Denver Broncos’ free agent tight end acquisition, Evan Engram, missed Wednesday’s practice due to a new back injury.
Engram signed with Denver back in March on a two-year, $23 million deal from the Jacksonville Jaguars. Broncos fans have seen little production out of their new tight end, catching just four passes for 33 yards across the team’s first two games of the 2025 season.
The team made it clear that the 31-year-old had been struggling with a calf injury that he sustained in the team’s season-opener, but on Wednesday, he returned to the injury report with a new back injury that has Denver fans seriously concerned about their new tight end.
Whether his lack of targets has been due to lingering health issues or not, Engram’s four receptions have not been what Broncos fans were expecting from the nine-year veteran.
The questions only grow when looking at Engram’s snap count over the first two games of the year. In those two games, Engram has only played 38% of Denver’s offensive snaps. He was not even named the starting tight end in the team’s Week 1 matchup against the Tennessee Titans.
Broncos fans expected Engram to be a significant part of the offense and a perfect fit for second-year quarterback Bo Nix. Instead, he is being used as if he were Denver’s second-string tight end. It has certainly been a confusing and concerning start for Engram’s tenure as a Bronco, and his new back injury hasn’t lifted any spirits.
When asked on Sunday night about the lack of snaps he has been seeing early in the season, Engram said, “Just gotta stay ready. Keep staying in the game, supporting the guys, doing everything possible for the success of the offense, and the opportunities will come.”
Unfortunately, the news of his new back injury does the opposite of keeping him ready and in the game. The best possible case for the news would be that Wednesday was used as a day of extra rest for some Broncos veterans like Engram and linebacker Dre Greenlaw. If they remain on the injury report for Thursday, Broncos fans will be forced, yet again, to wait to see Engram carve out a role for himself in Denver’s offense.