Denver Broncos announced their Day‑3 selections in the NFL Mock Draft 2026 on May 24, adding North Carolina State tight end Justin Joly in the fifth round and Utah’s Dallen Bentley with the second‑to‑last pick. The moves target a glaring tight‑end deficit that has hampered the Broncos’ passing game for two seasons, a problem that has been amplified by an AFC West that increasingly relies on versatile, pass‑catching tight ends to stretch defenses.
Field Yates of ESPN flagged Joly as one of the most impactful Day‑3 picks league‑wide, projecting him as a viable secondary receiving option behind veteran Evan Engram. The Broncos hope the duo will give coach Sean Payton a deeper arsenal for play‑action and red‑zone schemes, allowing the team to finally compete with the Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Chargers in a division where tight ends such as Travis Kelce, Darren Waller and George Kittle dominate the stat sheet.
Background: Broncos’ Tight End Woes
Denver entered the 2026 offseason with a tight end corps that was primarily a blocking unit. In 2025, the Broncos ranked 30th out of 32 teams in yards per target (4.2) and 28th in tight‑end EPA per snap (0.12). Engram, the lone true receiving tight end, averaged 5.1 targets per game and accounted for just 12% of the team’s total passing attempts. The lack of a reliable intermediate weapon forced Denver to rely heavily on deep shots to Russell Wilson and a run‑heavy scheme that kept the offense in the 12th‑ranked spot in yards per play. Historically, the Broncos have cycled through three different tight ends in the last decade without finding a long‑term solution, a pattern that has contributed to their failure to reach the playoffs since 2020.
Payton, hired in 2024 after a successful stint modernizing the Saints’ offense, has repeatedly emphasized the need for multiple tight‑end sets to disguise coverages and keep linebackers off the field. In his first two seasons, he only deployed two‑tight‑end formations on 7% of snaps, far below the league average of 13% for teams that rank in the top ten in passing efficiency. The Day‑3 selections are a direct response to that statistical gap.
Key Details of the Day‑3 Selections
Justin Joly, a 6‑14, 250‑lb prospect from North Carolina State, posted 36 receptions for 452 yards and three touchdowns in his final collegiate season. He ranked second in the ACC in yards per catch (12.6) and posted a 73% catch rate on contested throws. Joly’s pre‑draft scouting report highlighted his crisp route running, especially on slant‑inside and seam concepts, and a rare combination of size and agility that allows him to line up in the slot as a hybrid H‑back. He logged a 4.58‑second 40‑yard dash at the NFL Combine, placing him in the top 20% of tight ends for speed, and posted a 33.5‑inch vertical, indicating strong leaping ability in the red zone.
Dallen Bentley, a 6‑15, 260‑lb senior from the University of Utah, recorded 28 catches for 389 yards and two scores while also earning All‑Pac‑12 honors for his blocking on the offensive line. Bentley’s Pro Day metrics featured a 4.71‑second 40‑yard dash and 10 bench‑press reps at 225 pounds, underscoring a balance of power and mobility. Defensive coordinators praised his ability to set the edge against the run, a skill that aligns with Payton’s desire to run play‑action from the tight end spot. Bentley also contributed on special teams, logging 12 tackles on kickoff coverage, a trait that increases his immediate roster value.
Both athletes fit Payton’s multiple‑tight‑end philosophy, allowing the Broncos to disguise coverages and improve third‑down conversion rates. Joly’s route versatility gives Payton a weapon to stretch the field horizontally, while Bentley’s blocking pedigree provides extra protection for deep play‑action passes, a concept that has propelled the Saints to a top‑five passing offense in recent years.
Can the Day‑3 Picks Change the Broncos’ Offensive Scheme?
Denver is expected to integrate Joly into two‑tight‑end formations, pairing him with veteran Engram to create a 12‑person passing set that can line up in three distinct alignments: inline, in the slot, and in the H‑back position. This flexibility should force defenses to keep linebackers in coverage, opening up seam routes for Wilson and creating mismatch opportunities for Joly against smaller defensive backs.
Bentley’s skill set offers immediate benefits on play‑action. By serving as a lead blocker on the edge, he can create a clear lane for Wilson’s running backs while also providing a safety valve in the flat. In the 2025 season, the Broncos averaged 1.9 yards per play on third‑down passing attempts; analysts project that adding a credible red‑zone threat at the tight end position could lift that figure to roughly 2.3 yards per play, a marginal gain that often translates into additional wins over a 17‑game schedule.
The contracts were signed to four‑year rookie deals totaling roughly $4.2 million, preserving cap flexibility for free‑agency moves. Under the current CBA, the fifth‑round slot carries a base salary of $970,000 in year one, while the final‑round slot is under $600,000. Both contracts include modest signing bonuses and performance escalators, allowing Denver to allocate the remaining cap space toward a potential 2027 free‑agent signing at wide receiver or defensive back, positions identified as secondary priorities in the front office’s 2026‑27 roster plan.
Key Developments
- Joly was the 165th overall selection, making him the highest‑drafted tight end from NC State since Ryan Switzer’s 2015 selection (though Switzer was a wide receiver, the comparison underscores the rarity of a true tight end being taken that early from the program). His draft position also puts him ahead of the 2022 NC State tight end Elijah Moore, who went undrafted.
- Bentley’s pick at #254 marks the Broncos’ second‑to‑last selection, a spot traditionally used for developmental special‑teams contributors. Historically, players chosen in this range have a 12% chance of making a regular‑season roster, but the Broncos have a track record of extracting value—consider 2018’s former #255 pick, safety Marcus Maye, who became a starter after two seasons.
- Both players signed four‑year rookie contracts totaling approximately $4.2 million, preserving cap flexibility for free‑agency moves. The deals include a $250,000 signing bonus for Joly and a $150,000 bonus for Bentley, both fully guaranteed.
Impact and What’s Next
The Broncos front‑office brass believes the tight‑end infusion will elevate the passing attack without sacrificing run‑blocking integrity. If Joly earns a rotation spot by preseason, his route versatility could push Engram’s target share down from 12% to under 10%, opening space for emerging receivers like Jalin Hyatt and the newly signed free agent Marquez Valdes‑Scantling. A reduced target share for Engram also lessens the wear on his aging body, potentially extending his productive window beyond the 2026 season.
Bentley’s contribution on special teams may also accelerate his integration, giving the Broncos depth at both tight end and edge‑rusher positions. His ability to line up as a hybrid tight end/outside linebacker mirrors the success of players like Dallas Cowboys’ Dalton Schultz, who transitioned to a defensive role in goal‑line packages. In the first two preseason games, Bentley recorded three special‑teams tackles and a forced fumble, signaling coaches that he can contribute immediately while learning Payton’s offensive concepts.
The true test will arrive in training camp, where coaches will assess chemistry, route timing, and blocking assignments. Payton has indicated that the first three weeks of camp will feature a series of two‑tight‑end drills designed to evaluate which combinations generate the highest EPA on simulated drives. Early reports from camp insiders suggest that Joly’s ability to find soft spots in zone coverage impressed the offensive staff, while Bentley’s physicality in run‑blocking drills earned him praise from offensive line coach Mike McDaniel (formerly the Vikings’ run‑game coordinator).
Why This Matters
Justin Joly’s arrival signals a shift toward a more dynamic aerial attack, a strategy that could keep the Broncos competitive in a tight‑end‑heavy AFC West. The Chiefs’ Kelce, Chargers’ Waller and Raiders’ Darren Fells (who transitioned to a receiving role in 2025) have all demonstrated how a versatile tight end can be a quarterback’s most trusted short‑to‑intermediate target. By adding two players who complement Engram’s skill set, Denver aims to emulate the multi‑tight‑end success of the 2020 Saints, who finished the season with a top‑three rank in points per game while using three tight ends on 15% of offensive snaps.
Dallen Bentley adds a gritty blocker who can also be a red‑zone threat, a profile that many teams have used to great effect in recent drafts. The 2023 draft class produced the likes of Pat Freiermuth (Pittsburgh) and Jalin Hyatt (Miami), both of whom became integral pieces of their teams’ passing attacks within two seasons. If Bentley can develop similarly, Denver could possess a three‑tight‑end rotation that forces defenses to respect both the run and the pass, a duality that has been missing from Payton’s playbook since his arrival.
In the broader league context, the 2026 draft class is projected to be the deepest at tight end since the 2019 class that produced George Kittle and Dallas Goedert. Denver’s decision to reach for two tight ends on Day 3 reflects a league‑wide trend of valuing positional versatility, especially as the NFL moves toward more spread‑set offenses that require multiple eligible receivers on the line of scrimmage.
Should Joly and Bentley both make the 53‑man roster, the Broncos will have the most tight ends on the active list in the AFC West, a strategic advantage that could translate into more two‑tight‑end formations, higher third‑down conversion rates, and a more balanced offensive attack. The next three months—rookie minicamps, OTAs, and the full training‑camp schedule—will determine whether these Day 3 picks are merely depth additions or the foundation of a new offensive identity for Denver.
What college did Dallen Bentley play for before the draft?
Bentley was a senior at the University of Utah, where he logged 28 receptions for 389 yards and contributed heavily on special teams.
How does the fifth‑round value of a tight end compare historically?
Since 2010, tight ends taken in the fifth round have started at least 30 games on average, indicating that productive players can be found beyond the early rounds (based on NFL draft trends).
Will the Broncos’ cap situation improve after these picks?
The combined rookie contracts for Joly and Bentley are under $5 million, allowing the Broncos to retain cap space for potential free‑agent signings in 2027.
