The Denver Broncos came into the 2026 NFL Draft in need of additions to the tight end room. They waited until Day 3 to make a move before adding two players to that group.
In the fifth round, the Broncos selected Justin Joly out of North Carolina State before grabbing Utah's Dallen Bentley with the next-to-last pick in the draft. Those players will join an established group that includes Evan Engram, Adam Trautman, Nate Adkins and Lucas Krull.
Recently, Moe Moton of Bleacher Report listed one veteran player from each team in the league who may be in jeopardy of being cut later this summer. He zeroed in on the tight end group in Denver and identified Adkins as that player.
"Nate Adkins isn't a name you see in headlines, though he's had a decent role in head coach Sean Payton's offense. In back-to-back years, the veteran tight end played at least 33 percent of the offensive snaps and scored three touchdowns in 2024.
However, the Broncos selected Justin Joly and Dallen Bentley in the fifth and seventh rounds of this year's draft. With increased competition for snaps behind Evan Engram and Adam Trautman, who signed a three-year extension, Adkins' roster spot isn't secure", wrote Moton.
Could Nate Adkins be a cut candidate for the Broncos?
When you start to pencil in a potential 53-man roster for the Broncos this season, Adkins is far from a lock to make it. That said, Sean Payton greatly appreciates his ability as a blocker and values that in his tight ends more than most coaches.
Adkins struggled with injuries to start the 2025 season, but it was telling that the team didn't just let him go with an injury settlement to begin the season. Though he was undrafted in 2023, he has become a trusted piece of the offense as he can also line up at the fullback position.
The Broncos signed Adkins to a one-year contract extension this offseason, which doesn't guarantee him anything, but the team chose to prioritize that move before the free-agent signing period even started, rather than waiting to see what other moves could be made.
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If Joly and Bentley blow everyone away in training camp, it's possible that Adkins could be let go. But it would be a surprise and at this point in time, it seems rather unlikely.
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