Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton added tight end Evan Engram to be his so-called "Joker" -- an offensive weapon who can move around the formation and create mismatches.
Engram has a different nickname for himself.
"I like to call myself a cleaner," Engram said on Thursday, via the team's official website. "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. I want to earn everything that's going to come my way, and hopefully, God willing, I can stay healthy and stay on the field and do what I do best, which is make plays with the football."
Engram spent the last three seasons in Jacksonville, earning a Pro Bowl nod in 2023. Last year, however, he played in just nine games and earned a career-low 365 yards receiving on 47 catches with a single touchdown. The Jaguars' new administration released the tight end, and the Broncos were the first team to express interest in his services.
Payton views the pass-catching tight end as the ideal weapon to open up the middle of the offense. The Broncos received little production from their TE crew last season. Veteran Adam Trautman led the position in Denver but earned just 188 receiving yards and two TDs on 13 catches. Engram immediately brings the potential to upgrade the position if he stays on the field.
While the veteran might call himself the cleaner, he likes the idea of being Payton's "Joker."
"That's a cool thing just to embrace," Engram said of his social media post channeling the moniker. "Sean talked about it a lot. It was a big part of the pitch coming here. The fans are great here, so just was kind of embracing that narrative a little bit. But I definitely see that as something that's got to be earned with the way I work, the way I come in and learn the offense and gain the trust of Sean and and the rest of the coaches and the rest of the players."