DallenBentley

Sep 5

I very often question why teams move on from certain players and eventually always defer to them because they’re getting paid to evaluate

players and I’m not. It’s why I always caution (and deal with the backlash from fans who think I’m overly negative) against expecting too much from a player that another team deemed good enough. While the Broncos waived Joly, the kept rookie seventh-round pick Dallen Bentley, so they clearly though Bentley was better. And it’s not like they suddenly realized that Joly was a receiving specialist and not a great blocker. The GM’s explanation that Joly suffered because he missed time in the offseason is a bit dubious too because you don’t risk lose a player you value for the long term because he got behind as a rookie. The best hope I can offer Dolphins fans when it comes to Joly is the Broncos are going for the Super Bowl this year and they didn’t think Joly could help them as much as Bentley in 2026. The Dolphins can afford to wait for Joly to develop because they clearly are not in win-now mode.

Aug 31

Arguably the biggest surprise cut for the Broncos was Joly, the fifth-round pick out of North Carolina State. With Evan Engram heading into the final year of his contract, Joly was viewed as a potential replacement in that field-stretching role in 2027. It may still end up that way if Joly clears waivers and lands back on Denver's practice squad, where he can develop behind the scenes, but the rookie didn't do enough to convince coaches and personnel staff he's ready to contribute to a championship-chasing team right now. "Justin's a talented player. We knew when we drafted him (that) he was raw," Paton said. "… He was coming on at the end of training camp. The tight end position is a tough position for a rookie. He missed a lot of the offseason and was just a little bit behind. … We still like the player." Joly caught an 88-yard touchdown pass in Friday's preseason finale after a severe breakdown in Minnesota's secondary, but he doesn't have the same versatility as a blocker that helped seventh-round pick Dallen Bentley make the team.