With the team in dire need of cap space, the Jacksonville Jaguars released Evan Engram after an up-and-down tenure with the team. Engram was one of the best tight ends in the sport in the 2023 campaign when he set career highs with 114 receptions and 963 receiving yards, but his production waned in what turned out to be an injury-riddled 2024 season.
Soon after his release, Engram wound up signing a two-year, $23 million deal to join the Denver Broncos. When asked what drew him to Denver, Engram was quick to praise young quarterback Bo Nix as a driving force.
"He has everything that it takes to be great in this league," Engram said of Nix, via DNVR's Bennie Fowler. "The biggest thing that stood out to me was his presence in the pocket. He's very calm, very collected. When the pocket does breakdown, the plays he can make on his feet while having his eyes downfield is something that you have to continue to put great talent around because that is a weapon. That is a true weapon."
Bo Nix had everything to do with Evan Engram's decision to sign with Broncos
Engram is a perfect fit in Denver. He might not be a perfect player, but the Broncos desperately needed to add talent to their tight end room, and Engram was as good as it got when it came to available players.
Adam Trautman was the team's leading receiver among tight ends last season with 13 receptions and 188 yards. The four tight ends on Denver's roster that caught at least one pass combined for 51 receptions and 483 yards through the air. Engram, in just nine games of action, had 47 receptions for 365 yards by himself on a terrible Jaguars team.
While the Broncos needed Engram, many teams could use a tight end capable of producing at a high level as a pass-catcher. Engram even felt he was in a "recruiting battle," showing that the interest from other teams, including the Los Angeles Chargers, was there. Engram could've gone to sunny California to play with Justin Herbert and Jim Harbaugh, but he chose Denver and Bo Nix instead. That says a lot about Denver's young quarterback.
Nix had his ups and downs in his rookie year, but for the most part, the first-round pick was superb while leading Denver to its first playoff appearance in nine years. He was able to complete 66 percent of his passes, throw for nearly 4,000 yards and add 29 touchdown passes despite getting virtually nothing from the tight end spot. It's really hard for rookies to succeed without having a tight end as a security blanket, but Nix was able to do just that.
Now, with Engram in the mix and with Nix having a year of experience under his belt, there's reason to believe a big year is coming for the young quarterback. Engram certainly believes in him, so it's on Nix to prove him right.
