![Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Evan Engram (17) catches a pass before an NFL football matchup Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024 at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,x_0,y_0,w_6000,h_3375/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/55/01k11fndeej660hrzne1.jpg "Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Evan Engram (17) catches a pass before an NFL football matchup Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024 at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]")
Even though tight end Evan Engram was a key contributor for the Jacksonville Jaguars the past three years, they showed him the door in the offseason. It didn't take him long to find a team following his reelase, though, as he joined the Denver Broncos on a two-year deal. As the two-time Pro Bowler prepares for the regular season, he didn't waste the opportunity to take a fire at his former team.
Just recently, Engram said that it wasn't that hard to be early to pratice when he was with the Jags, implying that there was issues with the work ethic.
"Evan Engram said that Broncos locker room and players are one of his favorite team so far. Said it's hard to be the first one in the building beacuse so many guys are here early," Broncos beat writer Zac Stevens wrote on Twitter. "Added it was "easy" to be the first one in the building with the Jaguars."
All things considered, Engram's revelation isn't particularly shocking. While Doug Pederson didn't reach Urban Meyer levels of dreadful, he wasn't particularly great at imposing discipline and work habits, especially late in his stint with the Jags.
The good news is that the regime that didn't put an emphasis in punctuality is gone. To replace Pederson, the Jags hired Liam Coen as their head coach. And so far, he's been getting rave reviews from his players.
On the other hand, the former Ole Miss Rebel was underwhelming in 2024, posting 47 receptions for 365 yards with one touchdowns. Couple that with the fact that the offense didn't miss a beat when Brenton Strange filled in for him, and it's easy to see why the team's brass moved on from him. Of course, the financial factor also played a role.
Engram was set to make $13.75 million in 2025, but the Jags freed up $5.98 million in space with a dead money charge of $13.5 million. At the time, general manager James Gladstone cited the need to addres the larger scale roster as the reason for cutting ties with the Powder Springs, Georgia native.
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Why the Jaguars won't miss Evan Engram (but he'll do fine with the Broncos)
Because Evan Engram had a down season in 2024, it's easy to forget just how productive he was in his first two years with the Jacksonville Jaguars. He appeared in 34 games and hauled in 187 catches for 1,729 yards with eight touchdowns, breaking several personal and team records along the way. On the other hand, the veteran tight end wasn't a fit in Liam Coen's offense.
Coen wants his tight ends to block and that's not Engram's forte. Then again, his skills as a pass catcher are top notch, which is he had no trouble finding work after he was kicked to the curb.
Ultimately, this appears to be a win-win situation. The Jaguars have a tight end that fits the offensive scheme better in Brenton Strange, and Evan Engram found a club that can take advantage of his receiving skills.