Broncos' biggest wild card predicted to make 53-man roster originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Visit tr-sport.bond for more information.

The Denver Broncos are still about two months away from the start of training camp and they have a roster full of proven talent and intriguing youth. 

Nick Kosmider of The Athletic has already thrown his hat in the ring, being one of the first to predict this year's 53-man roster. Though many of these predictions will be made by multiple members of the media before the season kicks off, it's always fun to check out the first one. 

Though Kosmider went with some safe, predictable picks, there is one name that stands out as a surprise. At the tight end position, second-year player Caleb Lohner is on his final 53-man roster. 

Lohner didn't play a snap for the Broncos last season as he was on the team's practice squad, but you may remember him as the seventh-round dart throw by Sean Payton, who was mostly a basketball player in college at Utah. He caught a total of four passes on the football field, and all four of them went for touchdowns. 

Payton has already shouted out Lohner's name this offseason as a player he's been impressed with, which got the ball rolling on his rise up the ranks. How good are his chances of making the team?

Caleb Lohner predicted to make Broncos' 53-man roster

Kosmider has the Broncos keeping four tight ends: Evan Engram, Adam Trautman, Justin Joly and Lohner while cutting (and perhaps re-signing to the practice squad) the trio of Nate Adkins, Lucas Krull and Dallen Bentley. 

Though there are a lot of practices and preseason games to decide how that will look at the end of the summer, it's a solid guess that the final spot will come down to either Lohner or Adkins. 

Caleb Lohner: “It was in the works but I told them don’t even bother. I want to be here. You’ve got a veteran coach here (in Sean Payton). I was in his offensive system for almost a full year. Plus, I didn’t want to leave a team that was going for the Super Bowl and is going for… https://t.co/if8J0FZ9ah

— MikeKlis9NEWS (@mikeklis9news) May 9, 2026

"Payton offered unsolicited praise during rookie minicamp for Lohner, the second-year player who was a seventh-round pick of the Broncos in 2025. Lohner, who played college football at Utah for only one season following a basketball career that spanned three schools, could be a unique red-zone target for the Broncos at 6-foot-7 and 250 pounds, with big hands and a substantial vertical leap.

The Broncos have always found a place for Adkins, an undrafted free agent signee in 2023 who made the roster as a rookie. Krull has experience in Payton’s offense and the Broncos liked what they saw from Bentley, the second-to-last pick in April’s draft, during his final season at Utah in 2025. There will be a great battle for depth spots in this room — and don’t be surprised if Denver finds a way to keep five", wrote Kosmider. 

It's easy to get excited about the things Payton could do with the former basketball player, Lohner, given what he did with Jimmy Graham in New Orleans. But Adkins is a good football player who is one of the best blockers on the team. He could also play fullback if the team really needed him to. 

HOT READ:Broncos' disappointing 2025 free-agent signing named as trade candidate

Lohner will have to show something in the preseason, as people are really buying into the hype created by Payton, perhaps inadvertently. But for now, Adkins should be given the benefit of the doubt if that is indeed a head-to-head battle for a spot on the final roster. 

More Broncos Content

Broncos Undrafted Rookie Spotlight: Paul Manning's unlikely road to the NFL

Broncos could soon be faced with major decision regarding former first-round pick

Broncos' Day 3 draft pick predicted to make immediate offensive impact

Broncos Undrafted Rookie Spotlight: Parker Robertson looks to crack deep safety group

Read full story at source