Broncos GM provides update on injured tight end’s recovery

The Denver Broncos must really like tight end Caleb Lohner. Lohner, a second-year player who was a seventh-round selection in the 2025 NFL draft, was placed on the short-term injured reserve list when the club set its 53-man roster on Sunday.

Lohner spent all of 2025 on Denver's practice squad, developing into a football player. Prior to 2024, Lohner mostly made his name as a college basketball player at BYU, the University of Utah and Baylor. Earlier this spring at rookie minicamp, Lohner appeared as an eligible first-year player , and surprised coaches with his transformation.

"He looks entirely different in this camp," Broncos coach Sean Payton said of Lohner in mid-May. "One year into the program, and how he's moving, what he's doing, everything looks entirely different. That learning curve and growth curve was greater for someone who had far less experience, maybe, than others, if that makes sense. It's entirely noticeable, and he's in great shape. You see his athleticism."

Unfortunately for Lohner, shortly after rookie minicamp, he underwent a procedure which kept him off the field during OTAs, minicamp and all of training camp. General manager George Paton gave an update on Lohner's condition on Sunday after the Broncos finished their 53-man roster.

"He's looked good," Paton said. "He was having a really good offseason and obviously had a setback with the foot. We expect him, I'm not sure the timetable, mid-season, maybe. Don't hold me to that."

So we don't have an exact timeline for Lohner's return, but Paton is clearly impressed with the tight end.

"He has all the traits: the size, he can run, he has great ball skills being a basketball player," Paton said. "This would have been a really important preseason and training camp for him. He just needs reps. We're still excited about him. He's here every day working, but we won't see him until late October or so."

Depending on how his rehabilitation goes, Lohner may get his first NFL snaps in 2026. We'll just have to wait and see.

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