Nate Adkins enters Year 4 fighting for minutes as the Broncos’ tight end room grows crowded

The Denver Broncos’ tight end position has become a summer battleground, and Nate Adkins is now in the middle of it. Entering his fourth year in the NFL, Adkins is competing for roster room as the Broncos look for a group that can contribute consistently, not just in flashes. The immediate question is whether a player known for doing the necessary work, and doing it reliably, can separate himself in a crowded room where expectations are higher than they were last season.

Denver’s tight end group underwhelmed as a unit in 2025, and a major part of that conversation centers on free-agent expectations. Evan Engram, brought in as a high-profile addition, did not match the “Joker” billing that accompanied the offseason push. That context matters because it sets a standard for what the Broncos want from the position, and it increases the urgency for every candidate fighting for development snaps and game-day targets.

Adkins’ case is rooted in his path through the roster. He entered the Broncos as an undrafted free agent in 2023 and made the final 53-man roster after earning a role with his positional versatility, blocking, and special-teams performance. Those traits have remained part of his identity in Denver, and they help explain why the team is still counting on him as a contender for a spot even as the depth chart becomes more crowded.

On the field, Adkins has produced in a limited window, and his recent production reflects the reality of limited opportunity and time availability. In 2025, he played in nine games and started six, recording six receptions on 11 targets for 48 yards and one touchdown. He also logged 199 offensive snaps and 46 special-teams snaps. The numbers are not built for a starting tight end headline, but they do show he can be used across offensive and special-teams looks.

Availability has been a recurring theme in his Denver timeline. After a stronger showing in 2024, Adkins’ 2025 impact was reduced by missing nearly half the season following a knee injury late in a win against the Dallas Cowboys. That lost time is relevant because a tight end roster spot often hinges on staying on the field long enough to learn the nuances of assignments, routes, and blocking responsibilities that separate depth players from consistent contributors.

Even with his track record, Adkins is not operating in a vacuum. The Broncos brought back virtually everyone at the position group from the previous season, which indicates Denver is preserving familiarity while also expecting improvement. At the same time, the tight end room has seen new faces arrive, including additions from the 2026 draft cycle such as NC State tight end Justin Joly and Utah tight end Dallen Bentley, both of whom are expected to compete for defined roles as camp and the preseason approach.

For Adkins, the most realistic way to win this competition is to keep aligning his value with what Denver needs to see. In a room where players are being evaluated on more than receiving production, his ability to contribute as a blocker and on special teams gives him a credible path to making the roster even if his offensive workload remains limited. The next step will be how he performs in team periods, especially in the details that coaches reward from the tight end spot: formation work, leverage in blocking, and reliability on the types of special-teams assignments that carry over when final rosters are trimmed.

For Denver’s 2026 build, this fight at tight end is less about one player proving a point and more about the group finally producing. Engram’s ceiling may still be part of the plan, but the team’s offense requires multiple bodies to stay effective. If Adkins can carve out a stable role, it would be a meaningful indicator that the Broncos can solve depth issues internally, reducing the odds that the position becomes a constant injury-driven reshuffle. If not, Denver will likely lean harder on the incoming competition to reshape the rotation. Watch how the Broncos use tight end personnel early in camp, and whether Adkins’ two-way value translates into more steady offensive involvement.