ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — In the final minutes of Saturday's practice, Greg Dulcich showed a glimpse of his intriguing potential.
On a red-zone snap, the Broncos tight end raced along the back line of the end zone and outran the safety in coverage before snagging a well-placed pass for a touchdown.
It was only a training camp catch, and Dulcich will surely hope to record more touchdowns when the regular season arrives. And yet, it was the latest step in an arduous journey back from injury.
"I think there's steps, and each day you're seeing a glimpse and you are seeing plays," Head Coach Sean Payton said Saturday. "Most importantly for the player, you're seeing his confidence. Remember I always used that term — we can wish for confidence and think about it, but it's born out of demonstrated ability. When he has a play that he makes, there's just an ounce more confidence he has that goes into the next practice to make a play similar to that.
"… You can't wish for that. It can't be false confidence. It's generally earned, and it's from accomplishing something. I think we're seeing that with Greg."
Since being drafted in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft, Dulcich's path has been anything but easy. He has faced multiple stints on injured reserve and battled hamstring injuries as he looked to stay on the field. After suffering a pair of hamstring injuries a year ago, Dulcich tried to attempt a late-season comeback — only to have it be derailed by an injury to his foot.
After rehabbing during the offseason program, though, Dulcich is back on the field. And after the road he's traveled, he said he feels grateful for the opportunity to compete.
"It's awesome," Dulcich said of being back at practice. "It's great. [It's] a blessing to be back, a blessing to be a part of this team. They did a lot to get me back out there. [The Broncos] had a really good plan to get me to feeling right and ready to go. I couldn't be happier with how my teammates, coaches, front office and training staff and strength staff have treated me. It's been awesome."
Dulcich said the team's medical staff was able to "figure out exactly what we needed to do with the foot" and has also placed an emphasis on strengthening his hamstrings. He said he's increased his focus on hip mobility as part of a regimen that's tailored to his needs. Dulcich also said the team has worked to address his gait, which Payton mentioned as a potential factor last year.
"It's a lot of the same sprint mechanics that you do in college and the same kind of drilling," Dulcich said. "[I'm] just kind of focusing on it a little bit more and being a lot more intentional."
Though the Broncos are just a few days into training camp, Dulcich has quickly worked his way back into the fold. He was targeted often during one of the team's acclimation practices, and he added several more 11-on-11 catches during Saturday's session.
And while Dulcich said he's just trying to "get one percent better" each practice and "keep stacking" sessions, his immediate production is a clear reminder of his impressive potential.
While it has been nearly two years since Dulcich last played for an extended stretch, his talent remains alluring. As a rookie, Dulcich recorded at least four catches in five of the 10 games in which he played. In his first career game, he caught a 39-yard pass for a touchdown against the Chargers. A few weeks later, he had three receptions of at least 15 yards — including a 38-yard catch — in a win in London over Jacksonville.
Dulcich finished 2022 with the second most receiving yards among rookie tight ends, as he caught 33 passes for 411 yards and two touchdowns.
"I'm super eager to just get back on the field, play games and contribute and do what we need to as a team and make things happen for these fans," Dulcich said. "Broncos Country's awesome. The support that they've shown — me specifically — while I've been out, it's been a lot of support. Win or lose, they're always there, so we want to win games for them."
Dulcich said he hasn't yet had conversations with Payton about if he'll fulfill the "Joker" role that Payton previously linked him to, and he's instead focused on maintaining a day-to-day mentality.
"Right now it's pretty early on," Dulcich said. "… We're just getting the fundamentals down and playing ball again."
Dulcich did acknowledge the success tight ends have found in Payton's system, as Jeremy Shockey, Jason Witten and Jimmy Graham earned a combined five Pro Bowl nods working with Payton. In four seasons with Payton in New Orleans, Graham posted a pair of 1,200-yard seasons, 42 touchdowns, three Pro Bowl appearances and a first-team All-Pro selection.
"It's definitely a special position in this offense," Dulcich said. "We've got great guys in the room, so I'm excited to see what we're going to be allowed to do."
As the Broncos prepare to don pads and enter the second week of training camp, though, Dulcich is largely just appreciative for an opportunity to get back on the field.
"I was so stoked," Dulcich said his mindset heading into Denver's first practice. "I couldn't wait to get back out there. Just so grateful to be a part of this team, this organization.
"[I'm] so happy to be back."
