When tight end Noah Fant joined the Broncos as a 2019 first-round pick, hopes were high for what he’d bring to the team’s passing game.
Fant caught 170 passes for 1,905 yards and 10 touchdowns over the last three seasons, but he wasn’t thrilled with how he was used in the Broncos offense. Fant said on 104.3 The Fan this week that he felt the Broncos failed to utilize him to the best of his abilities during his three seasons in Denver.
“Yeah, I mean, I agree, man. I feel like when I came into the league, that’s what I was drafted to do, right? Get down the field, make those explosive plays, and kind of be that pass catching tight end,” Fant said. “And over my time in Denver, I felt like that narrative kind of got muddled down a little bit. It was more of a focus of me catching flat balls or whatever it may be, and then trying to be a shifty guy and elusive guy and try to break as many tackles possible to get my yards. I view myself as a downfield threat, getting open space, then I can make things happen. It was a little frustrating being used in the short field.”
The Broncos’ quarterback play has been frustrating since Fant entered the league, but he won’t get a chance to benefit from Russell Wilson‘s arrival because he was part of the package sent back to Seattle. The Seahawks’ top quarterback at the moment is former Bronco Drew Lock and a failure to upgrade there is likely to keep Fant from fully spreading his wings in his new home.