Key Jaguars Weapon is Matchup Nightmare, Has Dolphins Terrified

Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Evan Engram has the full attention of the Miami Dolphins entering Week 1.

Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Evan Engram (17) greets fans during the ninth day of an NFL football training camp practice Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024 at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. Today marked the first day of public practice inside the stadium. / Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK

Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Evan Engram has become such a large part of the Jaguars' offense over the last two years that is no longer possible for teams to overlook him.

As such, it is Engram whose name comes up when defenses talk about the Jaguars' offensive X-factors. When Miami Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver was asked about Engram, he made his admiration for his talent obvious.

“Wow, you talk about a matchup problem. He’s a guy who’s really underestimated as a blocker in the run game, but he has all the skills of a wide receiver. He is a matchup problem," Weaver said.

"I don’t think you can task any one person with taking a guy like him away. It’ll take multiple guys, but yeah, you have to account and be cognizant for him on every snap. The problem they present is that they have a bunch of those guys. They have a lot of good skill players which as a defense, you’ve got to love the challenge.”

Over the last two seasons, Engram ranks No. 10 in touchdown catches, No. 4 in receiving yards, No. 2 in receptions, No. 6 in yards per game, and No. 3 in targets among all tight ends.

In 2023, Engram caught 114 passes for 963 yards and four touchdowns, becoming the eighth tight end to ever catch 100 passes or more in the Super Bowl era.

Thanks to players like Engram, expect the Dolphins' defense to be on their heels early.

"It’s a lot especially not even just the speed; it’s so much motions and stuff they do over there. They’re going to keep you disciplined," Dolphins linebacker David Long said this week.

"Even when you’re disciplined, it’s a trick to it, so it’s great that we have those players on the other side of the ball that we’ve been facing every day to be prepared for things like this. But it’s also going to be like coming straight from practice going against Jonnu (Smith) and those fast guys, even ‘TC’ (Tanner Conner) on the other side of the ball. It’s a lot of guys over there that are similar that we’ve been grinding with as well.”

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