Broncos Cut Former $5 Million Starter After Failed Trade Attempts

Getty Denver Broncos general manager George Paton walks the field before facing the Houston Texans.

The Denver Broncos already showed that they will not hesitate to make a business decision regardless of the circumstances around a player when they cut Russell Wilson and incurred an $85 million dead cap hit (over two years) during the 2024 offseason.

Albeit in an entirely different situation, they continued that theme with the decision to cut former starting tight end Greg Dulcich, the team announced on November 25.

Dulcich started the first four games of the season but has been inactive every week since.

Dulcich has caught five of 12 targets for 28 yards this season. If this is the end of his Broncos tenure, Dulcich finishes with 41 receptions for 464 yards and 2 touchdowns. The touchdowns came in his rookie season (2022) when he was a third-round pick by the Broncos.

He has battled injuries over the past two seasons that have limited him to 16 of a possible 71 appearances in his three-year career.

However, the move may not have been based solely on Dulcich’s lack of production.

“Team has WR Josh Reynolds, OLB Drew Sanders ready to return from injury,” 9News’ Mike Klis said in a post reporting the move. “Sanders activation deadline is Wednesday; Reynolds deadline next Wednesday.”

Reynolds has been out since Week 5, first with a finger injury and then as he recovers from being shot while leaving a Denver nightclub in October.

Sanders has not played this season as he recovers from a torn Achilles he suffered in the spring.

Broncos Getting Healthier May Have Impacted Greg Dulcich’s Job Security

“Dulcich went from Broncos’ future to their past far quicker than either could have anticipated,” Klis wrote in a post following up on his official report on the tight end’s release. “Hamstring injury doomed his Broncos term from the start. He is past hammy issue now but it’s difficult to miss all that time and be the same.”

“Built like a Greek God with long, flowing curly hair, Dulcich was instructed to change his running gait prior to this year as the thought was his toe-heel pronate running style could have put stress on his hamstring,” Klis wrote in his official report.

“All that missed time, though, crimped the quick-twitch athleticism that made him such a promising prospect. He dropped two passes in game three against Tampa Bay, played one more game, then was benched and replaced by Lucas Krull.”

Broncos head coach Sean Payton once touted Dulcich as a potential “joker” in the offense.

“He’s got unique skills,” Payton told reporters in June 2023. “He’s got traits in the passing game. We use the term ‘joker’ where we can get matchups. The trick sometimes is trying to predict what you’re going to get defensively. If you’re going to get a nickel package or a base package. But Manny can run. He’s got good ball skills.

“The Joker player for us … it’s not a receiver. It’s either a running back or a tight end with exceptional ball skills. And then you can work matchups, and we’ve had that at the running back. Reggie Bush was a joker. Darren Sproles. Alvin Kamara. Those were all unique players. Not just in the running game, but they had passing game skill sets that allowed you to do multiple things. I think Greg does too.”

Dulcich took the demotion in stride.

“I just got to make my plays in practice and contribute however I can and help this team in whatever way is possible,’’ Dulcich told The Denver Gazette’s Chris Tomasson in October. “Just continue to make plays and be positive and be excited for this team and everything that we do.

“They decided what they decided and I can only control what I can control, so I’m going to continue to try to do that.”

Greg Dulcich Expected to Draw Interest on Waivers

“Dulcich has $390,424 remaining on his [four-year, $5.2 million] contract this year and a non-guaranteed $1.673 million next year,” Klis wrote. “If he clears waivers at 2 p.m. Tuesday he will become a free agent.”

Dulcic’s potential has not gone unnoticed around the league and it could land him another opportunity fairly quickly.

Klis expects Dulcich to draw interest and he is not alone in that thinking.

“Greg Dulcich, who was released by the #Broncos today, should draw waiver wire interest. In third year of rookie contract and has speed,” ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported on X on November 25. “Denver looked into trading him earlier this month.”