Why I'm Selling the Early Broncos Hype Around Evan Engram

The Denver Broncos need more from their tight end room, and the hope has been that Evan Engram could help answer that bell. His first season in Denver was a bit of a disappointment, but with experience in the system now, could Engram meet expectations in 2026?

Throughout training camp, there has been some hype surrounding Engram — but unlike wide receiver Pat Bryant, I'm not buying into it for a couple of different reasons. To fully explain my skepticism, we must first take a look back at his NFL career.

Historical Precedent

Engram's 2025 season was more on par with his career standard than many fans might realize. In 2025, he caught 50 passes for 461 yards with the Broncos; in his previous eight seasons, he had as many seasons under 600 yards as over 600 yards, with four each.

Engram's career average is 615 yards over those eight seasons. The 461 yards last year came a little short of that career mark, but not that far off from what he has traditionally produced.

Engram's 50 receptions were dead center on his career average, with four seasons with more than 50 catches and four seasons with fewer. Sure, he missed time in 2025, but he has only played every game in a season three times in his career, and he only missed one game in the 2025 season.

Engram finished third on the team in receiving last year, but he still failed to meet expectations. There is room for more, but again, it wasn’t far off from what he traditionally produces.

A Familiar Story

Evan Engram. — Denver Broncos tight end Evan Engram (1) catches a pass during practice at Broncos Park Powered by CommonSpirit. | Gabriel Christus/DenverBroncos.com

Now, as to why I'm selling the Engram hype, there are two main reasons. The first is that Engram has a penchant for looking great during camp, but when the games come, he doesn’t quite translate it, which has been the trend for most of his career.

It doesn’t mean Engram is a terrible player come the regular season, but he just struggles to convert his camp momentum for the most part. This year could be different, and I will get into why and why I could be way wrong about him here shortly, but after the hype from last year's camp, there's good reason to doubt it.

Quiet Since the Pads Went On

The second reason is that most of Engram's camp hype this summer came during the unpadded practice days. Since the pads went on, though, he's been a lot quieter.

Engram has made a play or two during padded practices, but not at the same level of explosiveness he did on the first two days of camp.

Engram isn’t the most physical player, even as a tight end, and is a finesse receiver. When opponents can match him with physicality, it tends to create issues for him — another common trend throughout his career.

Why I Could Be Wrong

Evan Engram and Pat Bryant — Denver Broncos tight end Evan Engram (1) celebrates after a play against the Washington Commanders with wide receiver Pat Bryant (13). | Peter Casey-Imagn Images

Why could this year be different? Well, it starts with new offensive coordinator Davis Webb, who may have a very specific vision for utilizing Engram to get even more out of him. Hopefully, the preseason games will give us an inkling of what Webb has in store, starting with Friday night's debut against the Atlanta Falcons.

Engram seemed to be in Sean Payton’s doghouse at times last season, which led to some questionable usage and some emotional moments on the sideline.

The other reason is Bo Nix, who seems to have a newfound chemistry and confidence in targeting Engram, though every quarterback has found an outlet in the veteran tight end. When re-analyzing last year's games, it seemed as if Payton and Nix didn't fully trust Engram, and if that is fixed this year, it could lead to more usage, especially if Webb has cracked the code.

The Takeaway

I'm not buying the hype around Engram, and until I see it in the regular season, I'll remain skeptical. In all honesty, though, I want to be wrong, but only time will tell.

A careful study of Engram's NFL history only further highlights the wisdom of being skeptical at this point.

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