Where Could The Giants TE Land?
By: Caleb Holfoth (@cmhfilm)
Evan Engram has had an up and down four years with the New York Giants in his career. Drafted in the first round of the 2017 NFL draft, Engram has never quite met the expectations that the Giants and the rest of the league had for him. The Giants triggered his fifth-year option last summer and Engram will get paid $6 million this season.
Evan Engram Career Stats
- 2017 🡪 15 Games: 115 Targets, 64 Receptions, 772 Yards, 6 Touchdowns, 48.1 YPG
- 2018 🡪 11 Games: 64 Targets, 45 Receptions, 577 Yards, 3 Touchdowns, 52.5 YPG
- 2019 🡪 8 Games: 68 Targets, 44 Receptions, 467 Yards, 3 Touchdowns, 58.4 YPG
- 2020 🡪16 Games: 109 Targets, 63 Receptions, 654 Yards, 1 Touchdown, 40.9 YPG
Evan Engram’s career has been plagued by his drops. Most notably, Engram had a major drop in the 4th quarter against the Philadelphia Eagles that ultimately cost the Giants the game.
Evan Engram still ended up making the Pro Bowl despite the publics’ confusion about how he was selected. Engram’s trade value has never been higher due to making the Pro Bowl and having somewhat of a bounce-back season. Many teams could make strong runs at Engram if he becomes available.
Although Engram has had consistency issues with his hands and missed 11 games in his career there are still strong reasons to consider Engram. Engram is one of the most athletic tight ends in all of football. He has also endured nothing better than mediocre quarterback plays his whole career. If Engram is paired with a top quarterback, he has the potential to have a breakout season with a new team.
Honorable Mentions:
Los Angeles Rams 🡪 Evan Engram is a great fit in Sean McVays offense; however, the Rams currently have no trade assets after acquiring Matthew Stafford from the Detroit Lions.
Seattle Seahawks 🡪 Seahawks have only four picks in 2021 draft making a trade unlikely. Evan Engram would give Russell Wilson his best tight end since Jimmy Graham.
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are in a tough situation with only $1 Million in cap space. The Titans starting Tight End Jonnu Smith is up for free agency and likely to get paid by one of the many teams with tons of cap space. With Smith likely not to return the Titans will have to look elsewhere. Engram could be the best option for this offense considering how hard it is to find elite tight ends in the draft. The Titans had over 850 yards from the tight end position in 2020 showing how important the position is to their offense.
Tennessee does have some in-house options but none of them compare to the athleticism that Jonnu Smith brought to the table. Engram is just as athletic and would join an already strong and fast receiving core as options for Ryan Tannehill. Engram would be an upgrade over Jonnu Smith and potentially give the Titan’s offense the push they need after a first-round exit in the playoffs this season.
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals have an explosive offense. Kyler Murray and DeAndre Hopkins led the way in Kliff Kingsbury’s explosive offense. Dan Arnold is the starting tight end for Arizona, and he is a free agent. The Cardinal’s offense sputtered at the end of the season and ultimately was one of the reasons that they could not reach the playoffs. Engram could help bolster the Cardinal’s offense by giving them a player who can line up with his hand in the dirt or as a mismatch on smaller defensive backs in the slot. DeAndre Hopkins requires maximum attention from the defense. By acquiring Engram, the Cardinals get another bigger athletic receiving option who can open things up for Kyler Murray.
Murray and Arizona would bolster one of the strongest receiving corps in the league with Hopkins, Engram, Christian Kirk, Andy Isabella, and potentially Larry Fitzgerald (retirement). Kingsbury is an offensive coach and should live and die by his offense. Kyler Murray enters his third year as the starting and Kingsbury cannot afford to miss the playoffs again. Kingsbury should live and die by his offensive knowledge and load up his skills positions by acquiring Engram for a 2021 playoff run.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Jacksonville is about to draft a generational talent at quarterback when it selected Trevor Lawrence with the number one overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. Jacksonville has one of the weakest rosters in the NFL and to give Lawrence the best weapons for his success they will have to surround him with more talent. The running back position is set with James Robinson. The wide receiver position has several players who have tons of potential as well as a plethora of cap space to spend in a good wide receiver market in free agency. One area where the free agency or the draft may not offer the best solution is the tight end position.
Evan Engram would be a good pickup for Jacksonville. They have more than enough cap space to pick up Engram’s $6 Million salaries this season. Engram would give Lawrence an athletic tight end who can lineup all over the field for the Jaguars and head coach Urban Meyer. Jacksonville could also value Engram as a player that can earn a long-term deal based on his production in the 2021 season. With a lot of cap space and trade/draft assets, this is a low-risk high-reward trade for the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Final Thoughts
Evan Engram is a high-value trade target for many teams. If the New York Giants do not see a future with Engram beyond this season it would be smart to offload him while his value is at its highest. Engram could demand anywhere from a 2nd round pick to a later pick trade that involves a player in return.
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