Evan Engram shed some light on the Jaguars’ culture under their previous leadership.
Now a member of the Denver Broncos, tight end Evan Engram was recently discussing the culture within his new organization. And in the process of highlighting what has stood out and what he liked, he referenced his time with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
“That’s probably my favorite thing about being a Bronco right now,” Engram said Friday, via Sports Illustrated. “The way that this team connects, the way they push each other, the way they challenge each other, the way that we’ve bonded, the standard that we have for ourselves, the camaraderie we have, the laughs that we have. It’s an incredible locker room, a lot of great leaders.
Engram continued, “I tell all my family, It’s hard to be the first one in the building, I’m used to being the first one in Jacksonville. I was always the first one, it was really easy, and here it’s kind of tough. A lot of the guys doing it at the highest level. It’s just a contagious environment.”
Whether intended on Engram’s end or not, this doesn’t paint the Jaguars‘ culture under their previous leadership in the best light. However, this “news” that the culture under Trent Baalke and Doug Pederson wasn’t the greatest probably isn’t all that surprising either, given how the season ended and the fact that both were let go.
To remedy this, change has been the biggest theme for the Jaguars’ organization this offseason. It started with bringing in a new leadership structure that features Tony Boselli, James Gladstone, and Liam Coen.
Gladstone then went to work reshaping the roster. This included not re-signing any of the team’s own unrestricted free agents, and then making 46 new additions between free agency, the NFL draft, and undrafted free agent signings.
Ultimately, the play on the field will determine what trajectory the Jaguars are on, but under the leadership of Boselli, Gladstone, and Coen, there is a clear vision forward, and it really feels like this team is on the right path.