After making their final roster cuts, Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton and his team added two key players to their 53-man roster. They signed Kristian Welch, a former special teams player for the Green Bay Packers, and Donald Parham, a former tight end with the Los Angeles Chargers.
Welch, who went undrafted from Iowa in 2020, has played 54 games in his career. He had a notable rookie season with the Baltimore Ravens before spending the past year on the Packers’ practice squad. Known primarily for his special teams contributions, Welch’s role in Denver will likely be similar.
Welch had a solid performance in the Packers’ preseason game against the Broncos, which he feels contributed positively to his new opportunity. Jonas Griffith was released, and he will undergo ACL surgery, the same injury that ended his 2023 season.
Joe Lombardi, following Payton’s lead, also brought in former Chargers tight end Donald Parham. Standing at 6-foot-8, Parham had a breakout year with the Chargers in 2023, recording 27 catches for 285 yards and four touchdowns.
Parham signed as an undrafted free agent in 2019 and will start the 2024 season on the Broncos’ practice squad. Before his time with the Chargers, he was with the Detroit Lions and Washington Commanders. Lombardi previously coached Parham as the Chargers’ offensive coordinator.
The Broncos’ practice squad also includes undrafted rookie free agent Thomas Yassmin. On the 53-man roster, Parham will join tight ends Adam Trautman, Greg Dulcich, Lucas Krull, and Nate Adkins, who also plays fullback/H-back.
There is hope that Greg Dulcich can emerge as a key playmaker for the Broncos. As noted by The Denver Post’s Troy Renck, the team needs a tight end to stand out in the passing game this season. Dulcich, despite showing promise, has struggled with injuries and has had limited production this year. In his two seasons with the Broncos, he has accumulated 36 receptions for 436 yards and two touchdowns. Broncos general manager George Paton emphasized in April that the tight end position needs to deliver more in 2024.
