What if the Broncos went big at tight end in free agency?

Whether the Broncos need a tight end in free agency depends entirely on how you view their complement — and whether you think their own free agents are worth re-signing.

After all, three of the Broncos’ five tight ends on the 53-player roster are unrestricted free agents. Andrew Beck, Eric Saubert and Eric Tomlinson are set to hit the market.

The Broncos can probably live without any of them. But all are good locker-room presences. All have specific roles — Saubert providing all-around depth, Tomlinson the burly blocker who can be a reliable goal-to-go target, and Beck being able to play fullback.

Beck might be the best fit on the market if the Broncos want a utility player who can also work at fullback and H-back. His fullback skills could keep him on the Broncos’ radar, as Sean Payton will make use of the fullback on a situational basis. And then there’s his expansive special-teams role, although he could find himself caught up in the changes in that phase.

One thing is certain: The Broncos don’t have any sure things at tight end. They have the promise of Greg Dulcich — and the frustration of his rookie-year hamstring issues. They have Albert Okweugbunam’s field-stretching ability — but also know they won’t get much from him as a blocker.

Could all that make the Broncos hit the market?

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SO, WHAT IF THE BRONCOS GO BIG?

They have high hopes for Dulcich, no doubt. But Dulcich must prove that he can stay healthy. And with a new head coach and an entirely new group of offensive position coaches, nothing is off the table.

So, what if the Broncos took the big swing at tight end?

DALTON SCHULTZ, COWBOYS: Dallas used the franchise tag on Schultz last year. But if they don’t this year — and they can’t re-sign him — then he becomes the prize of the market, and the most complete tight end available, with 17 touchdowns in the last three years and three consecutive seasons with at least 55 receptions. He’s also an effective run-blocking tight end. Among 78 tight ends with at least 100 run-blocking snaps last year, Schultz had the ninth-best Pro Football Focus grade in that area.

ROB GRONKOWSKI, NO TEAM: Sean Payton and Gronkowski had a bit of a comedy act during the during Super Bowl pregame show. It extended to social media, too:

@Broncos @RobGronkowski @TomBrady @NFLonFOX
Let the recruitment begin! pic.twitter.com/2upP9h8qsx

— Sean Payton (@SeanPayton) February 11, 2023

There’s no indication that Gronk will end his retirement and return to the field. But if he did, wouldn’t it be something if he came to Denver? He’d be an instant game-changer for the tight-end unit — and the offense as a whole.

MIKE GESICKI, DOLPHINS: You know what you’re getting with Gesicki — and it’s not pure tight-end play. You’re getting a long, fluid pass catcher in space who is effectively a slot receiver. Miami de-emphasized him last year as Mike McDaniel wanted more blocking from his tight ends. But he still had five touchdowns among his 32 catches and remained a dependable red-zone threat.

EVAN ENGRAM, JAGUARS: What was said for Gesicki goes just as much for Engram. He doesn’t drop many passes and will accumulate yardage after the catch — he ranked second among tight ends in yardage after the reception last year, per the data compiled by Pro Football Focus.

HAYDEN HURST, BENGALS: It took a while for the former minor-league baseball pitcher to find his groove. In Baltimore, he was the odd tight end out among two high 2018 draft picks after Mark Andrews emerged. But in his only season with the Bengals, he was effective and played his best ball in the postseason. His age could keep his price down; because he got a late college-football start while pursuing his baseball dreams, he will have his age-30 season this year. But he’s become a dependable blocker.

ROBERT TONYAN, PACKERS: Working with Aaron Rodgers might have made things seem easy, but for the undrafted Tonyan, everything has been a bit difficult. He overcame a torn ACL to bounce back with a 53-catch season this past year, although he seemed less explosive. Still, it can often be the second year back that sees a player return to his pre-ACL-injury form. Tonyan turns 29 this April, which could drop his contract value a bit, but he still has plenty of upside and could be a good value.

AUSTIN HOOPER, TITANS: The 28-year-old got caught up in the overall ineffectiveness of the Browns and Titans offenses the last two years. So, he hasn’t been able to match his. Pro Bowl form of 2018 and 2019 with the Falcons.

JORDAN AKINS, TEXANS: He’s gradually smoothed out some of the rough edges in his game, and last year became an effective red-zone target. He had more touchdowns (5) in 2022 than in his first four seasons combined. He also had his best drop rate since his rookie season and the highest per-catch average of his career. The only real knock on him is his age; he turns 31 in April.

FOSTER MOREAU, RAIDERS: During 2019 Senior Bowl week, we learned that the LSU product is a first-team All-Interview selection. But with Darren Waller racking up receptions like Rusty Griswold/Nick Pappagiorgio accumulated cars in “Vegas Vacation,” opportunities were scarce for Moreau. That being said, his 420 yards on 33 catches last year would have led Broncos tight ends. And he’s missed just five games in his four-season career.

NICK VANNETT, GIANTS: Remember him? He played for the Broncos in 2020, signing a two-year contract. Denver cut him after a single season and he joined the Saints. He played in seven games — starting two — for Payton in 2021. Vannett played three games with the Saints last year before they released him; he joined the New York Giants for the balance of the season. His pass-catching production has never approached his 2018 highs in receptions, yards and touchdowns, and even his special-teams use has been fairly minimal since 2020.

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