Tag: Evan Engram

Do Giants lack trust in Evan Engram, view him as a trade piece?

The New York Giants reportedly lack trust in Evan Engram’s ability to stay healthy and may look to trade him this offseason.

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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Report: Giants’ Evan Engram remains in walking boot, out until training camp

New York Giants tight end Evan Engram (foot) is still in a walking boot and will remain sidelined until at least the start of training camp.

The New York Giants have a seemingly endless amount of concerns entering the 2020 season and they were hoping another positional issue would not crop up, but it has.

Expectations were that the Giants would head into free agency with their depth at tight end set, but instead, they may have to worry about addressing that position as well.

Veteran Rhett Ellison is reportedly considering retirement after concussion issues plagued him in 2019, while the team recently released Scott Simonson and Isaiah Searight in what were essentially paperwork moves (Simonson recently explained).

That leaves Evan Engram, Kaden Smith and Garrett Dickerson as the remaining depth, and the news surrounding Engram is not exactly promising.

Engram was placed on season-ending injured reserve in mid-December with a foot injury that had previously kept him out for over a month, and later underwent surgery.

Nearly three months later, Engram is still in a walking boot and is not expected to return to the field until at least training camp, reports the New York Post.

Engram remains in a walking boot after his late December foot surgery. He is one of the NFL’s best receiving tight ends when healthy but has missed 14 games due to injury in his three-year career.

The Giants must decide by May whether to pick up Engram’s fifth-year contract option for 2021. He is expected to be sidelined until training camp.

As talented and dynamic as Engram may be, his inability to stay healthy and on the field depletes his value. He’s inconsistent and unreliable as the result of his injury history, and that may be why the Giants are so keen on Kaden Smith. It may also be why they choose to address the tight end position this offseason, be it through the draft or free agency.

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See it: Giants visit Rio, cheer on Flamengo and meet fans

Several members of the New York Giants were in Rio de Janeiro on Saturday to cheer on Flamengo in the Taca Guanabara Cup 2020 final.

The New York Giants had a contingent on hand Saturday during a Taca Guanabara Cup 2020 final match between Flamengo and Boavista at Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Those in attendance included quarterback Daniel Jones, wide receiver Sterling Shepard, running back Saquon Barkley and tight end Evan Engram.

Some partner-fans of Rubro-Negro (Scarlet-Black) were able to pre-register to meet with the Giants, while some of the soccer players tested their ball-handling skills.

Jones looked a bit out of sorts.

Flamengo ultimately defeated Boavista, 2-1, in full-time with a Gabriel Barbosa goal at the 82-minute mark.

Barbosa was wearing a No. 24 to honor late NBA legend Kobe Bryant, who tragically passed away earlier this year in a helicopter crash that also took the life of his daughter, Gigi, and seven others.

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7 Giants among top 200 fantasy players of 2020

7 members of the New York Giants have been listed among the top 200 fantasy players of 2020, but one of them makes no sense.

Seven New York Giants the list of the Top 200 NFL Fantasy Players for 2020 as compiled by Michael Fabiano of the NFL Network.

It’s difficult to predict who or what these Giants are after a 2019 season that saw them endure a spate of injuries, a quarterback change, lackluster coaching and uneven results.

Here’s a breakdown of the seven players cited by Fabiano.

2. RB Saquon Barkley (RB20)

Barkley missed three games with a high ankle sprain but the injury affected him for about eight. He still gained 1,003 yards rushing with six touchdowns and caught 52 of 73 targets for 438 more yards with two touchdowns. The Giants were hoping he would be the crutch for Daniel Jones, their rookie quarterback, but the ankle injury got in the way of those plans. If healthy, as Fabiano illustrates by ranking him second overall, Barkley is one the league’s most reliable and productive players. He will be the top player taken in many fantasy drafts this season.

80. Evan Engram, Giants (TE9)

Engram was poised to have a monster season in 2019 but injuries again curtailed those plans. Engram was only able to start 10 games and his season ended with him having surgery to repair a Lisfranc injury. He is said to be ready for the spring but I find it a curious choice given his injury history and the inconsistency when healthy. The Giants have to find a role for him, also. With Jason Garrett as the OC, a healthy Engram could finally reach his potential.

88. Sterling Shepard, Giants (WR38)

Shepard led the Giants in receptions last year (57) in 10 games. His season was shortened by not one, but two bouts with concussion syndrome. He is a top-tier slot man and an emerging force as a wideout, which the Giants realized by giving Shepard a four-year extension before last season. If he can stay healthy, he’ll be a fine fantasy second or third option for season-long leagues and and excellent spot play against teams with weak coverage schemes.

94. Golden Tate, Giants (WR40)

Always the consummate pro, Tate surprised everyone by getting suspended for a PED violation which cost him the first four games of the season. Still, he was a veteran presence for Daniel Jones and put together a 49/676/6 line in 10 starts. In a 16-game setting, he should get closer to his normal career average numbers of 89 catches for 1,003 yards.

99. Darius Slayton, Giants (WR43)

The fifth-rounder out of Auburn was brought in to stretch the field and he did that and more as a rookie. Slayton led the Giants in receiving yards (740) and TDs (8) in just nine starts. With 16 starts, he should put up some impressive numbers. His synergy with Jones was almost immediate and Giant fans have something to look forward to.

121. Daniel Jones, Giants (QB16)

After getting thrown to the wolves in Week 3 last year, Jones showed some promise in his 12 starts by completing 61.9 percent of his passes for 3,027 yards and 24 touchdowns. He also ran for 279 yards and two more scores. His turnovers put a huge blemish on things, however. He tossed 12 INTs and lost 11 fumbles. If Jones cuts downs on those miscues, he could become a top level fantasy QB.

166. Wayne Gallman, Giants (RB58)

Not sure why Gallman is on this list other than the new coaching staff values him more than Pat Shurmur’s did. Gallman ended the season as a healthy scratch losing the job as Barkley’s primmer backup to Javorius Allen. We’ll see what his role is early on in OTAs.

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Pat Shurmur sees similarities between Evan Engram and Noah Fant

Broncos tight end Noah Fant could be poised to have a breakout year like Giants tight end Evan Engram did in 2017.

Take note, fantasy football owners.

Three years ago, the Giants selected Ole Miss tight end Evan Engram (6-3, 240 pounds) with the 23rd overall pick in the 2017 NFL draft. As a rookie, Engram caught 64 passes for 722 yards and six touchdowns.

Last season, Engram was limited by injuries and dressed for just half the season. In eight games, he caught 44 passes for 467 yards and three touchdowns. Had he kept up that pace for a full 16-game season, Engram would have totaled 88 catches for 934 yards and six touchdowns.

Only three tight ends topped 934 receiving yards last year.

Engram received 6.9 targets per game last season while Pat Shurmur was serving as New York’s head coach. Shurmur now serves as the Broncos’ offensive coordinator and he believes tight end Noah Fant (6-4, 249 pounds) can handle a workload similar to what Engram received with the Giants.

“[They are] very similar type of players,” Shurmur said on Feb. 6. “Yes, he’s primarily a pass receiver with what you’re looking for as a tight end, but quite frankly he was a pretty gritty blocker when he was asked to do so last year. I haven’t seen him in person [yet].

“I remember him from the draft process. He was another player that we had a really, really high opinion of. I’m looking forward to working with him.”

As a rookie last season, Fant caught 40 passes for 562 yards and three touchdowns. Fans in Denver (and fantasy football owners) can probably expect a big jump in production from Fant in 2020.

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The moment several Giants knew Daniel Jones was the real deal

When was the moment Daniel Jones’ New York Giants teammates knew he was the real deal and their franchise QB?

Daniel Jones had an up-and-down rookie season for the New York Giants, excelling in some big moments and looking a tad overwhelmed in others.

That’s usually the case for rookie quarterbacks in the NFL, but Jones actually had more high-water marks than low-water marks throughout the season — his turnover issues be damned.

But when did Jones’ teammates have that light bulb moment? When did they realize he’s the real deal and the franchise quarterback of the future?

Dan Duggan of The Athletic recently set out to determine exactly that and the answers he received were telling.

“Obviously that first Tampa game was a big indicator,” right guard Kevin Zeitler said. “The fact that we got down so much but we just kept playing and playing no matter what happened. We just kept going and he kept going. That’s a great indicator. That was early, but you see things every game here and there.”

The Tampa Bay comeback was a big indicator for many of Jones’ current and former teammates, including tight end Evan Engram, who played a big role in that victory.

“Honestly, it was one of the first plays of the Tampa game,” Engram said of when he realized Jones was the real deal. “”t was like the first drive and I had the sole protection on the D-end, Shaq Barrett, and he hit me with a crazy move and I totally whiffed on him. Then Saquon had to come and help and (Barrett) pretty much made Saquon miss, too. I was watching the whole thing because I turned around after I whiffed on the dude.

“So I turned around and I’m watching Daniel take the pressure, run, throw a dart to Sterling (Shepard) on a corner route, on the move, kind of throwing off his back foot. Right then and there I was like, ‘OK. If he can make me look good in protection, then this kid’s got it.’ That whole game he played his butt off and he’s had a lot of good games. The way he went to New England – that was like that game, that rookie game, that tough day where you’re like, ‘OK, it’s not too easy.’ There’s been many instances, but the first game.”

But it wasn’t just the Tampa Bay game that sold Jones to his teammates. That actually began the very moment he stepped into the building with the heavy weight of expectations and criticism resting on his shoulders.

“I knew he had something when he got drafted here and people were talking bad about him and the way he handled that,” linebacker Markus Golden said. “He came to practice every day competing. When you see that, it’s like, ‘OK, this dude’s got something.’ Because you know the talent is there. If you’ve been drafted with a top-10 pick, the talent is there. Now, you’ve got to put the pieces together. You’ve got to have great people around you that are going to follow you because you have to be a good leader.

“I feel like he has all the tools. I feel like he’s a great leader, great dude, gets along with everybody, can be himself with everybody. So I feel like he can be a great leader for this organization. I like him. I like Danny a lot, on and off the field.”

Running back Saquon Barkley said Jones has the talent to become one of the best quarterbacks in all of football, while former Giants wide receiver Bennie Fowler said it’s “not a matter of if, but when.”

The praise for Jones was high across the board. His teammates not only believe in him, but they trust him.

For more comments from Jones’ teammates (and there are plenty), be sure to check out Duggan’s full article in The Athletic.

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Do the Giants have a sudden surplus at wide receiver?

Once thought to be in a disastrous position, do the New York Giants now suddenly have a surplus at wide receiver?

When the New York Giants traded away star receiver Odell Beckham Jr. last offseason, many wondered if Sterling Shepard was ready to step up and lead the team.

To help quell those fears, the Giants then signed veteran wide receiver Golden Tate to help fill the void left by Beckham’s departure, but he was almost instantly suspended four games for violating the league’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs.

In addition to Tate’s suspension, the Giants also saw a slew of injuries to their receivers and tight ends — from Evan Engram to Sterling Shepard, and from Rhett Ellison to Tate.

In fact, it had gotten so bad at one point there were reports that Shepard had been contemplating retirement following a series of concussions.

But in the midst of the injuries and a disappointing season, the Giants may have struck gold with their fifth-round rookie Darius Slayton. Slayton had 48 receptions, including eight touchdowns and continued to impress all year long.

Assuming all of those players remain healthy in 2020, do the Giants actually have a surplus of receivers? Certainly, a player like Tate or Shepard would command some draft capital in a trade. However, as we saw this year, it is crucial to have depth — especially with wide receivers.

Rookie Daniel Jones never really had all of his weapons on the field for most of the season, so it’s hard to know just how much potential the Giants have on offense, but there’s no denying there’s a load of talent in the WR/TE rooms. Not to mention running back Saquon Barkley, who is an elite pass-catcher despite his misuse.

In hindsight, it’s amusing to look back at the panic following the OBJ trade. The Giants have quite a bit of depth at the position and pending health, could be in position to really excel with their group of pass catchers.

Can they put it all together in 2020? That remains to be seen, but they certainly appear to be in much better shape going into 2020 than many believed they were entering 2019.

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Evan Engram named George Young Good Guy Award recipient for 2019

New York Giants TE Evan Engram has been named the 2019 George Young Good Guy Award winner.

The New York Giants media beat pool has awarded tight end Evan Engram the George Young Good Guy Award for the 2019 season.

Engram, above, receiving the George Young Good Guy Award from left to right, Tom Rock, PFWA Giants chapter president, Art Stapleton, PFWA Giants chapter vice president and PFWA president Bob Glauber.

Engram learned this week that his season is over after being placed on IR with a chronic foot injury that will now require surgery. The third-year tight end was poised to have a breakout season, but various injuries derailed that plan.

Engram played in only eight games this season, catching 44 passes for 467 yards with three touchdowns. Engram’s fifth-year option is due next spring and the Giants are expected to exercise it, but his future with the team has been clouded after two consecutive seasons have been ruined by injury.

The surgery Engram will under go is to address a “mid-foot sprain” he suffered in Week 10. That is now being diagnosed as a Lisfranc-type injury which has affected ligaments and he is expected to be out of action until next summer.

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Evan Engram will have surgery on Friday, wants to remain with Giants

New York Giants TE Evan Engram, who will undergo surgery on Friday, says that he’d like to remain in East Rutherford long-term.

New York Giants tight end Evan Engram expressed disappointment on Wednesday over landing on season-ending injured reserve, revealing that he expected to miss just 2-4 weeks with a foot injury before sitting out five straight games and then being shutdown.

“It just didn’t get better,” Engram told reporters, adding that it was a “tough” situation.

Engram will undergo surgery on Friday to repair his injured foot, which he described as not quite a “full” Lisfranc injury.

The procedure will be done by Dr. Robert Anderson in Green Bay and Engram expected to be “more than ready” by the time the Giants return to training camp next year.

And speaking of the future, Engram said he and the Giants have not yet discussed his fifth-year option, but he expressed a desire for the team to pick it up because he wants to be in East Rutherford the “turnaround” — a turnaround he genuinely believes is coming.

“I want to be part of the turnaround here,” he said. “I want to be part of the turnaround that’s coming.”

Given that Engram has proven an inability to stay healthy, the Giants might be hesitant to pick up his fifth-year option for 2021. However, if they do pick it up and Engram again goes down injured, they will be able to part ways with the tight end without eating a dead cap hit and might even be able to trade him.

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Giants place Evan Engram on injured reserve

The New York Giants have placed TE Evan Engram on injured reserve and promoted WR David Sills from their practice squad.

The New York Giants have placed tight end Evan Engram on season-ending injured reserve as the result of a foot injury that caused him to miss the previous five games.

Two weeks ago, ahead of a Week 13 game against the Green Bay Packers, Engram appeared poised to return to the field, but missed a late practice and has remained sidelined since.

Although the Giants claim Engram did not suffer a setback, they clearly do not feel comfortable risking him at any point over the final two weeks.

With Engram now being shut down for the year, it ensures that the tight end, running back Saquon Barkley, and wide receivers Golden Tate and Sterling Shepard will not take a single offensive snap as a full unit in 2020.

Engram finishes the season with 44 receptions for 467 yards and three touchdowns.

With an open spot on their 53-man roster, the Giants promoted wide receiver David Sills from their practice squad and signed offensive tackle Nate Wozniak to replace Sills on the practice squad.

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