Log in
My Account
Subscribe 99¢ for 3 months
Newsletter

Today's Digital Newspaper

The Gazette

Weather Block Here

Login
My Account
Subscribe
Newsletter

Archive Information

Carrier Portal

Search

Buy Our Photos

Led by veteran Nick Vannett, Broncos tight ends becoming one of Denver’s most reliable units

By George Stoia December 15, 2020 | updated 5 years ago

When the Broncos started the 2020 season, tight end wasn’t a position many were worried about. 

With Noah Fant, Albert Okwuegbunam, Nick Vannett, Troy Fumagalli and Jake Butt, the tight end room was considered maybe the deepest on the team. But that disappeared quickly Sunday, when Fant left the game with an illness and the Broncos already being down Okwuegbunam and Butt thanks to season-ending injuries. 

All that was left was Vannett and Fumagalli. And both took full advantage of their opportunities, with Fumagalli catching four passes for 53 yards and Vannett catching four passes for 20 yards and a touchdown — his first since 2018 when he played for the Seahawks. 

“We weren’t really prepared for that situation at all, most of those plays are for Noah,” Vannett said Tuesday. “Sometimes guys go down and guys have to step up. I couldn’t be more proud of (Fumagalli) — even myself, not to toot my own horn. When guys go down and you have a more expanded role, it’s just all about what you do with it when you get that opportunity. I feel like we both did a great job. We caught most of our targets that were thrown to us, all the balls that were thrown to us and we made the crucial blocks to spring the runs, and that’s what it’s all about. When someone goes down, you have to step up.”

Broncos blog: McManus going into isolation; Gordon’s DUI court date postponed; Bolles, Fant fly back to Denver; Von Miller still not cleared

Vannett is the seasoned veteran of the group, despite only being in the league four years. Butt is in his third year, but has only played in eight games due to injuries. Fant and Fumagalli are in their second year. And Okwuegbunam is a rookie. 

As a relatively young group, they like to have fun with each other while also pushing themselves to get better. And despite injuries keeping a couple of them out and COVID separating them in meeting rooms, the group has become one of the closest in the locker room. 

Sign Up For Free: AM Update Newsletter

let pathVariable;
let pathVariable2;

function handleUrlPathSegment() {

const fullPath = window.location.pathname.toLowerCase();
if (fullPath.includes(‘/business/’)) {
pathVariable = ‘business’;
pathVariable2 = ‘Business Newsletter’;
} else if (fullPath.includes(‘/outdoors/’) || fullPath.includes(‘/outdoor/’)) {
pathVariable = ‘outdoors’;
pathVariable2 = ‘Outdoors Newsletter’;
} else if (fullPath.includes(‘/opinion/’)) {
pathVariable = ‘opinion’;
pathVariable2 = ‘Opinion Newsletter’;
} else if (fullPath.includes(‘politics’)) {
pathVariable = ‘politics’;
pathVariable2 = ‘Politics Newsletter’;
} else {
pathVariable = ‘am-update’;
pathVariable2 = ‘AM Update Newsletter’;
}

console.log(`Current path: ${fullPath}`);
console.log(`Path variable set to: ${pathVariable}`);
console.log(`Path variable 2 set to: ${pathVariable2}`);

applyNewsletterName(pathVariable2);

return { pathVariable, pathVariable2 };
}

function applyNewsletterName(newsletterName) {

if (document.readyState === ‘loading’) {
document.addEventListener(‘DOMContentLoaded’, function() {
updateNewsletterElement(newsletterName);
});
} else {

updateNewsletterElement(newsletterName);
}
}

function updateNewsletterElement(newsletterName) {
const newsletterElement = document.getElementById(‘newsletterName’);

if (newsletterElement) {
newsletterElement.textContent = newsletterName;
console.log(`Updated #newsletterName element with: ${newsletterName}`);
} else {
console.warn(‘Element with ID #newsletterName not found in the DOM’);
}
}

function setupFormSubmitListener() {
function getFormattedDate() {
const now = new Date();

const timestamp = now.getTime();

console.log(‘chris: Using Unix timestamp’);
console.log(‘chris: Current time:’, now);
console.log(‘chris: Unix timestamp (ms):’, timestamp);

return timestamp;
}

const formattedDate = getFormattedDate();
var profile = window.blueConicClient.profile.getProfile();
profile.setValues(‘newsletter_category’, pathVariable);
profile.setValue(‘newsletter_signup_date’, formattedDate);
window.blueConicClient.profile.updateProfile(this, function() {
});
}

handleUrlPathSegment();

Success! Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter.

View all of our newsletters.

function subscribeSuccess() {
var nsltrform = document.querySelector(“#nsltr”);
var nsltrSuccess = document.querySelector(“#successnsltr”);

nsltrform.classList.add(“hideblock”);
nsltrSuccess.classList.remove(“hideblock”);
}

function validateEmail(email) {
return String(email)
.toLowerCase()
.match(
/^(([^()[]\.,;:s@”]+(.[^()[]\.,;:s@”]+)*)|(“.+”))@(([[0-9]{1,3}.[0-9]{1,3}.[0-9]{1,3}.[0-9]{1,3}])|(([a-zA-Z-0-9]+.)+[a-zA-Z]{2,}))$/
);
}

function validateEmailAddress() {
const result = document.querySelector(“#result”);
const email = document.querySelector(“#email”).value;

result.innerText = “”;

if(validateEmail(email)) {
newsletterSubscribe(email);
} else {
result.innerText = ‘The email entered: ‘ + email + ‘ is not valid :(‘;
result.style.color = “red”;
}
return false;
}

function newsletterSubscribe(email) {
fetch(“https://services.gazette.com/mg2-newsletters.php?action=subscribe&site=denvergazette.com&emailPreferenceId=59&email=” + email, {
method: “POST”
}).then(res => {
console.log(“SUCCESSFUL POST”);
subscribeSuccess();
});

}

#nsltr {
min-width: 100%;
margin: 10px 0;
padding: 10px 20px;
background-color: #2076b3;

background-image: url(https://static.gazette.com/emails/circ/Audience%20Images/pp5%20signup%203.png);
background-size: cover;

}

#nsltr-header {
color: #fff4f4;
}
#nsltr-body {
text-align: center;
color: #ffffff;
}
#nsltr-button {
margin-top: 5px;
}
#successnsltr {
min-width: 100%;
margin: 10px 0;
padding: 10px 20px;
background-color: green;
text-align: center;
color: white;
}

#successnsltr a {
color: white;
}

.hideblock {
display:none;
}

h6 a {
color: black;
text-decoration: none;
padding: 5px;
background-color: #bbccdd;
font-weight: 600;
}

@media only screen and (min-width: 768px) {
#nsltr {
background-image: url(https://static.gazette.com/emails/circ/Audience%20Images/pp5%20signup%203.png);
background-size: cover;
}
}

“It’s a great group. I can honestly say of the teams I’ve been on and the groups I’ve been in, this is one of the better, obviously more talented, but just such a great group of guys,” Vannett said. “We just have so much fun with each other. It’s unfortunate because we’re not able to spend as much time with the protocols and the way things are right now. We have a group chat — Jake Butt and (Fumagalli), they’re always cracking jokes back and forth, making fun of each other. We’re all just standing in the peanut gallery laughing our asses off.”

Vannett has sort of taken a leadership role among the tight ends, saying he takes it upon himself “to try to bring the energy in practice trying to get guys going.” He believes they can be one of the best tight end units in the NFL. 

Broncos rookie wide receiver KJ Hamler on verge of becoming home run threat

And right now, they’re playing like it. In a way, the tight ends have become one of the more reliable units on the Broncos offense, helping both in the run game and through the air, as quarterback Drew Lock and offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur have made it a point to get them the ball. 

The Broncos have targeted their tight ends 117 times this season, which is the fourth most in the NFL behind the Raiders (138), Eagles (138) and Chiefs (134). Each of those teams boast some of the best tight ends in the NFL in the Raiders’ Darren Waller, the Eagles’ Zach Ertz and the Chiefs’ Travis Kelce. 

As for where Vannett hopes to get better over these last three games, he says he wants to be “physically imposing” in the run game. And as the leader of the group, well, he just wants to continue having fun. 

“It’s a long season at the end of the day and sometimes things can feel kind of repetitive, and you kind of lose your mind a little bit,” Vannett said. “I just try to take it upon myself to bring the energy and just kind of bring the fun to practice and kind of lighten guys up a little bit. Just go out there and just have fun and just enjoy what we’re doing. It’s a great group of guys, I love being here.”

6363e87a-caa7-5fc8-b2c5-175b9162a853

View Original Article | Split View
George Stoia

Reporter

PREV

PREVIOUS

Broncos blog: McManus going into isolation; Gordon's DUI court date postponed; Bolles, Fant fly back to Denver; Von Miller still not cleared

Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Broncos kicker Brandon McManus tweeted Monday that he’s going on the Reserve/COVID-19 list after coming in close contact with someone outside of the building. He said he still intends to play against the Bills on Saturday.  The Broncos signed kicker Taylor Russolino to the practice squad […]

NEXT

NEXT UP

Denver Broncos rookie roundup: cornerback Michael Ojemudia making most of opportunity

Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Following the Broncos’ Week 9 loss to the Atlanta Falcons, rookie cornerback Michael Ojemudia met with coach Vic Fangio to discuss his future. “Whether I was either playing or not, I was always learning every […]