Bo Nix sounds excited that most of his supporting cast is returning for 2025, including all five starters on the offensive line, but the Denver Broncos also added some new weapons to the young quarterback's arsenal via free agency and the NFL draft.
Joining the Broncos offense to help complete the "interior triangle," as head coach Sean Payton describes it, is veteran tight end Evan Engram. Set to shoulder the 'joker' role in Payton's offense, Engram provides Nix with another reliable playmaker.
Following Thursday's OTA session, Nix talked about his approach to forging chemistry with his new Pro Bowl tight end.
“It starts by getting to know him. See what makes him tick, what makes him go, and what his passions are," Nix said of Engram. "It's very clear from the beginning that he's all about football and he's all about taking care of himself."
Nix and Engram have been rubbing shoulders and getting to know each other since the tight end was signed, but they've only just begun to work together on the practice field. Suffice it to say, Nix admires Engram's veteran approach and inquisitiveness relative to the Broncos' scheme.
"He’s been here since he was signed, getting ready and preparing. That’s been fun to see. So, I've gotten to be around him a lot," Nix said of Engram. "Then we just started working on the field. Early on in OTAs, you get to come out here and throw routes and just see what he's like. See what kind of routes he runs and see what he's thinking. We talk a lot."
Engram is likely not only trying to assimilate the scheme and the Broncos' culture, but it will also be helpful to get to know Nix as a quarterback. Understanding what the quarterback sees and why he makes the decisions with the ball that he does can only help Engram get on the same page with Nix.
"He's always asking me about certain things. When you get him out to practice, it's just seeing how he reacts," Nix said of Engram. "I'm excited to include him and add him to what we already have. I think it'll be good for us.”
The Broncos made new free-agent safety Talanoa Hufanga available following Thursday's practice. The team will hold another voluntary minicamp next week, and hopefully, we'll get to hear from Engram on some of these topics.
After arriving as a New York Giants first-round pick in 2017, Engram spent the past three seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars. In 2023, he posted career-highs in receptions (114) and yards (963) on the way to his second Pro Bowl selection.
Alas, an injury set him back in his final season with the Jaguars, but Engram still started nine games in 2024. He may be 30 years old, but the Broncos are confident that he's got another two solid seasons of quality play in him.
Engram will be deployed as a tight end and big slot, and his presence should immediately help take some of the opposition's attention away from Courtland Sutton on the outside. That will force opponents to play the Broncos a bit more honestly in coverage, and open things up for other receiving weapons.
Everybody wins. That's the idea anyway.
With a rookie quarterback under center, the Broncos inexplicably fielded a top-10 scoring offense last year. Averaging 25 points per game, Denver finished 10th in the NFL.
However, there's plenty of room to grow, as evidenced by the Broncos' 20th-ranked passing game and 16th-ranked rushing attack. Engram will be key to facilitating that growth.
But it all starts with Nix — the straw that stirs the drink in Denver. Fans petitioned for the Broncos to "build the nest" around Nix this offseason by adding weapons, and Engram was the very first priority.
From there, the Broncos also added two weapons in the draft — second-round running back RJ Harvey and third-round wideout Pat Bryant. Both should contribute in Year 1, especially Harvey.
As the lynchpin to the Broncos' 2025 hopes, Nix is feeling good about where he's at entering Year 2. He gets the same play-caller in back-to-back seasons for the first time since high school, a returning supporting cast, and a few new weapons to deploy against opponents.
