Getty Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
Could the New York Giants supply Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers with a new weapon in the passing game? According to SNY’s Ralph Vacchiano, a season-ending injury to starting tight end Robert Tonyan in Week 8 has the Packers scoping the tight end market ahead of the 4:00 p.m. ET trade deadline on November 2nd.
Per Vacchiano, the Packers are a “team to watch” in the Evan Engram trade market and could be the lone rumored team interested in the reigning Pro Bowler that is “willing to overpay” for his services.
Giants Being Bullish With Engram’s Trade Value
One would think with the Giants sitting at 2-6 on the season and tied for the second-worst record in the NFC, the team could be in firesale mode — especially when it comes to unloading a player like Engram. The 2017 first-round selection is currently playing on an expiring contract, has been cast aside in the Giants’ game plan and is highly unlikely to re-up with the team this coming offseason. Not to mention, trading him at the deadline would create $3.3 million in cap savings. However, despite rumors of interest mounting from other NFL clubs eyeing the maligned tight end, the Giants continue to strong-arm the market in hopes of boosting Engram’s trade price, per Vacchiano:
The Giants’ most marketable asset continues to be Evan Engram. From what I’ve been told there is a market for Engram if the Giants decide they want to trade him. The only question is how much other teams would be willing to give in return for the Giants tight end. Because I’m told also that the Giants are not just going to give him away even though his contract expires at the end of the season. And even though his future in New York is uncertain at best the Giants aren’t going to just give him away for a seventh-round pick, a sixth-round pick. They’re going to want something better than that in return.
Again, the only question is how much will a team be willing to pay — a fifth round pick, or even a fourth round pick to get a player like Engram. If that happens, the Giants could be enticed to do it. But again, they’re not just going to give him away. In order for them to trade Evan Engram, the price will have to be right.
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Bills & Saints Continue to Be Floated as Other Potential Suitors
Monday night against the Kansas City Chiefs proved to be yet another stress-inducing loss for the Giants and their fanbase — a feeling becoming all too familiar. Rightfully overshadowed in the defeat was the fact that we actually had an Evan Engram sighting in the endzone. The Ole Miss product hauled in a five-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter. The score was Engram’s first of the season and just his second receiving touchdown over his past 23 regular-season games.
Yet, while he’s proven to be an illegitimate red zone target throughout his career (never eclipsing three touchdowns since his rookie season) and continues to be daunted by questionable hands, Engram has proven to be fairly productive in other aspects of the game. The NFC’s third-leading tight end in receptions (63) and receiving yards (654) one season ago, he flashed enough production and flaunts enough upside to pique the interest of a few Super Bowl contenders.
The good news for them there are several teams around the league looking for a tight end. The Buffalo Bills have been looking for a while. They have their starting tight end Dawson Knox out with a fractured hand. The Green Bay Packers lost their starting tight end on Thursday night. The New Orleans Saints don’t have any reliable offensive weapons other than Alvin Kamara. So someone with Engram’s ability, his speed, his size, he can create a mismatch, he can stretch the field. Yes, he hasn’t been the most reliable tight end. But certainly compared to a lot of other receiving tight ends, he’s put up decent numbers over the years.