Jaguars' Trent Baalke on Evan Engram Extension: 'I Think We're Trending That Direction'

Trent Baalke is hoping the Jaguars get Evan Engram signed to a long-term deal this offseason.

The Jacksonville Jaguars don't have tight end Evan Engram under contract yet, but general manager Trent Baalke is confident that things are moving in the right direction. 

"That's the goal. The goal is to get this thing done," Baalke said during a pre-draft press conference on Thursday when asked about signing Engram to a long-term deal. 

The Jaguars franchise-tagged Engram in March to ensure the former first-round tight end would not hit free-agency. Now, the goal for Baalke and the rest of the Jaguars' front office is to ensure Engram plays under more than the simple one-year contract. 

“There’s ups and downs as you go through the process and you’re just trying to come to a common goal to get him signed. I think we’re trending that direction, but we’re not there yet," Baalke said. 

"We’re going to continue to work to get him signed to a long-term extension and hopefully we can get that done.”

This is similar wording to last year when Baalke was asked about then-franchise tagged left tackle Cam Robinson. That question came during free-agency and not in April, but it is still worth noting that Baalke and Robinson got a deal done a month later. 

Teams and franchise players can sign multi-year extensions until July 17 (the typical deadline is July 15 unless on a weekend; because July 15 is on a Saturday this year, the deadline is the following Monday).

Jacksonville and general manager Trent Baalke have used the franchise tag in each of the last two offseasons, each time placing it on Robinson. Robinson played the 2021 season on the tag, but he signed a contract extension last April after initially being tagged. This is technically the fourth year in a row the Jaguars have used the tag after they tagged Yannick Ngakoue in 2020.

Engram had a career year in 2022 as he caught 73 passes for 766 yards and four touchdowns, along with 12 catches for 124 yards and a touchdown in two playoff games.