New coach Gary Kubiak is tapping an old reliable source to replace departed tight end Julius Thomas.
The Denver Broncos announced Tuesday that they have agreed to terms with former Ravens and Texans tight end Owen Daniels on a three-year contract.
Daniels, 32, has spent his entire nine-year career catching passes in Kubiak's offense. While he's no longer the run-after-catch threat that he was in his Pro Bowl seasons of 2008 and 2012, Daniels still moves the chains as a security blanket.
He has caught at least one pass in 103 consecutive regular-season games dating to his rookie year, tied with Jason Witten for the longest active streak among tight ends.
Even with Peyton Manning returning, the Broncos offense will be forced to change styles in 2015. Daniels isn't a mismatch of Thomas proportions and second-year wide receiver Cody Latimer is a question mark.
With Kubiak installing his trademark zone-blocking, stretch-run scheme, Manning will oversee more of a ball-control offense -- just as he did down the stretch last season.
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