Nearly lost in the early March throw-a-parade-like celebration for the acquisition of quarterback Russell Wilson was that the cost included tight end Noah Fant, who led the Broncos with 68 catches last year.

Fant was at times maligned because his per-catch average (11.2 yards) and touchdowns (10) over three years didn’t match his status as a first-round draft pick. But he was reliable. To replace him the Broncos stayed within the organization.

Translation: It’s on you, Albert Okwuegbunam.

Okwuegbunam, unlike nearly all of the other projected offensive starters, saw action in the first two preseason games last month. Rookie third-round pick Greg Dulcich, meanwhile, could never get out of the blocks in training camp as he battled a hamstring injury and will miss at least the four games while on injured reserve.

From a skill standpoint, Okwuegbunam is the Broncos’ best receiving option at tight end, at least until Dulcich gets more time on the field. Eric Tomlinson and Eric Saubert are blockers/short-area receivers and Andrew Beck is part tight end/part fullback.

“Albert has the ability to run away (from defenders),” Wilson said during camp. “I’ve been pretty hard on him. We’ve been pushing (him) and he’s working his butt off every day.”

A look at Wilson’s 10 years with Seattle provides a guide on how he has implemented tight ends.

From 2015-17, Jimmy Graham averaged 56 catches, 682 yards and six touchdowns and made two Pro Bowls. In the seven other years (2012-14 and 2018-21) the leading Seahawks tight end averaged 27 catches, 350 yards and 3.9 touchdowns. The high catch total was 48 by Gerald Everett last year.

The Broncos would like more production than that.

“(Wilson) throws to the tight ends quite a bit,” general manager George Paton said. “Everybody says he doesn’t throw over the middle, but if you watch practice he’s hitting those big guys across the middle, down the field, in the flat — all over. Russ is going to throw to who’s open. The tight end group, it’s a little of everything. I like them and I think they’re going to help him.”

One play that appears to have potential is a quick bubble screen to Okwuegbunam.

“Albert has a really good first step so he can get up to speed quickly,” tight ends coach Jake Moreland said. “And he’s a big body. It’s making it look he’s in pass protection or something and then slipping him out into a screen and get him out in the open (field) and let his athleticism take over.”

Other emphasis points (which will be applicable when Dulcich debuts):

1. Lining up Okwuegbunam out wide and hoping a linebacker follows him.

“That’s one of the main things I love about our offense — how complex it is and how the positioning is,” he said. “We can be all over the formation. Put me on a linebacker and I’ll be fast. Put me against a (defensive back) and I’m bigger than him. That’s where it directly creates a mismatch.’

2. Using Okwuegbunam and Dulcich on the field at the same time.

“They’re a match-up problem,” Moreland said. “They can both run, have great ball skills, but they’re tough and can block. You can’t just get into them and hold on because they’ll run through you.”

If a defense plays base personnel (four defensive backs) against Okwuegbunam and Dulcich, the Broncos are comfortable.

“Base sounds good,” Moreland said with a laugh. “The cool thing about the NFL, you get a lot of different kinds of defenses and we’re trying to get a lot of matchup problems on paper and then onto the field. The way they can move, it really complements what we do offensively.”

A base defense against the tight end duo would include two receivers and one running back (“12” personnel). If the Broncos motion one or both tight ends out, that takes two players out of the “box” to defend the run. Advantage, Broncos.

3. Prioritizing Okwuegbunam and Dulcich in the red zone.

The red zone was a strength of receiver Tim Patrick (six of his 11 touchdowns over the last two years), but he was lost to a torn ACL early in camp. Okwuegbunam and Dulcich are listed at 6-foot-5 and 6-foot-4, respectively.

“They can (do that),” Paton said. “They’re big, they’re long, athletic, have ball skills and are big targets. We can’t replace Tim Patrick, but hopefully with some of the other weapons, we can kind of fill that void as much as we can.”

The first preseason game against Dallas provided some clues as to how head coach/play-caller Nathaniel Hackett will deploy the tight ends.

In the first half, Okwuegbunam lined up in three-point stance at both right and left tight end, right and left slot, bunch right with two receivers and three-point stance/off-the-line. Against Buffalo, Okwuegbunam motioned left to right, stopped to line up on Saubert’s outside hip and ran an out-and-up route to easily beat linebacker Andre Smith for a 26-yard catch.

“He’s working on his craft and I’m really proud of him,” Wilson said. “He’s going to have an exceptional year, I believe.”

Involving the tight ends

The Broncos traded tight end Noah Fant in the deal for quarterback Russell Wilson, but drafted Greg Dulcich, signed Eric Tomlinson and re-signed Eric Saubert to join Albert Okwuegbunam. A look at how Wilson involved tight ends with Seattle (2012-21):

* Made Pro Bowl.