Broncos and Adam Trautman have been an ideal match, as his contributions go beyond on-field work

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Broncos tight end Adam Trautman ended the 2025 season with an expiring contract. But the Broncos front office made its intentions clear quickly: The club wanted him to return on a new deal.

“I was told that they wanted me back right when the season ended,” he said during a recent break at Broncos training camp. “And things started to kind of turn in the two weeks before the start of free agency. And they called me in, and they were like, ‘Hey, we’re trying to get this done before. And I was like, ‘All right, sweet.’

The contract he received is one year longer than the previous deal he signed with the Broncos in 2024 — three years instead of two. If he plays out the length of the contract, it will take him through his age-31 season in 2028.

It worked exactly as Trautman hoped. The Broncos valued continuity and cohesion. Behind the scenes, Trautman became a crucial player in helping plant the seeds for the oft-praised team culture that has taken root, grown and blossomed.

“So, all that stuff really starts to go after the Combine, because that’s when they figure out kind of where your market is and stuff, so they can gauge it if they’re trying to get something done before, that type of thing. So, yeah, it came together pretty fast, honestly. And, I mean, I expected it and I’m very happy to be back.”

In Denver, he’s found a home — one that he had no small part in building.

“I wanted to be here. I’m very familiar with pretty much everyone here,” he said. “And they’ve done right by me.”

So, he didn’t even wait for the opening bell of free agency.

“I just wanted to get it done before, not have to go through free agency as well,” Trautman said. “It worked out for both sides.”

(Photo by Andrew Mason / Denver Sports)

TRAUTMAN’S VALUE TO BRONCOS GOES BEYOND ON-FIELD WORK

He’s been a leader in the Broncos’ tight-end room from the moment he arrived via a draft-day trade in 2023. Even before then, when he was with the New Orleans Saints, he took Lucas Krull under his wing; when the Saints waived him at the 2023 roster deadline, the Broncos picked up Krull, and their working relationship continued.

And while Krull, Trautman and Nate Adkins have been together since the 2023 campaign, the position group is now defined as much by its developing young players as the vets who’ve been around, thanks to the selections of Dallen Bentley, Justin Joly and Caleb Lohner in the last two drafts.

They look to veterans like Evan Engram and Trautman for tips and assistance in grasping the scheme. The seasoned professionals are willing to help, of course. But the interaction doesn’t just help the young players. Trautman, for one, knows that it keeps him on point to make sure he has the answers when the questions fly.

“Yeah, and sometimes, there’s things you might forget — not forget, but you just don’t really think about too much because it’s so second nature to you at this point,” Trautman said. “So now when youanswer their questions, you’re kind of like bringing things up and you’re like, ‘Oh, yeah, that’s right. That’s why I do this and do that. So, yeah, it’s a great thing.

“And I love teaching, honestly, so I love it.”

So much so that Trautman says he could see himself coaching someday when his playing career concludes.

“Absolutely, yeah,” he said. “I love it. I love helping other guys. It’s cool to see guys realize their potential. Right. Like, I’ve been with Lucas since he was in New Orleans, so, we’ve been together the whole time.

“He was there my first year in New Orleans, so we’ve been together the whole time.Nate was here my first year here when I got traded. So he’s been here with me his whole career. And it’s kind of cool because we’ve been learning and I’ve been teaching and helping them for a while now. And you kind of see where they are, so, it’s pretty sweet.”

That’s why six touchdowns and 587 yards on 55 catches doesn’t properly reveal Trautman’s value over three Broncos seasons and the ones to come. If Bentley, Joly and Lohner continue improving and a potential starter grows from those seeds, No. 82 will have a role in it.

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