The Denver Broncos have placed tenders on a pair of promising young players ahead of free agency
The Denver Broncos have placed tenders on outside linebacker Dondrea Tillman and tight end Lucas Krull, per reports from NFL insider Aaron Wilson. Both Tillman and Krull were exclusive-rights free agents, meaning that their contracts have expired with two or less accrued seasons under their belts. Now that they have been tendered, the Broncos have […]
The Denver Broncos have placed tenders on outside linebacker Dondrea Tillman and tight end Lucas Krull, per reports from NFL insider Aaron Wilson.
Both Tillman and Krull were exclusive-rights free agents, meaning that their contracts have expired with two or less accrued seasons under their belts. Now that they have been tendered, the Broncos have offered them a one-year contract at the league minimum salary, and they are not allowed to negotiate with any other teams.
These were logical moves for Denver to make, starting with Tillman's incredible underdog story. Tillman played Division II college ball with the IUP Crimson Hawks, then was out of football entirely for two years before joining The Spring League in 2021. The following year, he was selected by the Birmingham Stallions in the 2022 USFL Draft.
Tillman played with the Stallions for three years before getting a shot in the NFL with the Broncos this past season. He made the most of it, making Denver's practice squad after an impressive training camp. Tillman was then promoted to the 53-man roster in Week 3 of the regular season, going on to appear in 12 games and racking up five sacks in 2024.
Tillman figures to be a solid rotational piece of Denver's pass rush moving forward. As for Krull, he led a weak Broncos tight end group with 19 receptions on 23 targets last season, also recording 152 receiving yards and 133 snaps played on special teams. Krull began his career with the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent before joining Denver in 2023.
Like Tillman, Krull will provide quality depth for the Broncos, but they still need an impact starting TE either through free agency or the draft. The NFL's free agent legal tampering period begins on March 10, with signings able to become official on March 12, marking the beginning of the new league year. The Broncos currently have about $41 million in salary cap space to work with.
The Denver Broncos can make a splash signing at a big position of need as a former All-Pro is now on the market
It’s something to consider.
