The Jacksonville Jaguars needed a tight end that opposing defenses feared after going the last few seasons without one. To solve that problem, they signed former New York Giants tight end Evan Engram to a one-year deal for $9 million in free agency. Their offensive coordinator Press Taylor discussed the addition of Engram on Jaguars Happy Hour on Thursday.
“When we put Evan Engram on the field, who’s going to cover him?” Taylor said. “Do you need to bring in a lighter body? Do you put a nickel on him? Do you put a safety on him? Do you put a linebacker on him, which we would ask for if you had to pick?”
Taylor said that he was also impressed with Engram’s speed, wiggle, and good decision-making on option routes.
Engram stands at 6-foot-3, 240 pounds. In 2020, he caught 63 passes for 654 yards and a touchdown, averaging 10.4 yards per reception. He was rewarded with his first trip to the Pro Bowl after a strong season. However, Engram has struggled with injuries and drops and hasn’t lived up to the first-round pick the Giants used on him in the 2017 NFL draft.
Engram should be a much-needed security blanket for second-year quarterback Trevor Lawrence next season.