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First Jaguars injury report for game vs. Bills includes big-time player on offense

• The Jaguars could be without a key cog on offense vs. the Bill on Monday Night.

By Carlos Sanchez

The helmet of Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Joshua Cephus (19) lies on the turf during a combined NFL football training camp session between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Jacksonville Jaguars Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024 at EverBank Stadium’s Miller Electric Center in Jacksonville, Fla.
The helmet of Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Joshua Cephus (19) lies on the turf during a combined NFL football training camp session between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Jacksonville Jaguars Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024 at EverBank Stadium’s Miller Electric Center in Jacksonville, Fla. / Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK
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The Jacksonville Jaguars were relatively healthy to start the 2024 season but injuries have started to pile up. Against the Buffalo Bills in Week 3, they could be without a key cog on offense.

The Jags shared their first injury report for Week 3, and tight end Evan Engram popped up.

Engram is day-to-day after suffering a hamstring injury during warmups for the Week 2 bout against the Cleveland Browns. He didn't practice Thursday.

On the other hand, defensive back Darnell Savage was back at practice, albeit on a limited basis, after missing Week 2 with a quad injury. If he suits up against the Bills, Jarrian Jones will return to the bench. The rookie cornerback played 47 snaps in the slot the last game.

Running back Tank Bigsby also returned to practice after getting hurt during a return in Week 2. Like Savage, he was limited.

Engram, a first-round pick in the 2017 draft, signed a one-year deal with the Jags in 2022. Right off the bat, he had success, setting career bests for catches and receiving yards in his first season in Jacksonville.

Following a breakout campaign, the former Ole Miss Rebel signed a three-year extension that made him one of the highest-paid players at the position in the NFL. He rewarded the team with yet another productive season in 2023. Besides breaking his own record for catches in a season, he registered the third-most catches by a tight end in league history.

The Jaguars have a capable replacement for Evan Engram in Brenton Strange

In the opener against the Miami Dolphins, Evan Engram caught just one pass on four targets for five years. Then again, not having him against the Buffalo Bills would complicate things for the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 3.

The silver lining is that the Jags have an adequate replacement for Engram in sophomore Brenton Strange. A second-round pick in the 2023 draft, the former Penn State Nittany Lion was underwhelming in his rookie campaign, registering a measly five catches for 35 yards with one touchdown.

However, Strange has made strides in Year 2. Although he didn't get a single target in the opener, he stepped up in Engram's absence, hauling in three receptions for 65 yards. Moreover, he played a crucial role as a blocker, so it's fair to say that the Jaguars will be fine if the West Virginia native pressed into action again.

That said, it's not a given that Engram will miss the Monday Night bout against the Bills. If he suits up, the Jags should then try to deploy both tight ends at the same time. If he doesn't, Strange should be ready to roll.

In the end, the Jaguars would surely want to have Evan Engram for primetime, but it doesn't make sense to rush his recovery and expose him to further risk. That's why the best course of action would be to let him recover. Having Brenton Strange in the mix should lessen the hit of his absence.

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