ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Call him a Joker or call him a Cleaner.
No matter the moniker, new Broncos tight end Evan Engram is ready to contribute.
The two-time Pro Bowler, who signed with the Broncos in free agency, caught 114 passes for 963 yards as recently as 2023. And in Denver, he believes he can return to the best version of himself.
"I like to call myself a cleaner," Engram said Thursday. "A guy that's going to come in every single day and do what he's asked at the highest level possible. A guy that's going to embrace adversity, embrace challenges, but also bring a great amount of energy and leadership even in those times of adversity and humbleness in times of success. I want to earn everything that's going to come my way, and hopefully, God willing, I can stay healthy and stay on the field and do what I do best, which is make plays with the football."
Engram spent the previous three seasons with the Jaguars, and he visited Denver after being released in March ahead of the start of free agency. The veteran player said Denver was "the first team to call," and he cited the team, front office, coaching staff, energy in the building and more among the reasons that the Broncos became his next destination.
"Just the expectations that are here, the team that's here, the quarterback that's here, the coach that's here," Engram said. "I literally can go on for days. I'm blessed to be here. Everything happens for a reason, and I'm really glad to be in Denver."
In Head Coach Sean Payton, Engram will play for a coach who has spoken about his desire to add a Joker player to the offense. Engram said Payton pitched the role to him during his visit, and Engram leaned into the nickname on "X" after he officially signed. The mismatch position could help unlock another layer of the Broncos' offense, and Engram said he'll work to live up to the position.
"That's a cool thing just to embrace," Engram said of his social media post. "Sean talked about it a lot. It was a big part of the pitch coming here. The fans are great here, so just was kind of embracing that narrative a little bit. But I definitely see that as something that's got to be earned with the way I work, the way I come in and learn the offense and gain the trust of Sean and Bo [Nix] and the rest of the coaches and the rest of the players."
That process has already begun with Nix, and it started during Engram's free-agent visit. After casually keeping track of Nix's performance during the 2024 season — Engram and Offensive Pass Game Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach Davis Webb were both drafted by the Giants in 2017 — Engram dove deeper during his free-agent process.
"Even just watching and supporting [Webb], I was always really observant of Bo Nix," Engram said. "Obviously as a rookie, it was kind of a slow start last year. He's learning the game. But once he turned it on, you could see it all over the tape. Flying around for the visits, [I] got to download some games on the laptop and watch some film, and I mean, the potential is through the roof."
Engram said he had lunch with Nix during his free-agent visit, and he hopes to help Nix take the next step after an encouraging first season in Denver.
"Even better is just the way he is as a man, as a worker, as leader," Engram said. "It's been really great to get to know him on and off the field. I just love the way he approaches each and every day. I love the way he builds relationships with his teammates. I had lunch with him on my visit here. He made it a point to be here and meet me. Even [at] that lunch, I was able to listen to his process and things that he's working on. Just really impressive young guy. Like I said, the potential is through the roof, and I'd like to see myself as somebody that can come in and help his development and take this team to another level."
Engram — whom Payton said Thursday has "real good instincts" — will now look to embrace the opportunity to perform with the Broncos. His 114 catches in 2023 are the second most by a tight end in NFL history, and no Broncos player has ever notched that many receptions in a single season. Even Engram's 17-game average of 78 catches and 775 yards would be the most yards in a season by a Broncos tight end since 2013 and the most catches by a Broncos tight end since 1996. The Broncos would certainly welcome the production; Denver last had a tight end pass the 500-yard mark in 2021 and hasn't had a tight end average 50 yards per game since Julius Thomas' Pro Bowl campaign in 2013.
As the Broncos' newest Joker/Cleaner/Playmaker prepares for his first season in Denver, he certainly doesn't view living up to lofty standards and goals as a negative.
"I don't look at pressure like that in a negative, heavy way," Engram said. "I think it's all healthy pressure. The way I work, the way I prepare — and honestly the way these guys work and the way these guys prepare — it lines up perfectly. God willing, [if] I come in and do what I'm supposed to do, it could be a great year for our offense."
