Broncos move up in the fifth round to grab a pass-catching tight end

The Broncos hadn't upgraded their tight end room yet this offseason, but they made a move on Saturday to rectify that situation

BY JAMES MERILATT

Apr 25, 2026, 12:46 PM

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The Broncos finally added to their tight end room this offseason. And they did some wheeling and dealing in order to do so.

Denver traded their fifth- (No. 170) and a sixth-round (No. 182) picks to Cleveland in order to move up to No. 152. With that selection, they added a pass-catching tight end.

#Broncos are taking NC State TE Justin Joly at No. 152. Went up and got him. https://t.co/XYsWCwX48P

— Luca Evans (@bylucaevans) April 25, 2026

Based on his NFL.com draft profile, Joly could be a steal. He was projected to go much higher than No. 152, making it a good value pick for the Broncos.

Undersized pass-catcher with the ability to expand the route tree and challenge man coverage around the field. Joly still needs to polish his route-running but he has the footwork and athletic traits to uncover. He doesn’t catch with much hand extension and fights throws on occasion but he makes up for it with impressive body control/catch toughness. His effort and strain as a blocker need to improve. Joly has the ability to contribute as a moveable “F” tight end.

Joly joins a tight end room that hadn’t been upgraded since last season. Evan Engram, Adam Trautman, Nate Adkins, Lucas Krull and Caleb Lohner all return, despite being underwhelming in 2025. Joly will have a chance to break into the group and be a playmaker for Denver.