The Denver Broncos received a much-needed boost on Thursday as tight end Evan Engram returned to practice as a full participant, putting him on track to suit up in Week 4 against the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday Night Football.
Engram has been battling multiple injuries since the start of the 2025 season. He first exited the season opener with a calf issue, then was minimally involved in Week 2 against the Indianapolis Colts before suffering a back injury. That setback kept him sidelined throughout practice last week and forced him to miss Denver’s 23-20 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 3.
His return comes at a crucial time for the Broncos’ offense, which hasn't been able to find consistency. The highly anticipated free-agent addition, signed on a $23 million deal, was brought in by head coach Sean Payton to play the “joker” role in Denver’s spread-the-wealth scheme. The expectation was that Engram’s elite pass-catching skills could transform the tight end position for Denver, something the team has lacked since Julius Thomas’ Pro Bowl run in 2013–14.
So far, that vision has not materialized. The 31-year-old has recorded only 33 yards on four receptions across the first two weeks, with three catches coming in the opener and none resulting in a touchdown. In total, he has seen just six targets. The Broncos’ offense desperately needs him to become the dynamic weapon he was with the Jacksonville Jaguars, where he nearly broke the NFL single-season receptions record for a tight end.
The Broncos will need to decide how many tight ends to activate for Monday. Veterans Adam Trautman and Lucas Krull have been active in all three games so far, while Nate Adkins, coming off ankle surgery, returned to action last week against the Chargers. Thursday’s injury report listed Adkins, Engram, linebacker Alex Singleton (thumb), and edge rusher Nik Bonitto (wrist) as full participants. Rookie tight end depth has been a question, but the group looks fully available.
The only limited participant was defensive lineman John Franklin-Myers, who continues to manage a hip injury. Everyone else on the 53-man roster practiced in full. The Broncos will hold two more practices on Friday and Saturday before releasing their final game statuses.
At 1-2, Denver enters Week 4 in urgent need of a win, and facing a Bengals defense vulnerable against tight ends could give Engram the perfect opportunity to finally make an impact. If he can pull defenders downfield and clear the lanes, Engram could be the key that unlocks Bo Nix’s passing game and helps the Broncos’ offense find its rhythm.
