The Denver Broncos' offense has struggled to make explosive passing plays over the last several games. Despite the unit's inconsistencies early this season, head coach and play-caller Sean Payton still had some success drawing up some downfield daggers with Russell Wilson.
Broncos receiving tight end Greg Dulcich has been absent over the past quarter-season, and it's no coincidence that those explosive passing plays have been few and far between. That's not to say that Dulcich was the one making those big plays early on, but his influence as a route runner on opposing defenses definitely loosened things up for other guys to make a splash, like Marvin Mims Jr., Courtland Sutton, and Jerry Jeudy.
It would have been nice to have Albert Okwuegbunam while Dulcich has been on injured reserve, but he was traded away this summer. Payton's solution, it would seem, is to get practice-squad tight end Lucas Krull into the mix.
Krull was elevated to the gameday roster for Week 10, and while he certainly didn't light up the box score, it was clear that his skill set is a vast departure from the plodding receiving chops of Adam Trautman, Nate Adkins, and Chris Manhertz. At 6-foot-6 and 253 pounds, Krull can run.
That 4.6-speed was on display in the Broncos' 24-22 victory over the Buffalo Bills on Monday night. Although he was targeted only once, Krull received 20 snaps (of 71) and his speed was a factor.
Unfortunately, Wilson wasn't able to capitalize on that factor, but listening to Payton during his Tuesday morning conference call with media, Krull could be a bigger factor in things moving forward.
“He brings a different element. He’s a guy that can run with speed vertically," Payton said of Krull. "He brings more of a receiving threat, maybe. We’ve been working with him for the last several weeks. We felt it would be a good change-up relative to some third downs, red zone targets... So, a little different type of athlete, maybe than Nate, or even ‘Traut’ or Chris. That was a big decision.”
The Broncos wanted to utilize Krull in the red zone, and although Wilson had opportunities to find the young tight end in those situations, it never materialized. On one play, Krull completely blew by the Bills' defensive backfield down the right sideline, and had Wilson not been so quick to drop his eyes, pull the ball down, and take off, he would have seen the young tight end for what would have been a wide-open touchdown.
It'll be interesting to see how Krull factors into things moving forward. The Broncos have a short week of preparation for the red-hot Minnesota Vikings, and with Krull, the team still has one more practice-squad 'elevation' it can use on Krull before having to worry about risking him to the waiver wire or signing him to the active roster.
Meanwhile, Payton remains optimistic that Dulcich will return at some point down the stretch.
"I think we'll see him again this year, yeah," Payton said of Dulcich last Thursday.
The bottom line is that the Broncos need to figure out how to get their downfield passing attack more in synch. And there are more ways than one to skin that cat.
Krull should be viewed as a sleeper who could make one or two big plays for the Broncos' offense each game. With how prolific Denver's rushing attack has become, teams have continued to stack the box.
Until the Broncos can make opponents pay for selling out to stop the run, the three-yards-and-a-cloud-of-dust approach will only get the team so far. Krull, along with Mims, could be immediate solutions to that problem.
More must-reads: