The Denver Broncos don’t have the luxury of easing players along right now. Coming off their first playoff appearance in 10 years, with the league’s top defense and rising star quarterback Bo Nix, this is a team built to win immediately.
That urgency leaves little margin for rookies who can’t adapt fast, and tight end Caleb Lohner has struggled to keep pace. As reported by Luca Evans of The Denver Post, Lohner is on the roster bubble with final cuts looming on August 26.
Drafted in the seventh round this past spring, Lohner’s football résumé is thin—he played just one season at Utah, catching only four passes (all touchdowns) after previously starring in college basketball at BYU, Baylor, and Utah.
Sean Payton hasn’t been shy about pointing out the rookie’s growing pains. In the Broncos’ 27-7 preseason win over the Cardinals on August 16, Lohner committed three penalties.
“Maybe Payton can eventually mold the 6-foot-7 prospect into another Jimmy Graham,” Evans noted. “For now, though, Lohner is what he appears to be: a raw, late-round pick with minimal football experience.
He’s shown flashes as both a pass catcher and blocker in camp, but the penalties, Payton’s criticism, and a crowded tight end depth chart leave him fighting for a spot.”
Broncos Have Several Options With Lohner
The most realistic outcome for Lohner is being released when the Broncos trim down to 53 players. Since it’s unlikely another team would claim him off waivers, he’d likely end up on the practice squad, giving him a developmental “redshirt” year. At Utah, he saw the field for just 57 snaps in his lone college season.
With roster spots at a premium, it’s hard to see Denver using one on Lohner just to keep him around.
“I just wanted a chance, and I really believe that wherever I end up, I’ll do everything possible to contribute to winning,” Lohner told ESPN’s Jeff Legwold in May. “I don’t have much football experience yet, but that’s part of why I’m playing—it’s become a passion and something I love.”
Some Predictions Brought Broncos TE In First Round
It wasn’t all that shocking that the Broncos went after a tight end in the 2025 draft — the surprise was when they chose to do it, since plenty of mock drafts had them targeting one in the first round.
Even so, The Athletic’s Nick Kosmider called Caleb Lohner his favorite pick from Denver’s draft class.
“The seventh-rounder might not have a major role lined up for 2025,” Kosmider wrote. “He’ll face an uphill battle just to make the 53-man roster in September. But it’s tough not to be intrigued by a 6-foot-7, 256-pound prospect who transitioned to football after five years as a Division I basketball player.”
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