Broncos HC Explains Disappearance of TE Greg Dulcich in Offense

What happened to the Denver Broncos' rookie pass-catcher?

Only late last week, Denver Broncos fans saw QBs coach Klint Kubiak enter the mix to take over play-calling after head coach Nathaniel Hackett relinquished the duties. Shortly afterward, the Broncos unsurprisingly waived embattled, fumble-prone running back Melvin Gordon.

Considering all of Denver's offensive faux pas, the failure to involve rookie tight end Greg Dulcich has been entirely predictable. During Denver's road loss in Tennessee, Dulcich only caught one pass for 11 measly yards. Fast forward one week, and against the Las Vegas Raiders, he did catch four balls, but for only 30 yards.

Undoubtedly, that represents dwindling production which raises some pretty serious red flags. Of course, for the more cynical members of Broncos County, it reeks of the offense's continued ineptitude. 

That consensus might hold significant water, but rookie tight ends often take time to fully develop and refine their skills. In the rarified NFL, once opposing defenses are alerted to a new weapon, it's a given they will plot to take it away rather quickly.

Certainly, Hackett is aware that teams have been looking out for Dulcich a lot more recently, but he insisted it hasn't come as a big surprise.

“I wouldn't say a lot more," Hackett said earlier this week. "I think people are definitely accounting for him. They’re putting some different people on him for man-to-man coverage. We have to know that's going to happen at some point because he is somebody that we have targeted quite a bit and that's going to come."

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Given just how badly the Broncos' offense has struggled through 10 weeks, hitching their wagon to a rookie tight end was always going to be a fool's errand. Indeed, perhaps it's time to re-set expectations for the super-talented Dulcich.

That particular realization has probably been reached by Hackett already, especially after what he said on Tuesday.

"He's done a really good job. He's picked it up really well and bounced back from that injury," Hackett said of Dulcich. "Like we said earlier, he wasn't here for the first four weeks of the season. What he's done has been really great.”

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