No one expected the Emerald City to throw a curveball this close to camp. Yet on Sunday afternoon, that’s exactly what the Seattle Seahawks did—cutting tight end Noah Fant just two days before reporting day. The move, stamped and sent out by GM John Schneider, felt more like a jab than a job call. Fant, a former first-rounder, didn’t even get a warning shot. Just like that, the veteran tight end was out.

Now, to be fair, whispers of Fant becoming a cap casualty had been circling since spring. The 26-year-old wasn’t coming off a spectacular year—just 48 catches for 500 yards and a single touchdown. Add three missed games to that mix, and Schneider saw a window to free up nearly $9 million. It’s a decent-sized bag, no doubt, especially for a team still maneuvering its post-Pete Carroll puzzle.

Even so, the drama isn’t about Fant’s exit—it’s about when it happened. Schneider had already cleared house back in March, letting go of four vets—including Dre’Mont Jones and George Fant—more than a week before free agency. That gave them time to test the waters, make visits, show up for OTAs. Fant? He got dropped cold in late July, when most rosters are already cooked. No chance to join early installs, no minicamp, no real prep window. And now he’s gotta scramble to find a new locker room.

But here’s where things start getting spicy for Mile High fans. On the Locked On Broncos podcast, beat reporter Cody Roark dropped a nugget that should perk up ears in Broncos Country. “So I feel like the Broncos could still use talent and depth at the tight end position. And it just so happens that an old friend Noah Fant was cut by the Seattle Seahawks,” Roark said. “The Seahawks didn’t want to pay him his $8.5 million this year. So they just cut him and couldn’t trade him, surprisingly, despite the fact that I feel like tight end position around the league is lacking for talent, right?”

And here’s the kicker—it’s only been a day since Fant’s exit, and Seattle’s already reshuffling. They waived cornerback Zy Alexander and signed two fresh faces, Kam Alexander and 338-pound nose tackle Justin Rogers. But Cody’s not the only one eyeing a Fant-Broncos reunion.

Broncos urged to add Noah Fant amid QB trade fallout

The Orange and Blue spent a good chunk of their offseason trying to patch up a tight end room that lacked firepower. But even after the additions, there’s a growing buzz around Noah Fant making a return to the Mile High City. After all, the former first-round pick just got cut by the Seahawks right before camp—and it didn’t take long for whispers of a Denver reunion to get louder.

In fact, local voices are already calling for it. KOA’s Ryan Edwards didn’t hold back on X, saying, “I’d bring him home…” while reacting to Fant’s release report from NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. He signed off with a simple “#Broncos.” The Seahawks had just drafted Elijah Arroyo at No. 50, making Fant the odd man out. Now, any team can grab him for cap money only—no draft picks involved. It’s a low-risk, potentially high-reward move for Denver.

Moreover, Fant’s numbers still hold value. He had 48 catches for 500 yards and a touchdown last season in Seattle—better than his 2023 stats but still shy of his 2021 Denver peak of 68-670-4. Compare that with Denver’s 2024 tight ends, who managed just 51 catches for 483 yards and five touchdowns combined, and it’s clear the room could use a boost.

That said, Denver did bring in Evan Engram on a two-year, $23 million deal, with Sean Payton hinting at using him in a Joker role. But Engram’s injury history is hard to ignore. Fant, on the other hand, has been a model of availability—averaging nearly 16 games and 14 starts per season.

Even with Adam Trautman and Nate Adkins handling the blocking duties, and rookie Caleb Lohner still a project, Fant could bring back much-needed receiving pop. Especially with Engram expected to live in the slot behind Sutton—Fant might just be the missing piece.