Denver Broncos’ rookie tight end Greg Dulcich has played just three games in his NFL career, but already looks to be a true TE1 for the Broncos. The Broncos selecting Dulcich in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft probably didn’t make headlines.
Mid-round picks in general don’t usually work out for teams, especially at a position like tight end. In the NFL, tight ends usually take a few years to get up to speed, as they not only have to adjust as a pass catcher, but they have to show something in the way of blocking.
This idea has held true for a while, so it’s rare to see tight ends come in and make an immediate impact. Kyle Pitts was an exception to the rule, as he appears to be a generationally talented tight end.
Dulcich missed the first five games of the 2022 season because of a hamstring injury, and was activated three games ago. There was reason to believe that we’d see little impact from him, but his first three games indicate otherwise:
- two receptions, 44 yards, one TD
- six receptions, 51 yards
- four receptions, 87 yards
So far in just three games, he has caught 12 passes for 182 yards and one touchdown. What makes this more impressive is that he is now the top receiving tight end in the NFL, even while playing just three games.
With nine games left, Dulcich is on pace for 728 yards and four touchdowns. Even better, if we took this three game stretch and extrapolated it over an entire 17 game season, Dulcich would be on pace for 1,031 yards and six touchdowns, which are insane numbers for a tight end.
Remember, tight ends don’t usually get a heavy involvement in the passing game due to the position itself. The Travis Kelce’s and George Kittle’s of the world will because of their Hall of Fame talent.
Could Greg Dulcich be the next great tight end in the NFL? Perhaps. It might be too early to say for sure, but his first three starts have caught the eyes of many across the NFL. Russell Wilson seems to already trust him, and he really has nowhere to go but up.