Eagles beat Broncos to offensive weapon by 8 picks in NFL Draft
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Eagles beat Broncos to offensive weapon by 8 picks in NFL Draft originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Denver Broncos were viewed as a team that could take a tight end early in the 2026 NFL Draft.
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In the end, they didn't get one until the fifth round, when they chose Justin Joly. And they at least in part have the Philadelphia Eagles to blame.
In a new article on Thursday by ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, the insider reveals that the Broncos wanted Vanderbilt's Eli Stowers.
The Eagles beat Denver to Stowers by eight spots.
"Denver explored taking a tight end somewhat early, but the board didn't fall that way," Fowler writes. "The Broncos would have considered Vanderbilt's Eli Stowers if he made it to No. 62 (he went eight picks earlier)."
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Joly won't have to become the top TE in Denver right away, but they potentially hope he can become a leader on the depth chart down the road.
They did identify one change he can make, too, which could help him blossom.
"Fifth-rounder Justin Joly out of N.C. State can be a pass-catching weapon," Fowler writes. "The Broncos really like his tape from 2024, when he played at a lighter weight."
It certainly made sense for the Eagles to take Stowers when they did. They've only got Dallas Goedert on a one-year contract, and he's getting up there in years. Stowers becomes an obvious heir in Philadelphia.
The Broncos will likely be hoping Stowers doesn't become too much of a star, just because it'll make it more frustrating not to have landed him.
But if Joly works out in Denver, it'll all feel OK.