When the Denver Broncos signed free agent tight end Evan Engram to a 2-year, $23 million contract, it addressed possibly the weakest position group on the whole roster.
Engram could end up answering an even bigger question for the franchise in 2025 — can they truly be AFC contenders?
Bleacher Report’s Gary Davenport singled out Engram’s addition as one of just a handful of veteran additions who could help turn their teams into contenders.
The Broncos are coming off their first playoff appearance in 9 years. They have a second year quarterback in Bo Nix who could thrive with an elite tight end, which Engram has been in the past.
“The Broncos (and young quarterback Bo Nix) were pleasant surprises last season, winning 10 games and making the playoffs,” Davenport wrote on July 18. “But if Denver is going to take the next step in 2025, it needed to improve the passing weapons available to Nix, with the waters muddying quickly beyond Courtland Sutton … Engram gives the quarterback a big-bodied target over the middle and in the red zone; a player who can create mismatches. And if the Broncos are going to somehow stop Kansas City’s decade of dominance in the AFC West, they need every weapon they can get.”
Engram Already Fitting In Well With Broncos
CBS Sports’ Jared Dubin singled out Engram as the perfect fit for the Broncos after he was released by the Jacksonville Jaguars on March 6. It was a move that freed up approximately $6 million in salary cap space.
“Sean Payton has been looking for a pass-catcher that can work in the short areas of the field,” Dubin wrote. “He would ideally get what he calls a ‘Joker’ who can operate out of the backfield as well, but giving Bo Nix another target on underneath passes — and one who has experience creating yards after the catch — is a worthwhile bet.”
Engram is coming off the worst statistical season of his career in 2024 with just 47 receptions for 365 yards and 1 touchdown in 9 games. He finished the season on injured reserve with a torn labrum as the Jaguars finished with a 4-13 record.
Engram, 6-foot-3 and 240 pounds, is only one season removed from having career highs of 114 receptions and 963 yards in 2023. He spent the first 5 seasons of his career with the New York Giants, who selected him in the first round (No. 23 overall) of the 2017 NFL draft.
Not Everyone Loved Broncos Signing Engram
ESPN’s Ben Solak called out signing Engram as one of the NFL free agent deals he “didn’t love” and wondered if Engram can really be a viable fix for the Broncos’ tight end woes.
“(Engram) adds the most value when he’s a high-volume underneath receiver,” Solak wrote. “On days in which Courtland Sutton demands high volume, or on which the Broncos want to be a run-heavy team … Engram could be obsolete. He doesn’t create big plays downfield or after the catch, and he isn’t an impactful blocker. It’s not a bad deal since the financial commitment isn’t huge. I’m just less enthusiastic about it than most are.”
