The Jacksonville Jaguars released tight end Evan Engram ahead of free agency. It didn't take him long to find a new home.
Days after the Jags moved on from him, the two-time Pro Bowler has signed a two-year deal with the Denver Broncos. Ian Rapoport of NFL Media first reported the news, and several outlets confirmed the move.
The Jaguars could've still used Engram in 2025, but they chose to release him and free up $5.9 million in space.
While Engram is coming off an underwhelming season plagued by injuries, he should give the Broncos passing game an immediate boost. While he's not great of a pass-blocker at the line of scrimmage, he'll give sophomore quarterback Bo Nix a reliable target that will make plays on third downs and red-zone opportunities.
A first-round pick by the New York Giants in 2017, Engram signed a one-year, prove-it deal with the Jags in 2022. He went on to have success right away, setting new career highs for catches and yards in a season. On top of that, the former Ole Miss Rebel broke several team records, most of them previously held by either Kyle Brady or Marcedes Lewis.
Engram's banner season earned him a new contract in 2023. He rewarded a team with an even better season, finishing with 114 catches (second-most by a tight end in NFL history) for 943 yards.
On a related note, the B&T saw the Broncos as one of many potential destinations for the Powder Springs, Georia native.
Related story: Updated cap space and draft picks for the Jaguars after free agency
Will the Jaguars regret releasing Evan Engram?
Looking back, it's easy to see why the Jacksonville Jaguars moved in a different direction. For starters, the cap space they created with his release came in handy in free agency. But more importantly, they wanted to give Brenton Strange a bigger role on offense.
After an unremarkable rookie season, Strange filled in for Engram and made the most of his chances, registering 40 receptions for 411 yards with two touchdowns. Now, that he's TE1, he should experience an uptick in production.
Circling back to Engram, he's a heck of a pass catchers but isn't nearly as great a blocker. Because of that, he wasn't the best fit for head coach Liam Coen's offense. Mina Kimes of ESPN talked about it when he was released.
"This tells us a little about Liam Coen's offense."@minakimes on the Jags letting Evan Engram walk ✍️ pic.twitter.com/WQYpU9w5fG
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) March 7, 2025
Of course, keeping Engram around would've given the Jaguars enviable depth at tight end. On the other hand, it might hampered Strange's development.
Make no mistake, Engram is still a talented player and if he manages to stay healthy, he would be of great help for the Broncos.
It's worth noting that the Jags are set to face the Broncos in 2025, so they may have felt comfortable moving on from Evan Engram, but they'll find out whether they regret it when they face him in the regular season.