In Gary Kubiak’s offense, the tight end is a quarterback’s best friend. Whether he has them split wide, flanking the offensive tackle or lining up in the backfield, the Broncos coach loves getting tight ends active in the offense.

The new season will bring competition for an open battle for the No. 1 tight end job.

The leading contenders are returners Jeff Heuerman and Virgil Green, along with newcomer Garrett Graham. Each comes with questions, but each could be the go-to guy. How will they make their cases to Kubiak, offensive coordinator Rick Dennison and the rest of the coaching staff?

“Make plays,” said Heuerman, who missed his rookie season after suffering a torn left anterior cruciate ligament in rookie minicamp last May. “You can talk a lot, but you’ve got to get out there and do it.”

Heuerman has been eager to prove what he can do. He said he’s 100-percent healthy from his knee injury and has been working out hard since March. The year off wasn’t a waste, though.

He got some rookie jitters out of the way by being in the locker room with the veterans. Much of his rehabilitation involved participating in workouts and learning from the likes of quarterback Peyton Manning. The topper was being a part of the Broncos Super Bowl run, which he compared to the college “national championship on steroids.”

Now that all of that is over, he’ll have to show his coaches why he was worth a third-round pick.

While Heuerman is getting re-acclimated to the field, Green is trying to redefine himself.

“Every year I go in thinking I can be the guy in the pass game,” Green said. “I really want to show in training camp that I can not only be the pass guy, but the every-down tight end guy.”

Green always has been a strong blocker. He’s shown spurts as an athletic pass catcher, but hasn’t truly received his opportunity to shine in a big role.

The five tight ends on the Broncos roster combined for just 16 catches, 203 yards and one touchdown last season.

This group has potential, but there is little doubt that Kubiak’s 2015 crop of tight ends of Owen Daniels, Vernon Davis and Green had a lot more experience. The uncertainty and competition could present the opportunity for some surprises.

Graham has the advantage of spending his first four years playing under Kubiak in Houston. He said the offense hasn’t changed much, which means it won’t take him long to adjust.

He’s this year’s version of Daniels, his close friend and former teammate in Houston and at the University of Wisconsin.

“That guy taught me practically everything I know,” Graham said.

Along with undrafted rookie Henry Krieger-Coble and free agent Manasseh Garner, the entire tight end group will compete, learn and grow with a trio of quarterbacks doing the same during camp.

They rave about the leadership, movement ability and arm talent of Mark Sanchez, who likely will be the starting quarterback.

The movement might be the most important part when it comes to the tight ends. The core of Kubiak’s offense in Houston was the play-action pass to the tight end after baiting the defense in with the run.

If Denver can establish a solid pass catching tight end group, it will force linebackers and safeties to respect their keys and open up even more lanes for the zone running game.

For the offense to be better this season, the quarterback will need a consistent safety valve to depend on. The competition this summer will decide who will be the No. 1 tight end option.

Cameron Wolfe: cwolfe@denverpost.com or @CameronWolfe