As we expected, Denver Broncos rookie tight end Nate Adkins is a candidate to get snaps as a fullback this summer.
Adkins (6-3, 252 pounds) wears jersey No. 45 and he’s listed as a tight end on the 90-man offseason roster, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see him used in a hybrid role similar to the position Andrew Beck used to play in Denver.
“The first question we asked ourselves is, ‘Does he go with the tight end room, or does he go the running back room?’” coach Sean Payton said on June 14 when asked about Adkins’ position.
“He can go to either. He goes to the tight end room, but he would be an ‘F’ tight end that would be used at times in some roles like [Michael] Burton would be used in. He would be an ‘F’ candidate.”
The “F” tight end will presumably be similar to an H-back role — typically a tight end who lines up in the backfield.
Burton is set to serve as the team’s starting fullback in 2023 and it looks like Adkins is the top candidate to back him up, at least this summer. The Broncos seem extremely unlikely to dedicate two roster spots to fullbacks, so Adkins will probably be competing for a spot on the practice squad.
Burton is scheduled to become a 32-year-old free agent in 2024, so if Adkins impresses this summer, he might be able to parlay a rookie season on the practice squad into a larger role in Year 2.
Before we get too far ahead of ourselves, though, first up for Adkins is training camp this summer. He will likely split reps between TE and FB.
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