With their second of three 7th round selections in the 2026 NFL Draft, the Broncos double-dipped at tight end and selected Utah’s Dallen Bentley. Earlier on Day 3, they drafted NC State’s Justin Joly, and now Bentley will join him as the new additions to the Broncos tight end room.
Bentley is a 6-4, 253-pound tight end with 4.62 speed, 33-inch arms, and a 35-inch vertical jump. He played a total of three seasons at Utah and is coming off a breakout season for them. This past year, Bentley had 48 receptions
for 620 yards and 6 touchdowns.
The Athletic’s Dane Brugler thought Bentley would go earlier in the draft and had a 4th-5th round grade on him while ranking him as his 13th-best tight end in the draft. Brugler called Bentley a “zone monster” due to his ability to find the soft spots in zone coverage, while saying he improved as a run blocker this past season, but he needs more development in that area.
A zone monster, Bentley has a great feel for urgently sitting down, securing the catch and then finding hidden yards as a tough-to-finish runner. He is highly efficient in his snatch-and-go body mechanics, although that focus doesn’t carry over to crowded catch points (low success rate in contested windows). He did a better job playing to his size as a run blocker in 2025, but his uneven technique leads to sustain issues and execution lapses. Bentley needs to become a more disciplined blocker to be trusted on a pro field, but his size-speed traits and pass-catching talent are potential assets for an NFL team.
Tight end was a position we all wanted the Broncos to address during the draft, and while it may not have gone as we expected, they came away with two tight ends, including Dallen Bentley. The Broncos drafted him to be an inline guy and help out as a blocker, but according to Head Coach Sean Payton, they like his receiving ability down the field as well. After Day 3, Payton said: “With Bentley, there’s a more in-line wide, bigger. He does a great job down the field”.
Bentley is more like Adam Trautman, while Joly will be more like Evan Engram. The Broncos needed more life, and frankly, new bodies in that tight end room, and Bentley provides an inline/blocking presence while also having some sneaky ability as a pass catcher.
Behind Adamn Trautman and Evan Engram, you have Nate Adkins, Lucas Krull, Caleb Lohner, and now rookies Justin Joly and Dallen Bentley. There will be some competition there, and Joly obviously has a better shot at making the 53 than Bentley, but I believe we will see both rookies make the 53-man roster this summer.
Player Profile
Dallen Bentley | Tight End | Denver Broncos
- Height: 6-4
- Weight: 253 pounds
- Arm Length: 33 1/8 inches
- Hand Size: 9 7/8 inches
- Age: 25 years old
- Experience: Rookie
- 40-time: 4.59 seconds
- Vertical Jump: 35 inches
- Broad Jump: 9-10
- Short Shuttle: 4.42 seconds
- Bench Press: 24 reps
- 2025 stats: 48 receptions for 620 yards and 6 touchdowns
Rookie TE Dallen Bentley’s 2026 outlook with the Broncos
Bentley will be competing for a roster spot with Nate Adkins, Lucas Krull, and Caleb Lohner. Veteran tight ends Adam Trautman and Evan Engram are locked into a roster spot, and we can pencil in rookie tight end Justin Joly in as well, but that 4th and likely final tight end spot is up for grabs.
That tight end battle figures to be an interesting one to watch during the offseason practices and throughout training camp and the preseason. Nate Adkins has been the Broncos’ blocking specialist the past few seasons and figures to have the early edge, while Lucas Krull has been a reserve pass-catching threat. The x-factor here is Caleb Lohner, who earned high praise from head coach Sean Payton recently. How he develops and performs will be a key part of this tight end battle.
As for Bentley, he has a good shot at making the 53-man roster. The Broncos and Payton view him as more of an in-line tight end, so he could be the backup option for Adam Trautman, while Justin Joly could be viewed as the backup option for Evan Engram.
I think the road to a roster spot is pretty simple for Bentley. He will need to prove he can block just as well, or better than Nate Adkins, while proving he can be a receiving threat down the field. If he can do that, I think if he does that, he will make the team while Adkins lands on the practice squad. Even if it’s close, I believe the Broncos would risk Adkins to the waiver wire before Bentley, but time will tell there.
I thought Bentley would have gone earlier in the draft, and getting him with the second-to-last pick in the 7th round could turn out to be a pretty big steal for the Broncos. I am excited to see what he can do this summer, and I believe he has a good shot at making the Broncos’ 53-man roster. If not, he’s certainly a lock for their 16-man practice squad.
Final Thoughts
How the Broncos’ tight end room shakes out this summer will be very interesting.
Trautman and Engram are locked into roster spots, we know that. Justin Joly can be penciled in for a roster spot, but the real battle is at that 4th and likely final roster spot at the tight end position.
Nate Adkins has been that guy and gives you blocking upside, some receiving upside, and someone who can play fullback and special teams. However, he is also someone you can probably get to the practice squad and elevate early in the season if needed, before adding them back to the 53 once injuries happen. As for Lucas Krull, I think he’s in trouble. Joly and Bentley being drafted severely hurt his chances of making the 53-man roster, and Caleb Lohner is looming in the shadows.
Speaking of Lohner, as I said earlier, he’s the x-factor here. Will he take a big step in his development and push for a roster spot, or need another year on the practice squad? Teams tried to poach him last year, per reports, so it’ll be interesting to see how he factors in here.
I think Bentley has a good shot at that spot IF he can prove himself as a blocker. Adkins has Payton’s trust in that role already, so he will need to show he can be an in-line blocker in his rookie year if he wants to make the team. Regardless of how this shakes out, the Broncos will have some interesting decisions to make when it comes to their tight end room.
