Jaguars collapse vs. Buccaneers: Trevor Lawrence, 3 more duds and 2 studs in Week 16
2. Elijah Cooks, wide receiver
It took the Jaguars a while to feature rookie Elijah Cooks in the lineup but the former San Jose State Spartan showed in Week 16 what he's capable of doing, hauling in three receptions for 38 yards. Unfortunately, offensive coordinator Press Taylor decided at one point that it no longer made sense to keep feeding Cooks so he stopped getting targeted.
Cooks, an undrafted free agent, made the Jaguars' 53-man roster. However, he was mostly a healthy scratch to start the season and only got playing time when the injury bug struck. But even when he got offensive snaps, he wasn't getting targeted. In fact, he only had one target before Week 16. Maybe it's time the coaching staff gives Cooks a closer look, along with a bigger workload.
1. Evan Engram, tight end
Evan Engram continues to show out despite the team's recent struggles. Not only did he get the Good Guy Award for being great to the media, but he's one of the few Jaguars players who's played at a high level during the four-game losing skid.
Congratulations to Evan Engram, who definitely deserved the award. But we’d also like to note that 13 players received votes, which is a testament to how professional and helpful the Jaguars locker room is. https://t.co/0viA47n7DI
— Michael DiRocco (@ESPNdirocco) December 22, 2023
Just a couple weeks ago, Engram broke his career bests for catches and receiving yards he set last year. He continued to put up good numbers against the Buccaneers, reeling in six receptions for 90 yards.
In a year in which things are spiraling out of control, the former Ole Miss Rebel is close to crossing the 100-catch mark. Regardless of how things play out the rest of the way, that's a milestone worth recognizing.
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