BREAKING NEWS: Broncos Re-Sign TE Lucas Krull After Breakout Year in Denver

The Denver Broncos have officially signed exclusive-rights free agent tight end Lucas Krull, the NFL transaction wire reported Monday. The team applied the ERFA tender to Krull on March 4.

Exclusive-rights free agents — different than unrestricted and restricted free agents — are players with two or fewer accrued seasons. The tenders are one-year contracts worth the league minimum for their credited years.

Undrafted in 2022, Krull spent his rookie campaign with the New Orleans Saints before surfacing in the Mile High City, spending much of the following year on the practice squad. He finally cracked the active roster in 2024 and, across 14 games, led all Broncos TEs in receptions (19) while finishing as Pro Football Focus' sixth-highest-rated pass-blocker among his NFL cohorts.

“It’s no secret that it’s a huge part of my game that I’m trying to work on and improve," Krull said last August of his blocking. "The biggest thing is every day out here getting repetition, getting ready to go against—what they say, ‘Iron sharpens iron.’ I have to go against ‘Coop’ [OLB Jonathon Cooper] and all these guys on our edge. They can set it unbelievably well. So for me to get to go battle these guys every single day just gives me that chance to get better and better each and every practice.”

With pen having met paper, Krull will likely reprise his role as the Broncos' third TE behind free-agent addition Evan Engram and veteran staff favorite Adam Trautman. It's possible, if not probable, that the team further strengthens the position via this month's Draft.

“I don’t think the search is ever over," general manager George Paton told reporters on March 31. "I do think we have a ‘Joker,’ we have a mismatch tight end that we really like. But again, we’re always looking for the best players.”

Krull, 26, is the second ERFA to ink his tender with the Broncos, after outside linebacker Dondrea Tillman did so last week. Still unsigned are cornerback Ja'Quan McMillian, defensive back Devon Key, and defensive lineman Jordan Jackson.

Denver begins its offseason workout program April 21.

“I think No. 1, we have a lot of players who are already back lifting and working out which is great, especially this time of the year," head coach Sean Payton said last Monday. "There are some cities that the offseason is more challenging relative to attendance. Fortunately for us, that’s not a big challenge for us. I think players generally want to train in altitude and at our facilities. Once they’ve had two years of it now and to see where we’re at relative to health and safety, injury data, we were first in the league again. It’s easy to sell. It’s easy to say, ‘We’re on the right path.’ I think there’s that confidence level that you have to have with your team.”