Caleb Lohner, Denver’s 7th-round tight end, survived waivers and remains on the Broncos’ practice squad as a developmental project. Payton emphasizes a steep learning curve—Lohner is 2,847 snaps behind peers—but finished strong in camp, showing athleticism and red-zone potential. Denver treats him as Tidewater/developmental material, with a Year 2–3 emergence possible if reps and blocking refine continue.