Former Jaguars Tight End Visiting Pair of AFC West Teams

The Jacksonville Jaguars released Evan Engram last week but he may not leave the conference.

Oct 15, 2023; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Brenton Strange (85) and tight end Evan Engram (17) celebrate a touchdown against the Indianapolis Colts during the third quarter at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Morgan Tencza-Imagn Images / Morgan Tencza-Imagn Images

Former Jaguars tight end Evan Engram may not leave the AFC.

According to insider Tom Pelissero, Engram was in Los Angeles on Tuesday visiting Jim Harbaugh and the Chargers. The top free agent on the market, he also visited the Broncos in the days since Jacksonville released him on Thursday. The Jaguars are scheduled to play both teams in 2025.

Engram would serve as a strong upgrade for either club. The Chargers’ top tight end in 2024 was veteran Will Dissly. In Denver, it was Adam Trautman. Neither player kept defensive coordinators up at night.

Believed to be engaged in a bidding war for Engram, the Broncos and Chargers are expected to find out the tight end’s decision in coming days. He has yet to schedule a visit to another team. The club that loses out on Engram could target a tight end in the first round of the draft. Penn State’s Tyler Warren and Michigan’s Colston Loveland are widely considered the top two tight ends in this year’s class.

In 2023, Engram posted career highs in both receptions (114) and yards (963). Last season, though, Engram missed four games early in the year with a hamstring injury and finished the year on injured reserve after tearing his labrum. He wound up playing in just nine games.

The injury likely led to Engram’s release because it provided an opportunity for the Jaguars to get a good look at Brenton Strange. Jacksonville selected Strange, 24, in the second round of the 2023 draft (61st overall) out of Penn State. 

In Engram’s place last year, Strange registered 411 yards and two touchdowns on 40 receptions. ESPN analyst Mina Kimes said last week that the Jaguars believe Strange is a better blocker than Engram. That’s important to Jacksonville’s new regime because and head coach Liam Coen is a big proponent of a smashmouth running attack, as he showed in Tampa Bay last season.

This week, the Jaguars agreed to terms with a pair of tight ends, Johnny Mundt from the Vikings and Hunter Long from the Rams.

And don’t rule out the Jaguars from adding another tight end in the draft. If Coen and James Gladstone believe Warren or Loveland could be a difference-maker for Trevor Lawrence and the Jacksonville offense, they have the option of trading back in the first round.

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