Evan Engram ready to prove himself worthy of ‘joker’ designation

If all goes as planned, the Evan Engram will revert back to his Pro Bowl form and become a fixture on offense for the Denver Broncos.

Entering the offseason, the Denver Broncos had one primary goal in mind—finding a ‘joker’ for Head Coach Sean Payton’s offense.

Historically, Payton used the term to discuss a tight end or running back capable of offering mismatch opportunities. Players like Jimmy Graham or Alvin Kamara. Dynamic weapons who proved to be game-changing difference makers for his teams due to their top-tier receiving abilities during his time with the New Orleans Saints.

That’s something that was missing from the Broncos’ offense in 2024. The team had high hopes for Greg Dulcich. Unfortunately, those never came to fruition, and he was waived late in November after multiple trade scenarios fell through. With their tight end group struggling, the Broncos knew they had to make a big move to upgrade the position.

In order to help Nix and give their offense a boost, they made an early splash in free agency by signing veteran tight end Evan Engram to a two-year deal worth up to $23 million dollars—$16.5 million of that guaranteed.

For Engram, his free agent choice came down to two teams—the Broncos and their division rival Los Angeles Chargers. While he showed appreciation and thanked the Chargers for their interest, the eight-year veteran opted to take his talents to the Mile High City to begin the next chapter of his NFL career.

“Denver was the first team to call when I got cut. Just talking with them and getting to know them, then getting here, getting into the building and feeling the energy here. Meeting some of the guys, hanging out with the coaches and hanging out with the front office,” stated Engram.

“Just the expectations that are here, the team that is here, the quarterback that is here and the coach that is here.”

With their investment in Engram, it’s clear Payton and the Broncos’ brass think just as highly of him. If all goes as planned, he will be a fulcrum in the Broncos’ revamped offense. Capable of lining up on the outside, slot, and in-line, his versatility should give Denver a lot of flexibility in their personnel packages and help get their aerial attack to the next level.

Engram’s production slipped in 2024 due to hamstring issues and a torn labrum. In nine games, he caught 47 receptions for 365 yards and just one touchdown. Those were lowest season totals since turning pro all those years ago.

But turn back the clocks a year prior to 2023 and he was one of Trevor Lawrence’s favorite targets for the Jacksonville Jaguars. In that season, he reeled in 114 receptions for 963 yards and four touchdowns. Additionally, he ranked first amongst tight ends in yards after the catch. Those efforts earned Engram second Pro-Bowl nod of his career.

Of note, 47 of those catches generated first-downs and he sported a catch rate of nearly 80-percent. Phenomenal numbers in two key statistical categories. After a down ‘24 campaign, he is looking forward to being healthy and getting back to playing at a high level with the Broncos in 2025.

“It was tough. Football seasons are long, and we work hard to earn success. When adversity hits, it’s tough. I welcome all types of adversity at anytime, anywhere. Like I said, everything happens for a reason,” said Engram.

“I had a great year in 2023, and it was a great learning experience in 2024. Some things were in my control and some things were out of my control. Ultimately, it led me here and I’m blessed to be here.”

One of the Broncos’ biggest issues on offense last year was failing to consistently move the chains and sustaining drives. On second and third downs with 4-6 yards to go, Nix completed less than 60-percent of those passes. A savvy veteran with Engram’s skillset and experience should help on in those situations.

Even though Engram has a track record of success on the field, he doesn’t believe he has earned the ‘joker’ designation just yet. Over the coming months, the veteran is looking forward to proving his worth to his teammates to be a guy who can help elevate their offense to the next level.

“I definitely see that it is something that has to be earned with the way I work and the way that I learn the offense to gain the trust of Sean, Bo and the rest of the coaches and players,” the ninth-year pro added.

“I think we have a bunch of ‘Jokers’ on this team, honestly, that can have a great role on this offense. It is definitely something that I like to embrace, but it is also something that I am going to earn, too.”

Just how good can the Broncos be in ‘25? A lot of that might depend on just how well Engram performs. If he can revert to Pro-Bowl form, Denver may just have one of the best offenses in the league. Alas, if he struggles and the proverbial ‘joker’ remains elusive, they may struggle to reach desired heights.

Here is hoping the former transpires this coming season.