Grade the idea: Trading Evan Engram to Broncos comes with benefits for Jaguars

The Jacksonville Jaguars are 2-5 and looking to salvage their season after beating the New England Patriots, so they probably won't be sellers before the November 5 deadline. However, they could still trade a handful of players without hampering their chances of potentially making a playoff run. Tight end Evan Engram is one of them, and Alex Ballentine of Bleacher Report thinks the Denver Broncos would be a logical landing spot.

Ballentine drew up a list of needs for each AFC South team after Week 7 and believes the Broncos would be a logical trade partner for Engram, pointing out that he would address their need at tight end.

"The Broncos are getting next to nothing out of Adam Trautman as a receiver, and Lucas Krull was only relevant this week. Getting a bona fide pass-catching tight end could help Nix reach his next level as a passer. Given how rocky the Jaguars' start to the season has been, they may be willing to part with Evan Engram. There would be some financial hurdles, but the Broncos' success could be enough to convince them to push some chips to the middle of the table."

Adam Trautman and Lucas Krull are currently Denver's top tight ends and neither is a particularly great pass catcher. That's where Engram could come in handy.

Engram was a first-round pick by the New York Giants in 2017. He signed with the Jags in 2022 and has gone on to become one of their best offensive players. The past two years, the former Ole Miss Rebel hauled in 187 receptions for 1,729 yards with eight touchdowns. Trading him would certainly leave a massive hole to fill. Fortunately for the Jaguars, they have a more than capable replacement in sophomore Brenton Strange.

A second-round pick in last year's draft, Strange was underwhelming as a rookie, catching a measly five receptions for 35 yards with one touchdown. However, he stepped up when Engram missed four games this season, and the offense didn't miss a beat. In four starts, the former Penn State Nittany Lion reeled in 10 receptions for 120 yards with two touchdowns. Based on how he's played in 2024, he could replace Engram full-time.

Trading Engram could help the Jaguars bolster their pass rush

The Jacksonville Jaguars could possibly get a third-round selection, maybe a second if they traded Evan Engram. Alternatively, Josh Buckhalter of Heavy Sports suggests the Denver Broncos acquire him in exchange for Jonathon Cooper, who's second on the team with five sacks.

Cooper, a seventh-round pick in 2021, has appeared in 54 games with 38 starts for the Broncos, registering 17.5 sacks and 184 total tackles. He could give Jacksonville a dependable No. 3 behind Travon Walker and Josh Allen, which could in turn allow Arik Armstead to play defensive tackle full-time.

Given that Cooper is slated to become a free agent in 2025, he would be a one-year rental for the Jaguars. That won't be necessarily a bad thing if he bolstered his pass rush.

Another thing to keep in mind is that trading Engram wouldn't have a negative impact on the team's salary. It would create $4 million in space while leaving $4 million in dead money in 2024 and $13.5 million next year.

It's not often that you see a trade that benefits both sides. However, swapping Evan Engram for Jonathon Cooper would most definitely benefit the Jaguars and Denver.

Grade: B+

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