ENGLEWOOD — Adam Trautman is a quarterback at heart.

The Broncos tight end started his football journey at Elk Rapids High School in Michigan playing — you guessed it — quarterback. Trautman set program records for single-season and career passing yards before changing positions playing college football at Dayton University.

However, in some ways, he still approaches the game like a QB.

“I think it makes me want to know everything,” Trautman told The Denver Gazette after practice this week at Broncos Park. “Transitioning to tight end when I did was like: Oh, this mental part of it is still so big for the position. You get to do multiple things. Pass blocking, all the run blocking, point of attack and then obviously you get involved somewhat in the routes. You kind of get every part of the game.”

Trautman, 28, enters his sixth NFL season as arguably the team’s most versatile tight end. His specialty is playing in-line with pass and run blocking assignments. But Trautman also logged 95 catches for 1,033 yards with nine receiving touchdowns over his pro career.

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That success is no surprise to Broncos tight end coach Austin King. He spent five seasons on staff at Dayton as an offensive line coach and offensive coordinator with Trautman on the roster. King told The Denver Gazette recently that he “loved (Trautman) as a player then and I still do” today.

“He worked and did everything he needed to do to play in the NFL, and he’s continued to do that, so it’s really cool to watch him in the NFL,” King said. “But I knew from just how he attacked his growth and his process at Dayton that he would be successful. It was just a matter of what opportunities he got.”

Trautman also ranks among the most well-spoken players on Denver’s roster. His ease and passion discussing football strategy and personnel is welcomed by reporters. Coach Sean Payton said earlier in training camp that a “communication skillset” is one key trait for prospective NFL coaches.

It begs the question: Does Trautman envision coaching when his NFL playing career is over?

“That’s definitely what I want to do. We’ll see how much my wife likes that. But it’s definitely something I want to go into,” Trautman told The Denver Gazette. “I love the schematic part of it. The mental side of it. That’s something I always pride myself on. I pride myself on being the guy in our room that (others) come to with questions. … Obviously, it’s good to have Evan (Engram) in the room now more so receiving wise to ask: What are you thinking? But I definitely pride myself on that, and personally, too, I owe it to myself to do that as well.”

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But a coaching future can wait. The Broncos have big expectations entering 2025.

Payton said that Trautman is “very important” to the team’s run-blocking success with a higher emphasis on outside zone schemes. Trautman explained how the offensive as a whole expects to improve this season. It all starts with second-year starting quarterback Bo Nix.

“He’s talking about things that he likes, things that he doesn’t, and he has a lot more control over that,” Trautman said. “Then I’d say run game for sure. Obviously, that’s been an emphasis with everything we’ve done. I mean we’ve been drilling the hell out of it — which is why we’ve been in pads — so we can simulate it as best we can. I think those are the two areas probably we’ve progressed the most.”