ENGLEWOOD — The Broncos had a meager 78 combined receptions by tight ends in 2025. That’s 36 fewer than Evan Engram hauled in by himself for the Jaguars in 2023.

Engram, entering his second season with the Broncos, has confidence, though, that under new offensive coordinator Davis Webb there will be more balls caught by Denver tight ends in 2026.

“Yeah, we’re going to work for that for sure,” Engram said after a practice Wednesday at Broncos Park. “We have to cash in our opportunities. We have to be ready when our number is called. We have the talent in the room for everybody to make plays in the pass game. … We’re hungry to make more plays in the field for sure.”

Tight end is Denver’s weakest position group on offense and perhaps on the entire team. It remains to be seen how the inside linebacker room will play out.

The Broncos have brought back their top three tight ends from last season in Engram, who caught an uninspiring 50 passes for 461 yards after being a ballyhooed free-agent signee; Adam Trautman, who had 20 receptions for 195 yards; and Nate Adkins, who had six for 48 yards and is mostly a blocker.

The Broncos didn’t sign any outside tight ends in free agency and they selected two on the final day of the draft. Fifth-round pick Justin Joly initially looked like he might be able to contribute but then didn’t show much and was waived and claimed by Miami. And while seventh-round pick Dallen Bentley made the 53-man roster, he’s not expected to be a significant contributor as a rookie.

Denver did re-sign tight end Lucas Krull, who was later released and put on the practice squad. Krull has 29 receptions in three Denver seasons, including two while playing in three of the first four games last season. He missed the rest of the year with a foot injury.

“I kind of like where we’re at,” Broncos coach Sean Payton said about his tight ends. “I thought retaining Lucas was important on the practice squad. I like where that room’s at and as it pertains to any of these positions, you’re always still paying attention (to outside players).”

When it comes to possibly bringing in a veteran tight end, Payton said early last month he planned to talk to Taysom Hill at the Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinement ceremonies in Canton, Ohio. Payton introduced Drew Brees, his former star quarterback in New Orleans, for induction Aug. 8.

While coaching New Orleans, Payton had Hill from 2017-21 and he continued to play for the Saints through 2025. The versatile Hill, who also played some quarterback and had plenty of rushing attempts, caught as many as 33 passes in 2023. But Hill, 36, is continuing to work his way back from a serious knee injury suffered in December 2024 and Payton had wanted to gauge his interest in continuing to play.

“No updates, nothing,” Payton said Wednesday when asked if Hill is a candidate to join the Broncos. “I would let you know if we had anything. I talked to him at the Hall of Fame, but it was really just with a group of people. Nothing new there.”

Barring any moves, it looks as if the Broncos will open the season Sept. 14 at Kansas City with Engram, Trautman and Adkins as their tight ends regularly active. Krull would be available for an elevation if there were to be an injury. Trautman missed practice Tuesday with an undisclosed injury and worked on a side field Wednesday, but his condition is not believed to be serious.

It’s pretty much known what Trautman and Adkins can bring to the team. Trautman is a solid blocker but not a high-volume receiver, although he does have six touchdown catches the last three seasons. Adkins can pull receiving surprises if left open and has four touchdown grabs the past two years.

The wild card in all of this is Engram, who turned 32 Wednesday. Can he return to the form he displayed while playing for the New York Giants from 2017-22 and Jacksonville from 2023-25, a period in which he made two Pro Bowls? The 114 receptions he had in 2023 are the third most by a tight end in NFL history.

Engram told The Denver Gazette last month he has “a lot more confidence and I’m a lot more sure of myself” entering his second season with the Broncos. He is excited to have Webb call the plays in his first season as Denver’s offensive coordinator after being quarterbacks coach the previous three years. Engram and Webb, a former quarterback, both were rookies on the 2017 Giants.

“All of our skill guys are going to benefit in the offense this year,” Engram said Wednesday when asked about Webb calling plays. “Just the way we want to attack, the way we’re putting guys in space. We want to be an offense where it’s a pick-your-position kind of offense.”

Engram is becoming more of a leader with Denver, including having taken Bentley under his wing. Bentley is one of two former Utah tight ends on the Broncos, with second-year man Caleb Lohner starting the season on injured reserve. Both are considered projects.

“It was well deserved,” Engram said of Bentley making the team. “I thought that Dallen had an amazing camp. … I just want to be any type of help I can be for him. Obviously, I’ve experienced a lot and I enjoy passing down those experiences and kind of give him the lessons before he might have to go through them.”

While Bentley might be a key future piece, he seems unlikely to help a lot this season as Denver seeks to have more than 78 catches by tight ends. If the Broncos can’t top that figure, it means they really will have big-time problems at the position.