We all know Jimmy Graham—Sean Payton duo. Back in 2010, Payton rolled the dice on a third-round pick out of Miami, and the result? One of the most dominant tight ends the league has ever seen. Between 2010 and 2014, Graham pulled down 386 receptions for 4,752 yards and a ridiculous 51 touchdowns, earning three Pro Bowl nods along the way. And remember 2013? He led the entire NFL in receiving touchdowns with 16. Fast forward to today, and it seems like Payton’s dialing up the same script again—only this time, with Evan Engram stepping into the spotlight in Mile High.
In fact, Engram’s already embraced the madness. When he inked his deal with the Broncos in March, he didn’t just post a thank-you note—he dropped a GIF of Heath Ledger’s Joker from The Dark Knight. That wasn’t a coincidence. “The tweet that I put out was a cool just kind of embracing of the moment,” Engram said during a chat with DNVR’s Bennie Fowler. “That’s what he was looking for… It was just really cool to hear the vision that he had for me and the excitement that I have to attack that full head of steam.”
So what exactly is the vision? According to Sayre Bedinger on the Locked On Broncos podcast, “He’s already joked around right after he signed about being the Joker. And Sean Payton talked about that being kind of the number one must have for the team this offseason.” That Joker role? It’s all about versatility. Engram will be Payton’s mismatch nightmare—finding open zones, bullying slot defenders with his size, and outrunning linebackers with that rare tight end speed.
“I think one of the things that we can definitely expect from Evan Ingram is impact over the middle of the field, finding soft spots against defenses in zone coverage, and then utilizing his variety of athletic skills, whether that’s his size, being bigger than slot defenders that are going up against him, his speed, being more athletic than linebackers that try to guard him, and just generally utilizing that to his advantage in any given situation. Our good friend Ryan Edwards pointed out in his training camp recap over there on Twitter… he’s a great follow,” he added
Moreover, Engram’s no stranger to production. “Evan Ingram has mastered short area quickness and is incredibly smooth coming out of his breaks and gaining yards after the catch,” Bedinger added. Just two seasons ago, Engram came within striking distance of the NFL record for most tight end catches in a single season—114 for Jacksonville. That’s elite. And Bedinger believes this is Payton’s first true Graham-style TE since the original No. 80.
Since Graham left New Orleans, Payton’s Joker role pivoted to running backs—most notably Alvin Kamara. Kamara never logged a thousand-yard rushing season but torched defenses with all-purpose yardage. Engram? He’s built the same way. “He’s probably going to spend a lot of time in the slot, going to spend a lot of time out wide, going to be doing a lot of different things,” Bedinger said. The flexibility opens up everyone on the Broncos offense.
Because, this is more than a tight end move. “Because yes, he can do a lot of offense creating on his own. He is that type of guy who can win at the catch point, help you in the red zone, help you after the catch. We’ve talked about all of that stuff that he can do on an individual basis,” Bedinger noted. And just like that, the Orange Crush may have found their own chaos agent in Engram.
Engram’s ready to do it all for the Payton & Mile High
Whether you call him a Joker, a Cleaner, or simply a tight end, the Broncos’ newest weapon is ready. After hauling in 114 passes for 963 yards in 2023 alone, the two-time Pro Bowler believes Denver is where he can unlock his best form again.
Moreover, Evan Engram’s not trying to play superhero—he’s showing up as the guy who gets things done. “I like to call myself a cleaner,” Engram said recently. “A guy that’s going to come in every single day and do what he’s asked at the highest level possible. A guy that’s going to embrace adversity, embrace challenges, but also bring a great amount of energy and leadership even in those times of adversity and humbleness in times of success.” And with a healthy run in sight, he added, “I want to earn everything that’s going to come my way… and do what I do best, which is make plays with the football.”
Naturally, Engram had options, but Denver stood out right away. “The first team to call,” he recalled. From the front office to the locker room energy, everything clicked. “Just the expectations that are here, the team that’s here, the quarterback that’s here, the coach that’s here,” he said. And yes—Sean Payton’s “Joker” pitch made it even more intriguing.
On top of that, Engram’s already building chemistry with rookie QB Bo Nix. The two had lunch during Engram’s visit, and the tight end’s ready to help the kid shine. Now, with stats that would make any Broncos tight end in history blush, Engram is embracing all that comes with it.
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