New York Giants‘ head coach Joe Judge made it known that he’s looking for versatile athletes who are ready to punch the opposing team in the face for 60 minutes. If that has any indication of the style of player Judge wants to feature in 2020, tight end Evan Engram won’t be on the roster moving forward.
Engram, who has missed nearly an entire season worth of games over the past two years, is more of a receiving tight end than a hard-nosed blocker, versed in opening up the run game. That reality proposes a choice for Judge and GM Dave Gettleman — do they trade Engram for draft capital or retain him and utilize him in his frequent pass-catcher role?
The New York Giants need players that stay on the field:
Judge is undoubtedly a fan of availability is the best ability ideology, and Engram’s lack of availability on the field makes him expendable, in my opinion. The emergence of Kaden Smith last season gives Judge a solid tight end who can block and catch passes.
Smith logged 268 yards receiving and three scores, two of which came in the Giants’ victory over the Washington Redskins and week 16. He hauled in the game-winning score in overtime. As a rookie, his development was extensive, and he showed he could be a vital contributor moving forward.
This increases the probability of Engram being traded, and if the Giants can get a third-round value for his services, they shouldn’t hesitate to pull the trigger. The idea of moving Engram to WR has been floated via social media, and it’s not a bad idea to consider that move, however, with the plentiful talent at the WR position in the 2020 NFL Draft, trading Engram and grabbing one of those options in return makes sense.
There will be movement by the Giants this offseason, but it should start with adding draft capital after losing two picks in the Leonard Williams trade.