Jaguars agree to 3-year contract with Evan Engram: 3 takeaways
An old adage says that deadlines spur action and that was certainly the case when the Jacksonville Jaguars and Evan Engram agreed to a three-year contract worth $42.5 million just one day before the deadline to get a deal done.
Had Engram and the Jags not been able to reach an agreement, he would have played the 2023 season under the tag and made $11.345 million. But that wasn't the case, as they ended up striking a deal that seems favorable for both parties.
Even though Engram won't be making top-5 tight end money, he'll be making more than what he was originally going to get under the tag in 2023. On top of that, he's got the long-term security the tag doesn't provide. Meanwhile, the Jags get one of their best offensive weapons back.
With Engram joining an offense that includes, Zay Jones, Christian Kirk, Calvin Ridley and Travis Etienne, Jacksonville should have no trouble putting points on the scoreboard at will next season. With that in mind, here are three takeaways in the aftermath of Engram getting a multi-year extension.
3. The Jaguars are rewarding Evan Engram and their star
Former Jaguars general manager David Caldwell seemed fixated on trading their best players for future assets or releasing them if that meant reducing the payroll and saving a few bucks. Not surprisingly, his penny-pinching ways led to roster attrition, and by the time he was kicked to the curb, the Jaguars' lacked talent at pretty much all positions. His successor Trent Baalke has bucked the trend over the last three years and has put an emphasis on retaining the team's stars and rewarding them. Engram Engram is the latest beneficiary but not the only one.
The first one was Cam Robinson last year, when he got a three-year deal worth $54 million. Next were nose tackle DaVon Hamilton and defensive end Roy-Robertson Harrison, both of whom got new deals earlier in the offseason.
Players pay attention to the moves front offices make and by giving Engram a long-term deal, the Jags are sending a clear message: Deliver and will take care of you.