The Denver Broncos may still be looking for more of an upgrade at the tight end position despite adding a key free agent and drafting a prospect who was primarily a basketball player this offseason.
Nate Davis of USA TODAY put together a list of players who may be on the outside looking in when things materialize with their teams later this summer. On that list is Los Angeles Rams tight end Tyler Higbee, a former fourth-round pick of the team who has 361 career receptions.
"He’s more than a year out from shredding his knee in the 2023 playoffs, an injury that cost Higbee most of last season. He’s also 32, entering the final year of his contract and now has fleet second-round TE Terrance Ferguson nipping at his heels", wrote Davis.
Those are strong reasons for the Rams to be moving in a new direction away from Higbee, but what would he cost another team looking to acquire him? Matthew Sullivan of Athlon Sports sees the Broncos as a team that could be in the market for Higbee should he become available, listing the compensation as a day three pick.
"The Rams would be open to trading Higbee since he's in the final year of his contract. If traded, Higbee would save the Rams over $4 million in cap space. The Rams also spent their first pick of the 2025 draft on Oregon tight end Terrance Ferguson.
With Higbee on the Broncos roster, he would complement Engram as a great second tight end. Higbee can be a receiver and a blocker in the run and pass game.
Adding Higbee, a tight end who can block, behind Engram is the perfect one-two punch at tight end for the Broncos. As the veteran is in the final year of his deal, Higbee could be traded for without giving up significant value", wrote Sullivan.
Higbee, if healthy, could be an upgrade over players like Adam Trautman, Nate Adkins and Lucas Krull, but he is 32 years old and would be in the final year of his deal. Anything more than a sixth-round pick would be too much.
The Broncos would probably like to get a solid option behind Evan Engram, but chances are Sean Payton feels like that player is already on the roster. The team seems to like what it found in Utah basketball player Caleb Lohner, the team's seventh-round pick, and Trautman, Adkins and Krull have all been in the system.
Higbee would be an interesting addition, but the Broncos shouldn't do it unless he can be had for almost nothing.
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