CBS: Jaguars TE Evan Engram is ‘perennially slept on’

Evan Engram deserves more respect.

That’s what CBS analyst Tyler Sullivan believes, at least, following his career year with the Jaguars in 2023. Sullivan named Engram the Jaguars’ most underappreciated player while determining such a player for every AFC team on Friday, calling him “perennially slept on” among NFL tight ends.

Engram is perennially slept on as one of the best receiving tight ends that the NFL has to offer. Last season, the 29-year-old erupted with 114 receptions and 963 yards, which were both career-highs. To put Engram’s season into better context, he was fourth in the league among pass-catchers in receptions behind only CeeDee Lamb, Tyreek Hill and Amon-Ra St. Brown. While he won’t be lauded for his ability as a blocker, he’s shown to be a reliable pass-catching weapon at the position.

Only wide receiver Jimmy Smith’s 116 receptions during the 16-game 1999 season rank ahead of Engram’s 114 catches from last year in single-season Jaguars’ history.

Engram ended the 2023 campaign as Jacksonville’s most-targeted pass-catcher, with quarterbacks Trevor Lawrence and C.J. Beathard throwing his way 143 times. His 79.7% catch rate led all Jaguars receivers who averaged at least one target per game.

Since signing with Jacksonville two offseasons ago, Engram has compiled 187 receptions for 1,729 yards and eight touchdowns.

The Jaguars handed him a three-year, $41.3 million contract extension last summer, locking him in as one of Lawrence’s primary targets through the 2025 season.

After receiving his own contract extension in June, Lawrence pointed toward Engram as one of the franchise’s building blocks in its chase for a championship.

“ Josh, there’s [linebacker] Foye [Oluokun], Evan, [wide receiver] Christian [Kirk], [guard Brandon] Scherff, there’s so many guys that you can point to,” Lawrence said. “[Safety Andre] Cisco, [cornerback] Tyson Campbell, all over the field that bring something unique to the table that we need.”