Broncos have seen progress from Frank Crum in two years; what could be next for him?

The Broncos have prioritized keeping offensive tackle Frank Crum around to develop him properly. His progress has been palpable; his play in last year’s preseason was far more refined than it was during his rookie summer, and by the end of the season, he’d earned snaps as the team’s extra eligible tackle — a duty he maintained even after Ben Powers returned and slid Alex Palczewski back to reserve status for the postseason.

The touchdown pass Crum grabbed against the Buffalo Bills in the divisional round was the cherry on the sundae for a campaign of progress.

“Frank is extremely athletic,” Broncos coach Sean Payton said in January.

It was a play that John Morton installed after returning to the staff following his season with the Detroit Lions, having run it there.

“When we saw that, we saw it as a short-yardage play, but we saw it as a short-yardage red-zone play,” Payton said. “He’s very athletic, and sometimes you don’t get the look you want. We got the exact same look Detroit got. Ours scored just like three seconds quicker. Their guy took a while to get in.”

But that’s Crum. He’s 6-foot-7 and 315 pounds, but possesses the quick feet and agility of a far smaller player. He added a crucial blocked extra point during the Broncos’ Week 11 win over the Chiefs. His snap count on offense went from nine as a rookie to 74 — including postseason — in the 2025 campaign.

And his development continues to be worth monitoring, especially with a contract decision looming after the season. His rookie deal expires after this year and he’s set to become a restricted free agent next March.

But a potential template for his near=term future is already on the roster.

BRONCOS HAVE STUCK BY CRUM

Last summer, Broncos coach Sean Payton detailed just how and why the team hung on to the Wyoming product — despite trade interest from other teams.

“He’s been a player [that] we’ve had three teams call on him,” Payton said during training camp. “It’s the upside and the size and the athleticism, his feet, his protection. We have a clear and a really good vision for what we think he can become. That ceiling is high. You can tell there are other teams doing their homework the same way.”

Still, Crum sits in a crowded collection of reserves, one that includes the recently-extended Alex Palczewski, the returning Matt Peart — who started a game on the left side last year in place of Ben Powers before suffering an injury of his own — and fourth-round pick Kage Casey.

It’ll be decision time soon, and with the dependable Mike McGlinchey in the penultimate year of his contract and Garett Bolles flourishing but nevertheless 34 years old, a long-term plan for Crum to eventually succeed one of the stalwart starting tackles could be in the offing.

But as is the case with Palczewski, such a plan could involve an extension despite remaining as a backup — at least at the dawn of the deal. Palczewski signed a three-year contract in March, but is expected to back up Ben Powers should the seven-year veteran be healthy after sitting out much of last year and being limited during organized team activities and minicamp.

How he fares at training camp and the preseason could determine the extent of that deal. If he shows progress, he ought to be in the Broncos’ plans.