Evan Engram News

The Jacksonville Jaguars have applied the franchise tag to tight end Evan Engram. Engram signed a one-year deal with the Jaguars prior to the 2022 season and was set to become a free agent this offseason, but will now remain with the team after posting the best season of his career. The team could still work out a more long-term contract with the former first-round pick. Engram was pivotal to the Jaguars' offensive bounce-back in 2022 after their concerning 2021 performance, with his 73 catches, 766 yards, and 4 touchdowns each ranking third on the team. His emergence in the second half of the season helped propel the offense on their way to a 6-1 record in their final 7 games of the regular season, and his 7 catches for 93 yards and a touchdown in the Wild Card Round helped give the team their first postseason victory since 2017.

This was already the expectation, but it's now slated to occur after the sides were unable to come to an agreement on a long-term deal ahead of Tuesday's tagging deadline. They'll now have until mid-July to keep discussing a deal. Engram had a career year in Jacksonville last season with 73 catches for 766 yards and four touchdowns.

Jaguars GM Trent Baalke said earlier in the week that Engram was going to be back with the team in 2023, whether it was via the franchise tag or on a long-term deal. The tag gives the Jaguars more time to talk with Engram's camp to hammer out an extension. If Engram plays on the tag, it will pay him a guaranteed $11.345 million.

Engram remained heavily involved in the Jaguars' offense, and he closed the season with at least six targets in five of his last eight games. He didn't do much with his opportunity in Saturday's loss, though he did manage receptions of 16 and 10 yards. Engram recorded a career-best 73 receptions and 766 yards across 17 games in the regular season, and that should help him land a fairly substantial deal in free agency this offseason.

Engram racked up double-digit targets for the third time in his last six games and took advantage to put up big gains of 24, 21 and 16 yards. He also began Jacksonville's comeback effort with a nine-yard touchdown catch just before halftime. Engram has been a boom-bust option -- he's topped 100 yards in three of his last six games but has under 30 yards twice in that span -- of late but the Jaguars' offense will likely have to take to the air often with likely potential matchups against the Chiefs or Bills in the AFC divisional round.

After managing just one reception during a Week 17 win at Houston, Engram bounced back somewhat in a regular-season finale in which quarterback Trevor Lawrence threw for 212 yards. With the help of two 100-yard performances Weeks 14 and 16, Engram also ended the campaign with career bests in catches (73) and receiving yards (766). The Jaguars clinched the AFC South with this Week 18 win, so he and his teammates will focus on hosting a wild-card round matchup next Saturday, Sunday or Monday.