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Broncos Lose Out on Joker Candidate, Remains With Saints

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Michael Hanich | Last updated Mar 11, 2025 4:17 PM ET

The first two days of the legal tampering process have been a busy time for most NFL teams. The Denver Broncos are one of the least active teams during the legal tampering process.

The Broncos did have some re-signings and picked up two solid defenders who played for the San Francisco 49ers last season. On the offensive side of the ball, however, the Broncos have been quiet.

They got backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham back on a two-year deal once the new season arrives. This free agency was a chance for the Broncos to potentially get their number one running back, get a ‘joker’, or fill in some holes on the offensive line.

Beyond proud and excited for our guy @juwanplease for agreeing to a deal for 3 years with the @Saints @vaynersports
— AJ Vaynerchuk (@ajv) March 11, 2025

On Tuesday, March 11, the Broncos lost their chance at another tight end they have been linked to with Juwan Johnson agreeing to stay with the New Orleans Saints, according to Vayner Sports' A.J. Vaynerchuk.

Johnson and the Saints agreed to sign a three-year, $30 million extension once the new league year starts on Wednesday, March 12.

Johnson would’ve been a reliable player to play in different spots, be used for multiple roles, and be a red-zone threat. These are attributes that head coach Sean Payton wants in a “joker” role for his offense. It also helped that Johnson played for two years under Payton while they were both with the Saints in 2020 and 2021.

There is plenty of time for the Broncos to sign free agents, especially once the new league year starts and signings become official. Denver’s problem is that they're losing out on targeted players or potential starters with each passing minute.

There is still the 2025 NFL Draft for the team to fill in the offensive holes, but it’s less pressure if they find players now.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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