Getty Evan Engram #88 of the New York Giants catches a pass for a touchdown in front of Jabrill Peppers #21 during the Blue and White scrimmage.
When an NFL team blows an 11-point lead with less than five minutes to play it’s typically difficult to pinpoint one player to place the majority of the blame on. However, if you’re a New York Giants fan, you likely have no problem singling out the ever-frustrating enigma that is Evan Engram as the main culprit for Week 7’s loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.
Despite numerous last-minute defensive mistakes and an ever too familiar Daniel Jones turnover in crunch time, the Giants would have almost certainly left Thursday night with their second win on the season had Engram hauled in a perfectly thrown third-down pass just prior to the two-minute warning.
Instead, the Giants dropped to a woeful 1-6 on the year. Engram logged his 21st dropped pass of his career in the process, the most in the NFL since 2017, while simultaneously dropping himself out of the organization’s future plans.
That is if North Jersey Media Group’s Steve Politi was calling the shots.
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Engram ‘Is Another First-Round Bust’
“This is not an overreaction: GM Dave Gettleman needs to get Engram off this team,” Politi sternly stated of the former top-25 pick. “The days of waiting for him to fulfill his potential are over. He is another first-round bust from a team that has had plenty.”
Politi went on to pose the question, “will a contender be willing to trade a late-round pick for him?” While he himself shed some doubt on the potential list of suitors to acquire Engram, it looks as if at least a handful of teams are in fact lining up to swing a deal for the talented, yet underperforming pass-catcher. The real question is, will the Giants bite?
Giants Reluctant to Deal Engram?
While you may want to take Incarcerated Bob‘s (IBN Sports Wrap) report with a grain salt, it wouldn’t be surprising if the Bills, Patriots, Saints and Panthers, all of whom were named in the report, proved to be viable suitors for Engram’s services. Problem is, the Giants still appear ready to cut bait with the tantalizing talent.
“I think there’s going to be significant interest in Evan Engram,” NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport claimed in a recent interview with Joe & Evan on WFAN Sports Radio. “I’m just not convinced that the Giants would trade him, honestly.”
After last night’s issues, is it time to move on from Evan Engram – and if so, what could Big Blue get for him in trade? @Rapsheet weighs in with @Joeandevan.
It’s Not All Engram’s Fault, But at this Point, Does it Matter?
In Engram’s defense, the tight end did shoulder the blame for Thursday night’s colossal drop, noting “one hundred percent I’ve got to make that play.”
Yet, at some point none of that matters. Simply put, Engram must produce up to his draft status or be shown the door. The latter may prove to be the best turnout for both parties.
Engram marks off every box of what a mismatch nightmare should be. He checks in at 6-foot-3-inches and possesses an impressive catch radius (79-plus inch wingspan) to go along with the type of speed (4.42 40-yard dash) that should strike fear into linebackers and safeties.
Yet, instead of serving as a big-play threat and the focal point of New York’s offense, he’s been pigeonholed to a Jason Witten-esque role under new offensive coordinator Jason Garrett.
In return, he’s produced a meager 26 receptions for 223 yards through the first seven games of 2020, failing to register a single receiving touchdown thus far this season.
While the idea of moving on from yet another young, clearly talented pass-catcher is certainly intimidating from a Giants perspective, what is Engram actually adding to the roster at the moment?
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Insider Demands Giants Trade Ex-1st-Rounder: ‘This is Not an Overreaction’