos to make a serious investment at the position.
The Broncos have danced around investing in a young tight end for some time, but they can finally end that issue in this year's draft. The Broncos do not select until the 62nd selection in this year's draft, but that is still more than enough position for the Broncos to find a tight end for the future. There are a few key pieces to the Broncos' draft strategy that will assuredly be sitting there when the Broncos are on the clock for the first time.
The top tight ends in the class, such as Oregon's Kenyon Sadiq, will not be there when Denver is picking towards the middle of day two. There is one specific target, however, who could fit perfectly into Sean Payton and Davis Webb's offense next year, and can fully take over once Engram departs when his two-year deal is over. This prospect is one that Broncos fans should become familiar with before the draft at the end of the month.
Ohio State's Max Klare could be the perfect tight end draft prospect for the Denver Broncos
Klare spent his first three seasons as a Purdue Boilermaker before transferring to Ohio State for his senior year. His two upperclassman years were impressive, totaling 1,133 receiving yards and six touchdowns over 94 receptions. Klare is still only 22 and will turn 23 over the summer. He would be 24 when taking over the tight end position for the Broncos, and would give the offense a younger element at tight end that they have been missing.
Klare is incredibly well-suited for an NFL tight end, given that he is 6'4 1/2, 245 lbs, and is incredibly athletic. There are concerns over his blocking abilities, but that is an element of the Broncos offense that they put an emphasis on, meaning he'll be learning from some of the best. He is a dynamic pass catcher and can be immediately impactful. His Draft Combine results produced the fifth-best overall score of all tight ends in the class.
At his best, Klare projects to be a dynamic pass catcher who can create matchup nightmares for defenders. If he can improve his blocking skills, he could be able to hold his own in a Payton offense that needs blocking tight ends, but can immediately be a major target for Bo Nix.
Most interesting about Klare is that his build is almost identical to Dalton Kincaid, one of the focal points of a Buffalo offense that Webb spent time in as a player. If the Broncos can find their own Kincaid in Klare, they could be in for a major offense boost in 2026 and beyond.