The Denver Broncos, unlike early on in the Sean Payton era, do not have a roster full of bad contracts and has-been veterans who won't be long for the team. On the contrary, the Broncos' roster appears to be absolutely loaded on both sides of the ball, and is especially flush with youth.
Because of that, the Broncos aren't heading into training camp with many veterans on the chopping block. There are plenty of players on the roster bubble, as you would expect, but if you're looking for more obvious names, there really aren't that many.
One player whose situation is worth monitoring is Lucas Krull, a guy who was once considered a promising young upside option at tight end who has since become a bit of a frustrating discussion.
Broncos could part with Lucas Krull quickly if training camp goes poorly
Last offseason, Krull was infamously touted by one on-site reporter as the best player on the field at OTAs. Sean Payton laughed that off, but Krull was sort of the flavor of the offseason, and for good reason.
Although Payton hadn't hyped him up to that level, the Broncos saw some fun glimpses from him in the 2022 season after stealing him from the Saints, and there was a clear opening for someone with his skill set at the tight end position. Krull has a huge 6-foot-6 frame, he is a bully after the catch, and he showed some nice contested catch abilities as well.
There was plenty to like about Krull, who was competing at this time a year ago with Greg Dulcich to be the Broncos' top pass-catching option at tight end. Unfortunately for the team, neither of those guys ended up working out. Even though Krull ended up leading the Broncos tight ends with 19 receptions last season, he didn't get the chance to showcase his abilities after the catch or as a vertical threat.
It was an underwhelming year, and now the Broncos have brought in veteran Evan Engram, who looks like he'll be a staple in the offense, as well as 7th-round sleeper Caleb Lohner, who is going to be around as one of the top projects of this coaching staff. Sean Payton believes he might have the "next" Jimmy Graham on his hands.
The luster has worn off on Lucas Krull, sadly. He's going to have to come out and have a phenomenal camp and preseason to force the Broncos into tough decisions at the position. And because he's a weapon as a receiver, he's got a shot. Adam Trautman and Nate Adkins aren't nearly as athletic as Krull, so his training camp will be worth monitoring.