You remember the feeling. It’s 2017. The New York Giants are on the clock at number 23. Fans are clamoring for an offensive lineman or maybe a linebacker, but Jerry Reese pulls the trigger on a "matchup nightmare" from Ole Miss.
That’s how the NY Giants Evan Engram era began. With a bolt of electricity and a side of immediate skepticism.
He was a tight end who ran like a wide receiver. A 4.42-second 40-yard dash at 234 pounds. Honestly, it looked like a cheat code on paper. But for the next five years, Engram became the Rorschach test of the Giants' fan base. Some saw a vertical threat that defenses couldn't touch. Others saw a guy who dropped the ball at the exact moment the team needed a first down.
Looking back, the Engram experience was basically a five-year rollercoaster that never quite reached the top of the hill.
Why the NY Giants Evan Engram Experiment Felt So Different
Most tight ends are expected to put their hand in the dirt and move people. Engram wasn't that. Ben McAdoo, the coach at the time, wanted to use him like a "big slot" receiver. It worked—sorta—at first.
His rookie year was actually legitimate. He caught 64 passes for 722 yards and six scores. He was a bright spot in a miserable 2-14 season. People forget that because the following years were so messy. Between 2018 and 2021, the narrative shifted from "superstar in the making" to "when is the other shoe going to drop?"
👉 See also: NL Rookie of the Year 2025: Why Drake Baldwin Actually Deserved the Hardware
The drops. We have to talk about them. It wasn't just that he dropped passes; it was the timing. It was the 2020 game against the Eagles where a wide-open pass slipped through his fingers, effectively ending the Giants' playoff hopes. That moment crystallized the frustration. You've got this guy who can outrun cornerbacks but sometimes can't secure a routine 5-yard out.
The Stats vs. The Reality
If you look at his total numbers with the Giants, they aren't even bad.
- Total Receptions: 262
- Receiving Yards: 2,828
- Touchdowns: 16
In five seasons, he averaged about 560 yards per year. For a tight end in a struggling offense with a rotating door of quarterbacks—Eli Manning, Daniel Jones, even Mike Glennon—that’s productive. But the "eye test" in East Rutherford told a different story. The Giants were constantly trying to force-feed him the ball to justify the first-round pick, and the offense often felt stagnant because of it.
The Cultural Divide in the Locker Room
The weirdest part of the NY Giants Evan Engram saga was how much his teammates loved him. While fans were booing him at MetLife Stadium, the guys in the building saw a worker. They saw a dude who showed up early and never complained.
It creates this weird disconnect. How can a guy be so physically gifted and such a "good locker room guy" but still feel like a bust to the city?
✨ Don't miss: New Zealand Breakers vs Illawarra Hawks: What Most People Get Wrong
Maybe it was the system. Or maybe it was the pressure of being the guy who was supposed to replace the production of Odell Beckham Jr. after that trade. Engram was never going to be OBJ. He was a specific tool that required a specific architect. In New York, under Pat Shurmur and Joe Judge, that architect never showed up.
Life After the Giants: A Lesson in Context
The "I told you so" moment for Engram's supporters came the second he signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2022. He didn't just play better; he looked like a different human being.
In 2023, he caught 114 passes. That's a historic number for a tight end. He looked happy. He looked confident. He even admitted in interviews that he "needed Jacksonville." It turns out, getting out of the New York pressure cooker and playing for Doug Pederson—a coach who actually knows how to use tight ends—was the missing piece.
By the time he landed with the Denver Broncos in 2025, the "bust" label was long gone. He became a reliable veteran, someone who could help a young quarterback like Bo Nix navigate the league. It’s a bit of a gut punch for Giants fans to see him thrive elsewhere, but it's the reality of the NFL.
What Most People Get Wrong About His Tenure
Everyone blames Engram for the Giants' struggles during those years, but that’s a bit unfair. The team was a mess. The offensive line was a sieve. The coaching staff changed every two years.
🔗 Read more: New Jersey Giants Football Explained: Why Most People Still Get the "Home Team" Wrong
When you put a "finesse" player in a "grind-it-out" disaster of an organization, it’s going to look ugly. Engram was a luxury item for a team that didn't have the basic necessities.
He was also surprisingly durable toward the end. Early in his career, he couldn't stay on the field, missing 14 games in his first three years. But by 2020 and 2021, he was playing nearly every Sunday. He just wasn't the game-changer the Giants expected him to be when they drafted him 23rd overall.
Takeaways from the Engram Era
If there's a lesson for the Giants in how they handled Evan Engram, it's about fit over talent. You can't just draft a fast guy and figure it out later. You need a plan.
- Schematic Fit Matters: If your tight end can't block, don't ask him to chip-block elite edge rushers before running a route.
- Mental Health and Environment: New York is tough. Some players need a fresh start to clear the "ghosts" of past mistakes.
- Patience with "Tweeners": Players who are between positions (too small to block, too big to be a WR) take longer to develop.
The Giants finally moved on in 2022, letting him walk in free agency. It was the right move for both sides. The fans got their wish, and Engram got his career back.
If you’re still tracking his career now that he’s in the AFC West, you’ll notice he’s still that same guy—a bit streaky, but undeniably talented. He’s proof that sometimes a player isn't a "bust"; they're just in the wrong place at the wrong time.
For your next move, take a look at the current Giants' depth chart. Compare the production of their current tight ends, like Theo Johnson, to what Engram was doing at the same age. You might find that while Engram was frustrating, replacing that raw athleticism is a lot harder than it looks. Check the latest snap counts from the Broncos' recent games to see how he's being utilized in Denver's evolving offense.