Evan Engram After Jaguars Extension: 'Everybody There Believed In Me'
When the ink went to paper for tight end Evan Engram and the Jacksonville Jaguars on a three-year contract extension, both parties showed excitement at continuing a budding relationship.
For Engram, one word can be described to end the waiting period between being franchise tagged and signing a long-term pact, “relieving.” In an interview with Sirius XM, NFL Radio, Engram expressed gratitude to be back in Duval County, with equal respect to the Jaguars organization for the mutual sentiment.
“I was ecstatic, I was very, very, blessed,” Engram said when asked about his new contract. “I wish I could say it was the easiest process. There’s obviously a lot of notions that go around about the franchise tag and although it’s a good thing to get franchise tagged, there’s some things that come with it that could be better. You know, at the end of the day it’s all a blessing.
"My agent Mike McCarthy, lord knows how much he put in to get this done, and also the front office guys in Jacksonville. Everybody there believed in me and, you know, they wanted to get something done and it meant a lot that they wanted to lock me in for the next few years. As bad as I wanted to be there, it felt good to know that they wanted me there too.”
Engram posted career highs across the board in his first year in Jacksonville, recording 73 receptions for 766 yards and four touchdowns in 17 games.
The veteran tight end proved to be a reliable safety blanket for star quarterback Trevor Lawrence and a versatile chess piece in the Jaguars' passing attack in 2022. With a year in the system and a similar supporting cast, similar expectations lie ahead for the 2023 campaign.
Engram's three-year contract extension with the Jaguars is for $41.25 million and carries $24 million in guarantees.
