The signing of Evan Engram failed to bear fruit last season. So, watching OTAs, are we falling for the banana in the tailpipe again?
No free agent signing generated more excitement last March than the addition of Engram. He profiled as a mismatch in space in the passing game. By season’s end, he was lost in space. While Engram worked hard, remained humbled and never publicly complained, he filled a diminished role, catching 50 passes for 461 yards and one touchdown.
He had three big plays — a catalytic touchdown against the Eagles in a shocking comeback win, a first down in the go-ahead drive against the Jets in London and a 41-yard overtime reception in Washington, schooling Bobby Wagner to set up a score.
This was who we thought Engram would be after watching OTAs in 2025.
Flash forward to the past two weeks. Engram is making light work of linebackers in coverage with eye-widening catches.
“He’s doing well. He’s moving well. He’s extending plays. Again, itap a little easier for those guys that are further away from the ball in these types of OTAs than the linemen,” coach Sean Payton said Thursday. “Yet itap important timing and itap important for him in his second year. He’s doing a good job with it.”
Is his performance telling? Or misleading? Is it time to buy into what Engram is showing?
The answer is yes. With a caveat.
There is confidence that new offensive coordinator Davis Webb will find a way to expand Engram’s role. They were teammates with the Giants. Webb recruited Engram to the Broncos. With Jaylen Waddle in the mix, there should be obvious openings in the middle of the field for Bo Nix, an area where he has struggled in his first two seasons.
If Waddle takes coverage on a slant that leaves Engram in man-to-man on a stick route or RPO quick hitter. The Broncos did not forget about Engram last season. He received 76 targets. And while Nix never totally clicked with Engram, especially when plays broke down, it is on the 31-year-old to do his part.
Engram posted a 10.2 % drop rate last season, the highest of his career. That won’t fly. He needs to continue earning trust this month and at training camp. The Broncos plan to use heavy personnel, so Engram’s career-low 42 % snap count is not going to suddenly spike.
It is all about maximizing opportunities, using sticky fingers to produce 60 catches for 550 yards and three scores.
At the risk of getting fooled again, Engram is ripe for a bounce-back season.
Sorsby solution: Conferences continue to melt down over a handpicked judge ruling Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby can play this season after committing the cardinal sin of betting on his team. The Big 12 is mulling boycotting Tech games. Why? Because Tech makes it worse every time the school’s leadership opens its mouth. They are using straw arguments about domestic violence and murder to diminish Sorsby’s actions. They claim they are motivated to help Sorsby fight his gambling addiction, then laughably insist he can only overcome it by playing. He should be banned, even as few are pure when it comes to gambling, whether it is through participation or accepted advertising. Texas Tech won’t do the right thing — honor Sorsby’s NIL money, let him practice and prepare for the NFL draft without suiting up. This mess has shown the clear need for football players to be unionized under a collective bargaining agreement, or for a football commissioner to rule with less red tape.
Outfoxed: Every historic comeback needs someone to page Dr. Heimlich. The Knicks overcame a 29-point deficit in Game 4 because of unconscious fourth-quarter shooting and complete brain freezes by Spurs guard De’Aaron Fox. You can take the guard out of Sacramento, but you cannot take Sacramento out of the guard. His decision to shoot a layup with 10 seconds left was foolish, perhaps only topped by double-teaming Jalen Brunson with Victor Wembanyama rather than guarding inbounder OG Anunoby. San Antonio coach Mitch Johnson has not draped himself in glory in this series, but if he wants to inspire a Spurs comeback, he must play Dylan Harper and make Fox a frequent spectator.
