Jaguars TE Evan Engram breaks Kyle Brady’s Receptions Record vs. Jets

The Jacksonville Jaguars are currently beating the New York Jets 13-3 on Thursday Night Football and the icing on the cake is that Evan Engram set a franchise record for receptions by a tight end in a season.

Engram has become a key cog on the Jaguars’ offense in recent weeks after a slow start to the season. A 36-yard catch in the second quarter helped him surpass Kyle Brady for the most receptions by a tight end with 65.

With two more games left in the season, Engram is having the most productive season for a tight end in Jaguars’ history. If he keeps racking up catches, he should have no trouble setting a new record for receiving yards in a season by a tight end.

Brady currently holds the record with 729, so there’s still a chance Engram can break it against the Jets or maybe next week. Against the Tennessee Titans, the former Ole Miss Rebel had 11 catches (tied for a career best) for 162 receiving yards, which is also the record for the most in a single game by a Jaguars tight end.

A first-round selection by the New York Giants in 2017, Engram signed a one-year deal with Jacksonville in free agency in hopes of getting a top-market, multi-year contract next offseason. Given how he’s played, there’s a good chance he will get it from the Jags or another team.

The Jaguars are beating the Jets at halftime of Thursday Night Football

Trevor Lawrence is 11-of-16 for 147 yards with one rushing touchdown at halftime. He lost a fumble in the Jaguars’ red zone but the defense limited the Jets to an end zone. Engram is the Jags’ leading receiver with five catches for 83 yards while Travis Etienne has logged 17 carries for 64 touchdowns.

Riley Patterson failed a field goal in the second half and is 2-of-3 but it’s raining, so the miss is kind of justified. On a side note, rookie Devin Lloyd intercepted Zach Wilson just before halftime.

General manager Trent Baalke will have a tough choice to make, should he give Evan Engram a long-term deal or let him walk in the offseason and add a tight end in the draft? The good thing is that the team’s brass has ample time to make a decision. For the time being, they need to maximize Evan Engram’s impact on the field.