Evan Engram is looking to make a difference. The Denver Broncos tight end is back from a one-game absence and says the only acceptable response to a two-week slide is to punch back on Monday night.
“Just blessed honestly, to be back in the lineup… I’m excited to come out Monday,” Engram said via Denver Gazette reporter Chris Tomasson on X, formerly Twitter.
“We’ve got to respond. We’ve had it tough the last two weeks. It’s time for us to get over that hump and get some positive wins going, and it starts Monday night.”
The timing helps. Head coach Sean Payton confirmed Engram will suit up against the Cincinnati Bengals after the veteran practiced fully late in the week. Engram missed last Sunday due to a back issue, the latest setback after a bruised calf in Week 1. The Broncos signed the two-time Pro Bowler in March to be their “Joker,” a movable piece who stresses defenses from the slot, backfield, and in-line looks. Getting him back gives quarterback Bo Nix a needed outlet in the middle of the field.
Denver needs the jolt. The Broncos have dropped two straight on walk-off field goals, including a 23–20 loss at the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 3. They enter Monday 1–2 with thin margins and little appetite for moral victories. The offense has sputtered late in games, and the defense has been on the field too long.
Engram’s return comes with a practical boost in personnel. Denver expects a full tight end room, with Adam Trautman and Lucas Krull available and Nate Adkins back in the mix. The question is usage. Early this season, Engram’s snaps were modest for a high-profile signing. Payton has called him a matchup piece; Monday offers a chance to prove it against a Bengals defense missing tight end Noah Fant on the other sideline and dealing with injuries up front.
The message from Engram is simple: stop the skid now. “We’ve got to respond,” Engram said, echoing the locker-room mood after back-to-back gut punches. If Denver’s plan holds, that response looks like quicker decisions for Nix, more early-down efficiency, and Engram featured on choice routes, screens, and play-action crossers to keep drives on schedule. With the Broncos’ season still elastic in late September, a healthy Engram isn’t a luxury; he’s part of the fix.
