Evan Engram is no longer with the New York Giants, but the veteran tight end will still have an impact on the team’s future. That’s because the Giants are expected to receive a compensatory draft pick based on an NFL formula that factors in talent lost to free agency.
Engram, who the Giants selected 23rd overall in the 2017 NFL Draft, signed a one-year, $9 million deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars in free agency this offseason. According to Over The Cap, the Giants are projected to receive a fifth-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft for Engram’s departure under the league’s compensatory pick formula.
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The Giants are also expected to receive a seventh-round compensatory pick in next year’s draft for the departure of cornerback Keion Crossen, who signed with the Miami Dolphins in free agency for three years, $9.45 million.
Here’s a closer look at how the NFL compensatory draft pick formula will impact the Giants next offseason, courtesy of Over The Cap:
Over The CapHere’s a look at how the NFL’s compensatory draft pick formula will impact the Giants.
The formula aims to strike a balance between losses and gains in free agency, with the teams that lost more than they gained being compensated with future draft picks. The Giants fall into that category, even after the additions of guard Mark Glowinski and quarterback Tyrod Taylor offset the departures of defensive lineman Austin Johnson and edge defender Lorenzo Carter.
For more information on the formula, Over The Cap goes into great detail here.
Why The Giants Never Traded Engram
When he was still with the Giants, Engram was a player who seemed to be perpetually on the trade block. The NFL’s compensatory pick formula helps explain why he was never dealt to another team. Had the Giants accepted anything less than a fifth-round pick, they would have been losing value.
Regardless, the Giants were never going to get a proper return on investment for Engram. He never lived up to his potential as a former first-round pick, and the mistake made by drafting him could never be rectified through the compensatory pick formula.
Through five seasons with the Giants, Engram was a relatively productive pass-catching tight end. He had 262 receptions for 2,820 yards and 16 touchdowns in 65 games played (51 starts). He provided little to no value as an in-line blocker, though, and his mistakes were often more impactful than his positive plays.
Engram’s most memorable moment with the Giants might be this drop against the Eagles on Thursday Night Football during Week 7 of the 2020 season.
The Giants likely would have won that game, if Engram hangs onto the near-perfect pass from quarterback Daniel Jones. Ironically, Engram made the Pro Bowl this year despite setting a career low for touchdown receptions (1) and a career high for dropped passes (11).
Last season, Engram started 12 of the 15 games in which he appeared and averaged a career-low 27.2 receiving yards per game.
Engram Has a Lowlight Reel of Drops on YouTube
In case the drop against the Eagles wasn’t enough, here’s an entire lowlight reel dedicated to Engram’s dropped passes with the Giants.
Very few players in NFL history have dropped enough notable passes to have such a video, so you know Engram is in a rare category of athlete.
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Giants to Get Draft Pick For Loss of Evan Engram: Formula