Reasons to love the NY Giants’ tight end situation ahead of 2020

EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY - DECEMBER 30: Evan Engram #88 of the New York Giants catches the ball for a two-point conversion during the third quarter of the game against the Dallas Cowboys at MetLife Stadium on December 30, 2018 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY - DECEMBER 30: Evan Engram #88 of the New York Giants catches the ball for a two-point conversion during the third quarter of the game against the Dallas Cowboys at MetLife Stadium on December 30, 2018 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images) /
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NY Giants tight end Evan Engram (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
NY Giants tight end Evan Engram (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) /

TE 1: Evan Engram

Drafted in 2017, this former first-round pick has not played a full season for Big Blue since his rookie year. For Evan Engram, this will be his fourth season as a member of the NY Giants and if he can just stay healthy, perhaps it will also be his breakout year.

There’s a lot going in his favor this season, considering incoming NY Giants offensive coordinator, Jason Garrett, has always gotten production from his TEs. Granted he’s had a Hall of Famer in Jason Witten as a centerpiece of his offense during most of his tenure as the Cowboys Head Coach.

Still, Garrett’s game plans and offensive schemes should not be hampered by the fact that it’s now Engram executing the plays. There is no reason not to feed him the ball in the middle of the field, in the seam, and in the short slot areas.

By all indications, this coaching staff will give him every opportunity. And why not? In the three seasons fans have watched Engram perform, the only thing they might think he can’t do on the field is stay there.

When healthy though, his skill-set is formidable in one-on-one matchups, and if he’s used vertically downfield this season, Engram could fulfill the potential that led to his 23rd overall selection by the previous front office when they drafted him.

And in what will be a pivotal year for the young tight end (one that will likely determine if management picks up his fifth-year option to keep him under team control through 2021 or let him go), he’s sorely due for a preeminent season.

Now with a more experienced Daniel Jones starting under center for the Giants this year, 2020 may just be the year to step up. It’s no secret that a healthy Evan Engram is an offensive star, and essentially a fourth receiver for Jones to develop a connection with over the course of a full season.

Before his 2019 season was cut short by a sprained foot that finally landed him on the IR after dealing with ongoing knee and hamstring injuries, Engram was showing glimpses of his skill, posting 44 receptions for 467 yards and 3 TDs in eight games.

Compared to his career-high 64 receptions for 722 yards and 6 TDs from his rookie season, Engram’s 2019 performance warranted belief that he was on pace to set new career highs for at least two of those stats had he remained on the field.

By staying healthy, fans around the league will see what Giants fans have glimpsed since 2017.