Jaguars TE Evan Engram’s heart drops after seeing team’s Twitter post

Tight end Evan Engram became an integral part of the Jacksonville Jaguars’ offense last season. However, he’s slated to become a free agent and could change teams if he doesn’t get a long-term contract. Thus, everyone in the NFL world, including Engram himself, is paying attention to whether the Jags will give him a new deal, which is why his heart nearly ‘dropped’ after seeing a post on social media.

Jacksonville posted a picture of Engram’s accomplishments in 2022 on their official Twitter account, which led him to believe for a brief moment that the team was making an announcement about a new deal. However, it was just an image recognizing his contributions last year, which led to a light-hearted response, “My heart dropped, I thought this was the announcement”.

A first-round pick by the New York Giants in 2017, Engram signed a one-year deal with the Jags last offseason and went on to set career highs for passing yards and receptions in a season. He also set team records, previously held by Kyle Brady, for receiving yards in a game by a tight end, catches by a tight end in a season by a tight end, and yards in a single game by a tight end.

Just recently, Engram made an appearance on SiriusXM NFL Radio and said that “there’s mutual interest on both sides to come back“. He’s previously stated that he’s open to returning to Jacksonville after having the best year of his life. Similarly, general manager Trent Baalke and head coach Pederson have made it clear they want their star tight end back next season. Here’s Engram’s reaction to the post, along with a message from teammate Christian Kirk reassuring him he’s going nowhere.

Using the franchise tag on Evan Engram remains an option for the Jaguars

While the Jags and Engram would like to strike a multi-year contract as soon as possible, the franchise tag remains a possibility and the team’s brass could use it to prevent him from hitting the open market and signing somewhere else.

If Engram does become a free agent he would be one of the top players available and arguably the best tight end on the market. So if the Jaguars really want him back, why haven’t they reached a deal yet? This is purely a conjuncture but there’s a chance they’re currently exchanging offers and looking for the sweet spot. The top 5 tight ends earn an annual average of $13 million or more and after a productive season, Engram might be looking for a deal in that range.

One factor that could be complicating/slowing down negotiations is the organization’s lack of cap space. They’re currently $20 million over the cap and probably need to make room before they can fit Engram’s contract.

Free agency is less than three weeks away and there’s a realistic possibility Engram will walk if contract talks fall apart. But if the team finds a way to keep him around, expect him to take to social media to share his reaction.