Vannett, Fant lone TEs left on roster
Duo will have to carry position’s load vs. the Raiders
The Broncos carried seven tight ends during training camp and five on their initial 53- man roster. Depth appeared to be a non- issue.
But halfway through an injuryriddled season, the Broncos are down to two healthy tight ends — Noah Fant and Nick Vannett. Following a season- ending knee injury to rookie Albert Okwuegbunam last Sunday in Atlanta, the duo will be called upon to carry the position’s load Sunday in Las Vegas.
For Fant, that means continued growth in his second professional season. For Vannett, who signed a two- year free agent deal in March, it means the chance to capitalize on an expanded role.
“As much as we want to dwell on ( Okwuegbunam’s ACL tear), because that’s devastating, we know we have to carry on the torch and we have to keep preparing each week like we have,” Vannett said in a phone interview with The Denver Post Thursday. “We have to keep battling in this room.”
Fant, 22, ranks third in receiving yards per game among all league tight ends ( 49.9). He has 32 catches for 349 yards and two touchdowns.
Vannett, 27, has six catches on 11 targets for 44 yards. He began the season as the No. 2 tight end, but was eclipsed by Jake Butt and was a healthy scratch in Week 3 against Tampa Bay. As the Broncos incurred injuries at the position — bum hamstrings sent Andrew Beck to injured reserve on Oct. 31 and Butt to injured reserve Nov. 5 — Okwuegbunam saw his role increase, and he got more snaps than Vannett the past couple of weeks.
Now, the No. 2 job is Vannett’s again, even as this week the Broncos brought back Troy Fumagalli, a fifth- round draft pick in 2018 who was waived Sept. 5. Fumagalli is on the practice squad and is a likely call- up for Sunday’s game in Las Vegas. Broncos offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur is confident Fant and Vannett will show the tight ends are still a position of strength for Denver, even when down several bodies.
“I really value the tight ends,” Shurmur said. “( In addition to receptions) there has to be a steady piece to them doing all the dirty work as well. I had a seven- man protection a bunch the other night ( in Atlanta) and those guys had to block defensive ends, and they did a good job there. “
The self- critical Fant described his second year as “all right” to this point. He believes he can “offer a lot more.” He has battled ankle injuries this season and
missed the Week 6 game in New England because of that though he said he’s healthy now.
“I want to keep improving and keep playing a bigger role in the offense — keep blocking — just doing all those things that an every- down tight end needs to do,” Fant said. “If I had to grade myself on ( the first half), I’d give myself a B- minus.”
Vannett, who’s most productive receiving season in his sixyear career came in 2018 with Seattle ( 29 catches for 269 yards
with three touchdowns), also provided a critical self- assessment.
“The first few games I had, I didn’t play to my ability — that was very obvious,” he said. “But after that, I started to hit my stride, and I was more aggressive in the run- game blockingwise. I haven’t had much opportunity in the pass game and I haven’t gotten targeted much, but I can’t control that. I can only control my attitude and how well I play in the run game. That’s what I’m going to carry over to the second half of the season.”