The Player: Evan Engram
Tight end Evan Engram played with the Jaguars on a one-year, $9 million deal in 2022 and set a career-high with 766 receiving yards at an efficient 7.8 yards per target. The Jaguars earned their first playoff appearance since 2017 and finished with the 10th most points in the league. He entered the league as the 23rd overall pick of the New York Giants in the 2017 NFL Draft. He compiled 2828 receiving yards and 16 touchdowns in 65 appearances with the G-men.
The Fit:
Engram is an ultra-athletic, shifty tight end with solid hands and yards-after-catch ability. Despite earning a Pro Bowl in 2020, he has never really flirted with superstardom; he sports a mediocre 6.8 yards per target for his career and lacks a downfield component to his game. He found a good fit for himself with the Jaguars this past season, and the two parties should be eager to build on their shared success. If they can't work something out, he'd make sense for any pass-heavy team that needs an option at tight end.
The Cost:
The franchise tag for tight ends is a relatively affordable $11.345 million in 2023. That would be fair value for Engram, so he's definitely a candidate. If the Jaguars are open to a long-term extension, Engram's probably earned a deal in the range of Jonnu Smith's four-year, $50 million deal with the New England Patriots and David Njoku's four-year, $54.75 million pact with the Cleveland Browns. His ceiling is likely Dallas Goedert's four-year, $57 million deal with the Philadelphia Eagles, but that would constitute an overpay.
Photo Credit: © Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK
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