With a rookie quarterback at the helm, Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton has emphasized the importance of the entire supporting cast executing their roles effectively. However, the offense is missing a crucial component that was central to Payton’s past successes: a reliable tight end. This gap may prompt the Broncos to consider a trade.
CBS Sports’ Cody Benjamin proposed targeting Austin Hooper of the New England Patriots as a solution.
“Sean Payton has always valued the tight end position, but none of the current options have emerged as dependable targets for rookie Bo Nix,” Benjamin wrote on October 8. “Hooper, meanwhile, has been a high-volume pass-catcher in the past.”
Building on Benjamin’s suggestion, a trade proposal from Heavy Sports recommends using previous deals, such as Albert Okwuegbunam’s trade to the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs’ acquisition of Peyton Hendershot, as models for landing Hooper in Denver.
In August 2023, the Broncos sent Okwuegbunam and a seventh-round pick to the Eagles in exchange for a sixth-round pick. The Chiefs, meanwhile, traded a conditional seventh-round pick for Hendershot in August 2024. Both Hendershot and Okwuegbunam are younger than Hooper, but Hooper boasts a more productive track record. Given the Patriots’ struggles (they currently sit at 1-4) and their recent switch to rookie quarterback Drake Maye, compensation for Hooper could vary. Even a conditional sixth-round pick might be worth considering if the Broncos want to bolster the tight end position to support Nix’s development this season.
### Broncos Could Improve Tight End Room with Austin Hooper Trade
Hooper is in his ninth NFL season and has recorded seven receptions for 77 yards and one touchdown over five games with the Patriots in 2024—outperforming any current Broncos tight end. At his peak, Hooper posted 75 receptions for 787 yards and six touchdowns during the 2020 season, which marked his second consecutive Pro Bowl appearance.
Standing at 6-foot-4, Hooper will turn 30 on October 29 and is playing on a one-year, $1.2 million contract. According to Over The Cap, he has earned $37.5 million in his career, making his contract manageable for the Broncos should they pursue a trade.
Originally a third-round pick by the Atlanta Falcons in the 2016 draft, Hooper has also played for the Cleveland Browns, Las Vegas Raiders, and Tennessee Titans. However, he hasn’t started more than nine games in a season since 2021.
### Broncos Bench Struggling Tight End
The Broncos’ tight end group has been underperforming, and Payton made Greg Dulcich inactive, opting to activate Lucas Krull for Week 5. Unfortunately, this move didn’t lead to improved production.
Dulcich had started three of his first four games in 2024 but was made inactive in Week 5 after catching just five of 12 targets for 28 yards this season. Payton had previously praised Dulcich’s potential to fill the “joker” role in the offense during OTAs in 2023. However, his benching might indicate a shift in the coaching staff’s perception of the tight end, especially with the trade deadline approaching.
“The Broncos made an interesting decision ahead of Sunday’s game by activating Lucas Krull for his season debut instead of Dulcich. Denver has long talked about Dulcich being a difference-maker on offense,” Ryan McFadden of The Denver Post wrote on October 7. “But it’s clear the Broncos haven’t received the production they anticipated from the tight end group. The question now is, what’s next for Dulcich? Was this just a one-time benching, or is he being phased out?”
As the trade deadline looms, the Broncos may look to improve their tight end group to support their rookie quarterback’s development.
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