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Greg Dulcich

Broncos Discussed Greg Dulcich In Trades, Were Not Close To Making Buyer’s Move

November 7th, 2024 at 5:12pm CST by Sam Robinson

Although the Broncos endured a one-sided loss to the Ravens in Week 9, they hit the trade deadline 5-4 and still hold a wild-card spot at the midway point. Denver’s offense also lagged behind its defense during the season’s first half, opening the door to a potential upgrade. No such move transpired, and it does not appear anything was close.

Sean Payton said the team did not make a strong effort to add talent at the deadline, preferring to keep its nucleus intact. This comes a year after the Broncos, who had made some of this NFL period’s highest-profile seller’s moves in recent years, resisted shaking up their team despite standing 3-5 at least year’s deadline.

[RELATED: Broncos Were Not Planning To Extend Baron Browning]

“I like this group,’’ Payton said, via the Denver Gazette’s Chris Tomasson. “We weren’t considering giving up a second-(round pick). … The phone rings, we pick up and yet we have to look at it in the eyes of what’s best for our team. … I don’t think we even got close to discussing someone seriously. … We’re focused on this team.”

After a slow start, Bo Nix has inched his way to the 21st spot in QBR. That mark sits second among rookies this season. Denver’s offense on the whole ranks 23rd in scoring, 25th in yards and 24th in DVOA. The Broncos have been unable to rely on receivers beyond Courtland Sutton, even as rookies Troy Franklin and Devaughn Vele have contributed in spurts; the team has needed the two rookies, as 2023 second-rounder Marvin Mims has not carved out a role like the team hoped post-Jerry Jeudy. Sutton leads the Broncos with 499 yards. No other pass catcher has 220, with none of Denver’s auxiliary receivers reaching 200 yet.

Denver is also once again limited at tight end. Greg Dulcich has not struggled with injuries this year but has still failed to make an impact, catching just five passes for 28 yards in limited duty. The team’s would-be top receiving tight end has fallen to healthy-scratch status in Payton’s second season, having not played since Week 5. The Broncos have used 2023 trade acquisition Adam Trautman, one of a few former Saints on Payton’s roster, as their top tight end. Trautman has just seven receptions for 121 yards in his second Broncos season.

The Broncos did make a seller’s move, dealing Baron Browning to the Cardinals for a sixth-round pick. The team also discussed Dulcich with other clubs before the deadline, per ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler. While some level of interest is believed to have formed for the 2022 third-round pick, the Broncos will stick with the UCLA product for the time being.

Chosen in GM George Paton‘s second draft as GM (but before Payton’s arrival), Dulcich impressed when available as a rookie by accumulating 411 yards and two touchdowns for an offense that had nosedived during the disjointed Nathaniel Hackett–Russell Wilson season. Dulcich got there in just 10 games, missing time due to hamstring trouble. Two hamstring-driven IR placements followed in 2023, limiting Dulcich to 32 offensive snaps all season. Dulcich was not a full participant in the Broncos’ offseason program this year but returned by training camp.

Payton’s team is believed to have looked into tight end upgrades this offseason, but nothing came to pass. Dulcich has played 120 snaps this season. He remains under contract through 2025 but is falling out of favor with this coaching staff.

Latest On Broncos WR Tim Patrick, TE Greg Dulcich

May 23rd, 2024 at 5:41pm CST by Sam Robinson

Two of this decade’s most injury-prone players, Tim Patrick and Greg Dulcich are attempting to shake off two seasons sidetracked by maladies. In Patrick’s case, injuries kept him off the field throughout the Broncos’ Russell Wilson era.

Patrick suffered season-nullifying injuries during the Broncos’ past two training camps, going down with a torn ACL in 2022 and an Achilles tear last summer. Patrick was expected to be a key possession receiver for Wilson, but with the team bailing — at a historic cost — on the QB’s extension it authorized in 2022, the 6-foot-4 target now looms as a wild card of sorts for a regrouping Denver squad.

[RELATED: Latest On Broncos, WR Courtland Sutton]

The Broncos’ OTA workouts featured Patrick running routes, as The Athletic’s Nick Kosmider observes. The former UDFA is once again on track to be part of the Broncos’ receiving corps, but the past two years have certainly sidetracked the ex-Drew Lock and Teddy Bridgewater target’s career. Denver extended Patrick on a three-year, $30MM deal during the 2021 season. Despite Patrick being unable to play a down on that contract, the now-Sean Payton-fronted franchise retained him — but on a substantial pay cut. The 30-year-old wideout is now tied to a $1.63MM deal that contains no guarantees.

A surehanded target during the seasons before the Wilson trade, Patrick posted 742- and 734-yard showings in 2020 and ’21 and totaled 11 touchdowns. As injuries kept the likes of Courtland Sutton, Jerry Jeudy and former second-rounder KJ Hamler off the field for extended stretches, Patrick provided a key insurance piece. The 2021 contract signified the team viewed him as a starter. With the Broncos adding Marvin Mims, Josh Reynolds and Troy Franklin over the past two offseasons, Patrick’s place is now uncertain. Though, the 2017 free agency addition could provide good value if he returns to form.

Dulcich’s injury pattern — and the Broncos’ limited tight end corps — may make his participation worth monitoring. Chronic hamstring trouble forced the 2022 third-round pick into an alarming four IR trips in two seasons. Dulcich last played in Week 6 of the 2023 season, reinjuring his hamstring shortly after being activated from IR. The Broncos designated the UCLA alum for return down the stretch last year but did not activate him; they are now bringing him along slowly.

The Broncos’ first OTA sessions featured Dulcich working on a side field. Denver’s top receiving tight end continues to see specialists about his hamstring trouble, and while Payton confirmed full participation is likely at some point this offseason, the team is not unleashing him for full-speed work still.

“He’s close. Man, he’s had all the work done; we’re encouraged,” Payton said, via the Denver Post’s Parker Gabriel. “I think you’ll see him sooner than later and we want to be smart. His rehab has gone well and it’s not going to be that we don’t see him until training camp.”

Dulcich played only 32 offensive snaps last season, suffering injuries in both contests he played. A woeful 2022 season for the Broncos’ offense did double as a somewhat promising slate for Dulcich, who totaled 411 receiving yards in 10 games. Of course, he also needed two IR trips due to hamstring issues as a rookie. It is safe to say Dulcich’s availability this season will determine if he has a viable path to TE1 work in the NFL.

Rumored to be wanting help at tight end this offseason, the Broncos stood down in both free agency and the draft. The team re-signed ex-Saints draftee Adam Trautman and saw former UDFA Lucas Krull make some late-season contributions. But Dulcich is the team’s top receiving tight end, barring a late addition.

It is interesting the Broncos, as Bo Nix arrives, have not added a more reliable piece at the position. The inaction represents good news for Dulcich, who looks to have a clear route back to regular work if he can stay healthy.

Broncos Made Call About Moving Up In Round 1; Team Eyed TE Help In Offseason

May 7th, 2024 at 5:54pm CST by Sam Robinson

Sean Payton admitted he was a central part of a smokescreen effort that centered on Broncos interest in moving up for a quarterback. This buzz certainly may have influenced the Vikings to trade up one spot (via the Jets), and the effort also involved Denver brass making calls about moving up the board.

The Bears heard from the Broncos about No. 9 overall, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler notes. This would add a layer to one of the more interesting smokescreens of recent years. One pick later, the Vikings moved from No. 11 to No. 10, sending the Jets fourth- and fifth-round picks to climb up and lock in J.J. McCarthy draft real estate.

This did clear the runway for the Broncos to land Bo Nix, their long-rumored target, though it helped an AFC team in the form of Day 3 draft capital. Neither the Bears nor Jets were candidates to draft a quarterback, and Payton said he viewed the Vikings as more interested in McCarthy than Nix. The Broncos are believed to have ranked the Oregon prospect as this draft’s third-best QB.

The Broncos indeed became enamored with Nix, with Fowler adding the five-year college starter was the team’s “guy the whole way.” Nix, 24, will be expected to either begin the season as the Broncos’ starter or take over from either Jarrett Stidham or Zach Wilson early. Seeing as he spent a season in Payton’s system, Stidham is on track — per 9News’ Mike Klis — to see starter work to open OTAs. Though, the primary Broncos QB storyline will be Nix’s progress in Payton’s system as the offseason turns into training camp. Stidham’s two-year, $10MM deal includes only $1MM in guaranteed 2024 salary.

Also entering the draft with a quarterback need, the Raiders lurking at No. 13 influenced the Broncos to not attempt to trade down for Nix but rather to stay at 12 and pull the trigger. This prompted many to label the pick a reach. The Broncos had interesting options had they not opted to fill their most glaring need. Brock Bowers and Laiatu Latu remained on the board. Denver was among the teams to clear Latu on his pre-draft physical, Fowler adds, noting the team would have given strong consideration to the UCLA edge rusher had it not determined Nix needed to be the pick at 12.

Latu met with the Broncos during the pre-draft process; Bowers did not. But the Georgia tight end would have filled an apparent need for the Broncos, who have seen their top receiving tight end — Greg Dulcich — run into repeated hamstring trouble. Hamstring issues have caused the 2022 third-round pick to miss extensive time in both his pro seasons, leading to four IR trips already, and Klis adds the Broncos wanted to come out of this offseason with a tight end addition. Nothing has transpired on this front, though.

Specifically, the Broncos were hoping to acquire another receiving tight end. The Raiders ended up with Bowers at No. 13, despite having traded up for Michael Mayer (albeit under a previous regime) early in last year’s second round. The Broncos did not view the free agent market as lining up with their budget, Klis adds. The market also saw two of its top names — Hunter Henry, Dalton Schultz — re-sign before free agency began.

Ex-Broncos first-rounder Noah Fant stayed with the Seahawks (two years, $21MM) but was available during the legal tampering period. Falcons cut Jonnu Smith landed with the Dolphins for just two years and $8.4MM, while the Bengals scooped up Mike Gesicki for just $2.5MM. Gerald Everett joined the Bears on a two-year, $12MM deal, while Hayden Hurst followed ex-Broncos FA target (during Nathaniel Hackett‘s offseason as HC) Will Dissly to the Chargers.

While the Broncos circled back to edge rusher in the third round (Utah’s Jonah Elliss), they did not select a tight end. The team re-signed ex-Saints cog Adam Trautman on a two-year, $7.5MM deal. Trautman led Broncos tight ends with just 204 receiving yards last season, highlighting Dulcich’s absence.

Beyond Logan Thomas, the market is fairly dry for receiving TEs. This points to Dulcich, who totaled 411 receiving yards as a rookie but played in two games last season, having another genuine opportunity to hold this job — if he can stay healthy.

Broncos TE Greg Dulcich Back At Practice

December 13th, 2023 at 3:16pm CST by Sam Robinson

Battling chronic hamstring trouble over his first two NFL seasons, Greg Dulcich has landed on IR four times due to this particular issue. While this has happened twice in 2023, the Broncos have not given up on the pass-catching tight end contributing this season.

Dulcich is back at Broncos practice Wednesday; the team designated the second-year tight end to return from IR, per the Denver Gazette’s Chris Tomasson. Dulcich has been out since aggravating his hamstring injury in Week 6. The UCLA product initially suffered the injury in Week 1. Teams can activate a player from IR twice in one season, but both moves go toward the team’s activation total. The Broncos have five IR activations left.

While the Broncos have turned their season around by winning six out of their past seven games, they have not received much production from their tight end position. Adam Trautman‘s precise placement on a touchdown against the Browns notwithstanding, no Denver tight end has surpassed 150 receiving yards this year. In just 10 games last year, Dulcich posted 411.

The Broncos placed Dulcich on IR twice as a rookie, stashing him on the injured list to start his career and moving him back to close the season. While Dulcich stood out on a broken offense in between, his hamstring issues followed him to Year 2. The UCLA product hit IR after Week 1, and after only 11 snaps against the Chiefs in Week 6, he needed to be shut down once again. Dulcich has already missed 17 games through two seasons.

During the Broncos’ first draft after trading a bounty for Russell Wilson, they selected Dulcich with their second pick. Last year’s No. 80 overall choice scored twice and averaged 12.5 yards per catch in 2022, but injuries have obviously marred his career. With Sean Payton having not been in Denver when the team chose Dulcich, the young pass catcher is not off to a good start with the new HC. Payton traded for ex-Saint Trautman during the draft.

Trautman is playing on an expiring contract, and Dulcich has spent much his NFL time rehabbing. These circumstances will likely lead the Broncos making a notable investment in a tight end during Payton’s second offseason in charge. But Dulcich staying healthy to close this season would help his cause. The Broncos have three weeks from today to activate the 6-foot-4 talent.

Beyond Dulcich and safety Caden Sterns, the Broncos have gone through the season healthier than in recent years. The team did lose one of its top edge rushers against the Chargers, but Payton noted Wednesday (via Denver7’s Troy Renck) Nik Bonitto is not a candidate to land on IR. The 2022 second-round pick suffered a knee injury in Week 14.

Broncos Expect TE Greg Dulcich To Return This Season

November 10th, 2023 at 5:45pm CST by Sam Robinson

Although the Broncos are healthier than they were at this point last season, the team has not seen much of its top receiving tight end. Denver activated Greg Dulcich from IR in October, only to see the 2022 third-round pick aggravate his hamstring injury and need to return to the injured list.

Dulcich began last season with a hamstring injury as well, but the UCLA product has gone down twice this year, seeing a Week 1 injury lead to another rehab effort. In total, Dulcich has dealt with four injuries to the same hamstring since coming into the league. He has already landed on IR four times.

It is safe to label this a chronic issue for the talented pass catcher. That said, the Broncos are hoping to use another IR activation on Dulcich this season. Sean Payton said (via the Denver Post’s Parker Gabriel) the team expects Dulcich back in uniform at some point this year.

The 23-year-old tight end has seen specialists, per Payton, who had April trade acquisition Adam Trautman starting ahead of Dulcich to open the season. The Broncos have not seen much from their tight end position, at least from a receiving standpoint, this season. Trautman, whom the Saints discarded in a pick-swap deal that netted them a sixth-rounder, leads Broncos tight ends with 11 receptions for just 69 yards.

A month after trading Noah Fant to the Seahawks in the Russell Wilson trade, the Broncos made Dulcich their centerpiece player at tight end. Last season, Dulcich missed the team’s first five games and their final two due to a hamstring injury. Like they did this year, the Broncos activated Dulcich from IR in Week 6. Between then and a Dec. 30 IR placement, the 6-foot-4 cog totaled 411 receiving yards and two touchdowns on 33 receptions.

The Broncos can use a second IR activation on Dulcich this season, but it will count toward their overall total. Six activations remain for Payton’s team, providing some flexibility as it enters the season’s second half. Teams can only activate a player from IR twice per season; Dulcich is not eligible for activation until Week 12. Even if Dulcich does return later this season and becomes an auxiliary Wilson target, the Broncos will probably enter the 2024 offseason with tight end as a need area.

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/21/23

October 21st, 2023 at 8:30pm CST by Adam La Rose

Here are the minor moves made around the league in advance of the Week 7 slate of Sunday games:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

Denver Broncos 

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

  • Restored to active roster (from suspension exemption): DE Charles Omenihu

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Miami Dolphins

New England Patriots

New York Giants 

Seattle Seahawks

Washington Commanders

Dulcich already had one IR stint this season due to an aggravation of last year’s hamstring injury. The 2022 third-rounder has appeared in only two contests so far this season, and in the most recent one he suffered yet another setback. As a result, he will once again be shut down for at least four weeks.

The Giants’ decision to again promote DeVito points to starter Daniel Jones missing another game. Indeed, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports Jones is considered a “longshot” to play tomorrow against the Commanders. It will in all likelihood be Tyrod Taylor under center for New York in Week 7 while Jones continues to recover from his neck injury.

Broncos To Activate TE Greg Dulcich From IR

October 12th, 2023 at 12:10pm CST by Ben Levine

OCTOBER 12: Dulcich’s ramp-up period will be short. The Broncos are expected to activate the second-year tight end for tonight’s Week 6 matchup against the Chiefs, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler tweets. While a full workload should not be expected, the 2022 third-round pick represents another weapon coming back for the 1-4 squad. Dulcich’s return timetable resembles his 2022 debut, when he came off IR — after a hamstring injury — in Week 6 against the Chargers, a game in which the UCLA product scored a touchdown.

OCTOBER 10: The Broncos welcomed back a key offensive piece today. The team announced that tight end Greg Dulcich was a limited participant at Tuesday’s walkthrough. Dulcich’s return to practice means the Broncos now have 21 days to activate the player from injured reserve.

Dulcich suffered a hamstring injury in Week 1 that ultimately led to his placement on IR. As Mike Klis of 9News in Denver points out, the Broncos opened Dulcich’s 21-day window for only a single practice. This could be an indication that the Broncos believe he’s ready to go for Thursday’s game against the Chiefs.

“He’s out here moving around,” coach Sean Payton said today when asked about the tight end’s status for Week 6 (via the team’s website). “… I don’t want to guess relative to this week’s game, but he’s close.”

The 2022 third-round pick had a productive rookie season, hauling in 33 catches for 411 yards and two touchdowns. There was optimism that he could take another step forward in 2022, and he hauled in a pair of catches before exiting the season opener.

Adam Trautman has received the majority of the snaps at tight end this season, hauling in nine catches for 60 yards and one touchdown (although all of that production came in two of his five games). Chris Manhertz has soaked up the rest of the snaps at the position but has mostly served as a blocker, with the 31-year-old hauling in a single catch.

Broncos Place TE Greg Dulcich On IR

September 16th, 2023 at 6:38pm CST by Adam La Rose

The recurrence of Greg Dulcich‘s hamstring injury will keep him sidelined for an extended stretch. The Broncos announced on Saturday that the second-year tight end was placed on injured reserve.

Dulcich missed seven games during his rookie campaign, and he reaggravated his hamstring in the same leg during Week 1. As a result, it was learned he would miss multiple games while the team took a cautious approach with his recovery. Today’s decision guarantees Dulcich will be shut down for at least the next four weeks.

The UCLA product flashed potential last year, posting a 33-411-2 statline despite missed time and the overall struggles of Denver’s passing attack. The arrival of head coach Sean Payton brought about a new role for Dulcich and high expectations that he would take a step forward in 2023 as an important member of the team’s revamped offense. Instead, he will now once again be forced to turn his attention to recovery while the shorthanded Broncos move forward in search of better production through the air.

Those efforts will be boosted by the return of wideout Jerry Jeudy, who was held out of the team’s season-opening loss due to a hamstring injury of his own. The former first-rounder will lead a receiving corps which is without Tim Patrick and K.J. Hamler, the absences of whom are compounded by the loss of Dulcich as the team’s top pass-catching tight end. The latter’s stint on the sidelines should lead to a greater involvement for Adam Trautman, one of several former Payton-era Saints who found their way to the Broncos this offseason.

Bringing Dulcich back into the fold when he is healthy will require Denver using one of its eight IR activations available during the year. It would come as no surprise if the team elected not to rush the 23-year-old back into action given his role in the offense and history of injury issues so early in his career. Nevertheless, his return will be a welcomed development for a Broncos team looking to rebound from last week’s defeat to begin Payton’s tenure at the helm.

Injury Notes: Clark, Dulcich, Eagles

September 14th, 2023 at 7:15pm CST by Ben Levine

Frank Clark will be sidelined for a few weeks. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Broncos defensive end will miss “a couple weeks” after suffering a hip injury during yesterday’s practice.

Fortunately, it doesn’t sound like this is a long-term issue, and there’s been no indication that Clark will land on injured reserve. Per Rapoport, the veteran is considered week-to-week.

The former Pro Bowler was cut by the Broncos back in March before eventually landing in Denver. As Troy Renck of Denver7 notes, Clark has struggled to establish a role in Denver, with the 30-year-old serving as a situational pass rusher during the season opener. Clark finished that contest with a pair of tackles while appearing in 25 defensive snaps.

This comes with Baron Browning sitting on PUP, so Clark’s role could be made even more uncertain when his teammate returns. A few weeks off the field probably won’t help his case for a significant role in Denver.

2022 ended Clark’s three-year stretch of earning Pro Bowl nods, but he was still productive with the Chiefs. In 15 games, the pass rusher compiled 39 tackles and five sacks. He showed up during Kansas City’s run to a Super Bowl championship, collecting another seven tackles and 2.5 sacks in three games.

More injury notes from around the NFL…

  • Greg Dulcich is once again dealing with a hamstring injury. After missing seven games for the Broncos during the 2022 season, the tight end will once again miss multiple weeks while dealing with a hamstring injury in the same leg, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The organization intends to take it slow with Dulcich, meaning it could be a bit before he returns to the field. The 2022 third-round pick finished his rookie campaign with 33 catches for 411 yards and two touchdowns.
  • A trio of Eagles players were ruled out early for Thursday Night Football. NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reported yesterday that running back Kenneth Gainwell (ribs), cornerback James Bradberry (concussion), and safety Reed Blankenship (ribs) would all be sidelined for Philly’s Week 2 matchup against the Vikings. The Eagles did get some good news, however, with defensive tackle Fletcher Cox being declared active for tonight’s game after being listed as questionable with a rib injury.
  • Rams wideout Puka Nacua didn’t practice today thanks to an oblique injury, according to Schefter. The rookie fifth-round pick was a standout during his NFL debut, garnering 15 targets from Matthew Stafford. Nacua ultimately finished the contest with 10 catches for 119 yards. With Cooper Kupp sidelined, the Rams may need to dig into their wide receiver depth against the 49ers.
  • Patriots cornerback Jack Jones landed on injured reserve before the season opener, keeping him off the field for at least the first month of the season. Per Albert Breer of TheMMQB, the 2022 fourth-round pick has an injury split in his contract, meaning the organization can lower Jones’ base salary from $870K to $475K as long as he sits on IR. That ends up being a loss of $22K per week for Jones.

Broncos Eyeing Altered Role For TE Greg Dulcich

July 8th, 2023 at 7:20pm CST by Adam La Rose

Expectations are high for the Broncos offense heading into 2023, with head coach Sean Payton now at the helm. One of the key factors in the team’s ability to rebound from a highly disappointing performance on that side of the ball last season is the way in which Payton’s scheme will alter the workload of the unit’s main contributors.

[RELATED: Reviewing Broncos’ Offseason]

One of those is tight end Greg Dulcich, who came to the Miles High City last season after a productive final two seasons at UCLA. The third-rounder flashed potential with 33 receptions for 411 yards and a pair of touchdowns, but his rookie campaign was limited to 10 games due to a nagging hamstring issue.

In 2023, Dulcich could see not only an expanded workload but also a new job description. The 23-year-old was recently named by Payton as a candidate to play the ‘joker’ role, as detailed by Troy Renck of Denver7. That moniker is one which involves heavy usage in the passing game for a position which, in Dulcich’s case, typically calls for considerable usage as a run blocker.

“The joker player for us is not a receiver,” Payton elaborated, via ESPN’s Jeff Legwold. “It’s either a running back or a tight end with exceptional ball skills and then you can work matchups. We’ve had that at the running back spot, Reggie Bush was the joker, Darren Sproles and Alvin Kamara. Those were all unique players, not just in the running game, but they had passing game skill sets that allowed you to do multiple things, and I think Greg does too.”

Dulcich’s skillset is indeed built more on proficiency as a pass-catcher than strength in the run game, making him a logical candidate for the transition. Denver also has free agent signing Chris Manhertz, trade acquisition Adam Trautman and 2020 fourth-rounder Albert Okwuegbunam on the depth chart at the TE spot. That trio could be well-suited to provide the Broncos with capable play while attempting to maximize the potential Dulcich has as a Swiss Army knife type in Year 2. It will be interesting to watch how he is deployed in training camp and the preseason in advance of a campaign where the team will be under considerable scrutiny.

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