Tight end Evan Engram is headed for free agency for the second straight year, but his approach is different than it was before he signed with the Jaguars in 2022.
Engram said on SiriusXM NFL Radio that he was “bouncing off the walls” last year as he waited for his chance to hit the open market, but is less stressed out this time around. It likely helps that Engram is coming off a year that saw him set career highs in catches and receiving yards while playing in every game for the AFC South champions.
The Jags have indicated interest in bringing Engram back and Engram said there have been “very positive” conversations about a new deal, but it doesn’t sound like he’s planning on handing out any major discounts in order to get something done.
“The interest is there on both sides for me to come back, and obviously, I would love to come back as well,” Engram said. “But like you said, it’s a business. I definitely felt like I’ve put a lot of great things on film, had a lot of great results this year, and I was a big part of helping my team win. So, when you do that at the pass-catcher position — you have a lot of highlight plays, and you’re doing something special with the football — those guys get taken care of financially wise.”
Tuesday is the first day that teams are permitted to use the franchise tag and that could be a consideration for the Jaguars over the next couple of weeks. Doing so would come with an $11.345 million salary and Engram said he’d view such a move as a “placeholder” for a long-term deal if it happens.