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Although the New York Giants are off to a slow start with a 1-6 record, it seems like their talented tight end, Evan Engram, will not be a piece general manager Dave Gettleman jettisons off for future draft picks.
According to reports, the Giants are looking to keep the former University of Mississippi standout on the roster through the end of the season.
There’s a chance they could deal Engram if they receive an offer that's too good to refuse before the NFL's Nov. 3 trade deadline, but he would appear to be in their plans, at least in the near future.
NFL Trade Rumors: Evan Engram likely to stay with Giants
Engram has struggled to stay healthy in his brief four-year NFL career, with his number of games played per season decreasing each campaign from 15 to 11 to eight last season. So far this season he has been able to stay healthy, appearing in all seven of the team’s games.
At 25 years old, Engram has developed a reputation for making athletic grabs that few tight ends in the league can make. He also has a bad track record of dropping passes. His salary is also at a manageable $3.4 million cap hit this year, with next season being the final year on his rookie contract.
Engram would be in a tough position to negotiate due to his injury history, so the Giants would be well-served to ride out this season with him. If he proves he can stay healthy, Engram can be a pillar of New York's rebuilding project.
Can Engram help the Giants sneak into the playoffs?
Additionally, the New York Giants know better than anyone that you never know what could happen in the NFL as long as you’re in the mix.
When they won the Super Bowl in 2007 and 2011 during the Eli Manning era, the Giants entered each postseason as wild-card longshots. Right now their 1-6 record is unsightly -- although they're not even the worst team in New York thanks to the 0-7 Jets -- but the Giants are still in the thick of the division race in a historically bad NFC East. Which means there's still a chance this Giants team can make the playoffs if they finish better than the Dallas Cowboys, Washington Redskins and Philadelphia Eagles.
If the Giants were in any other division, Engram’s bags might have already been packed to head out before the trade deadline. But prematurely selling off assets this year may not be the prudent thing to do for the Giants.
