New York Giants tight end Evan Engram is a dynamic play-maker who has worked hard to improve some of the weaker areas of his game in recent years, but one thing continues to plague the 25-year-old: injuries.
The oft-injured Engram has seen his time on the field decrease in each of his first three NFL seasons, appearing in just eight games a season ago as the result of a foot injury that eventually required surgery. The tight end remains in a boot and isn’t expect back until training camp in July.
In 2018, Engram missed five games due to injury and as a rookie, missed a Week 17 game against the Washington Redskins with a hamstring issue.
All told, Engram has missed a combined 14 games over his first three seasons, and that does not include all the time he’s missed during minicamps and training camps.
Because of Engram’s persistent injury issues, the team’s confidence in him is apparently waning.
Matthew Berry of ESPN reports that the Giants lack faith in Engram’s ability to stay on the field and as a result, may work to trade him this offseason.
An inside source says the Giants don’t believe Evan Engram can ever stay healthy. The source believes Engram is a candidate to be traded during the upcoming season.
If Berry’s report is accurate, the question becomes: what could the Giants get for a young and talented tight end who simply can not stay on the field and has provided absolutely no reason to trust that he can remain healthy?
The answer is, probably not much.
Engram is entering the final guaranteed year of his rookie contract, but has a fifth-year option for 2021. The Giants have until May 30 to decide whether or not they want to pick that up, which is a decision that could impact the tight end’s trade value — especially if said option is not picked up prior to the 2020 NFL Draft.
If the Giants decline Engram’s fifth-year option, any potential trade would either have to be a sign-and-trade or one made knowing Engram will merely serve as a potential one-year rental.
In the event the Giants do pick up the option, teams would feel more secure in knowing that they get two seasons out of Engram before having to made a decision on a new contract. It would also provide Engram the opportunity to prove he can remain healthy and provide consistent value on the field.
Ultimately, whether that option is picked up or not, Engram’s value isn’t what it once was. General manager Dave Gettleman would likely be able to pick up a mid-to-late round pick and little else.
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