Broncos failed to address biggest pre-draft need amid Evan Engram question originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Denver Broncos entered the 2026 NFL Draft without their first-round pick, as they traded it to the Miami Dolphins for Jaylen Waddle.

After adding such a talented offensive playmaker, it wouldn't be a surprise if the Broncos felt confident in their roster. But, there was one major issue the team needed to address: the tight end room led by Evan Engram.

ESPN's Jeff Legwold pointed out post-draft that the Broncos, despite taking two tight ends, failed to address the tight end need adequately.

"Did the Broncos add enough at tight end?" Legwold writes. "...But the glaring predraft need for this team was at tight end."

Denver's biggest question coming out of the draft is their tight end room, and if they did enough to address the concerns from a group headlined by Engram in 2025.

Justin Joly was the first tight end the Broncos took, and he's an intriguing receiving option, but he was a fifth-round pick and far from a certain prospect.

Dallen Bentley, taken one pick before "Mister Irrelevant" was also taken by the Broncos, is more of a blocking tight end. He's a solid depth option, but Denver already has a few of those players.

More: Broncos considering major position switch for third-year player in 2026

There was no chance the Broncos could've added Kenyon Sadiq with him going No. 16 to the New York Jets, but someone like Max Klare out of Ohio State, Eli Stowers out of Vanderbilt, or Oscar Delp out of Georgia could've been had on Day 2 of the draft.

Instead, the Broncos added a few options that might only be depth pieces at best in 2026, a season in which the Broncos are trying to win the Super Bowl.

Maybe using one of their many wide receivers, the Broncos could swing a trade for a better tight end starter. But, for now, the Broncos' tight end room doesn't look much different than it did coming into the draft.

Joly and Bentley are depth pieces, and the Engram question of whether he's good enough to lead a TE room for a contender is still very much in doubt.

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