Yes, 100%, Bo Nix is the straw that stirs the Broncos’ drink. Without a bona fide franchise quarterback, it would be unfair to say that the skill position players don’t matter, but their impact is significantly reduced. But with one, the contributions of wideouts, running backs and tight ends are critical.
And the most critical Bronco on the offensive side of the ball this year is newly acquired tight end Evan Engram.
Fun fact: Within Sean Payton’s top 10 scoring offenses (not including last season) – of which there were 13 in his 16 years with the Saints – his tight ends have averaged nearly 59 receiving yards per game.
Not-so-fun fact: Over the past two seasons, all Broncos tight ends combined for 90 catches and 845 yards – a paltry 2.6 catches and 25.85 yards per game. That’s less than half the tight end production Payton grew accustomed to with the Saints, who consistently had one of the best offenses in NFL history during his stint.
Payton’s high-flying offenses have only dipped below the 30-yards-per-game mark four times in his 17 years of head coaching prior to this season – and two of those seasons have come in Denver. Adam Trautman – bless his blocking little heart – is not the kind of tight end a Sean Payton-led offense requires.
His production in the past two seasons?
Receiving totals of 188 and 204 yards respectively.
Engram, thankfully, is.
Engram is more in line with some of the greats that have been great in a Payton offense. Ben Watson (825 yards in 2015), Jimmy Graham (who eclipsed 1,200 yards twice and averaged 1,099 between 2011 and 2014) and Jeremy Shockey — who was posting 500-yard seasons before the position truly became en vogue — are the types of players Payton deployed as a major part of his aerial attack.
Engram is cut from the same cloth.
In 2023, Engram caught 114 passes on 143 targets from Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars, hauling in four receiving touchdowns and finishing with 963 yards in 17 games. Before his injury last season, Engram had 47 catches for 365 yards in nine games for Jacksonville. To put last season in better perspective, Engram’s production was about what everyone who played the position in Denver did in an entire season. In 2024, Broncos tight ends grabbed 51 receptions for 483 yards.
Engram is not a plodding blocker who may or may not haul in a quick out before stumbling to the ground. He is a willing blocker when asked, but more
importantly, he’s a sharp route runner with sure hands.
From early observations at training camp, it would appear that Payton has Engram lining up all over the field. We’ll see him line up in the slot. At times, he’ll be paired with Trautman in 12 personnel. He’ll probably slide outside on more than one occasion. Engram is the tool that’s been missing from Payton’s toolbox.
In essence, Engram allows Sean Payton to be Sean Payton.
And that makes him the most important piece of the Broncos’ offensive puzzle.
Jun 10, 2025; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Broncos tight end Evan Engram (1) during minicamp at Broncos Park Powered by CommonSpirit. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
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“Evan Engram can be the X-factor that Sean Payton’s offense has been missing. His athleticism and explosiveness create mismatch opportunities that Bo Nix and Payton will use to exploit opposing defenses. I predict Engram will have 98 catches, 1,000+ yards and 8 touchdowns.”
