Analysis
7/16/23
3 min read
Jaguars, TE Evan Engram Agree to 3-Year, $41.25M Deal
The Jacksonville Jaguars and their outstanding tight end Evan Engram agreed to a three-year, $41.25 million deal Sunday, NFL Media reported, avoiding the Monday deadline for players who had the franchise tag placed on them.
The Jaguars did that in early March, setting up Engram to make $11.345 million. His new deal has $24 million guaranteed and his $13.75 million per year average will make him the sixth-highest-paid tight end in the NFL, Spotrac reported.
His signing leaves three players who also received the franchise tag unsigned with the deadline for a long-term deal Monday at 4 p.m. EDT: Dallas Cowboys RB Tony Pollard, Las Vegas Raiders RB Josh Jacobs and New York Giants RB Saquon Barkley.
I’m home 🙏🏽 pic.twitter.com/yJdu1hVX8l
— Evan Engram (@eazyengram) July 16, 2023
"History says that some of the best signings are a good player coming off a bad year. The opposite is also true. Some of the worst signings are an average player or oft-injured player coming off one really good year," The 33rd Team's Joe Banner said of Engram's deal. "That makes this an interesting signing.
"Time will tell if the Jags were smart or if they made the classic mistake of signing an oft-injured player coming off a good year, and he will soon return to his history. Or did they sign the exception, and he plays well and stays healthy for the next three years? I personally will be surprised if he stays healthy and plays well for the next three years."
Engram achieved career highs in receiving yards (766) and receptions (73) last season after signing a one-year, $9 million deal with the Jaguars last year.
"He had the best season of his career playing with (quarterback) Trevor Lawrence, and they reward him for it," said The 33rd Team's Mike Tannenbaum.
"Jacksonville now really has their young core locked in place moving forward off. Lawrence at quarterback, but a really good running back in Travis Etienne, Christian Kirk and Zay Jones at receiver, and of course they're bringing in (wide receiver) Calvin Ridley this year after trading for him at last year's trade deadline," The 33rd Team's Ari Meirov said. "Add all those pieces along with Evan Engram, and that is a young nucleus of offensive weapons on a team that is expected to be a threat in the AFC moving forward for years to come."
During an exclusive interview in March with The 33rd Team's Greg Jennings, Engram expressed his desire to remain with the Jaguars.
“I had a way better year, and I had so much fun,” he said. “I just matured so much in my process and my work ethic. … Jacksonville is definitely a place I want to be and continue my career. Jacksonville is definitely my No. 1 spot.”
Engram’s breakout season came after spending five seasons with the New York Giants. The Giants drafted Engram 23rd overall in 2017, and he caught 262 passes for 2,828 yards and 16 touchdowns with New York.
During 2021 free agency, he wanted to sign with Jacksonville because of coach Doug Pederson’s previous work with tight ends, including Dallas Goedert and Zach Ertz.
