There is the canyon-sized hole in the Giants’ aerial attack, created by the trade of Odell Beckham Jr. There is the natural growth and maturity that comes as a player ages. And there is a familiarity with an offense in the second year in a system.
For all those reasons, Evan Engram looks at himself differently as he prepares for his third season with the Giants.
“I feel myself kind of growing into a bigger leadership role, bigger role in the offense,” the former Ole Miss star said. “I’m just excited.”
Engram — the third-year pro in Year 2 of Pat Shurmur’s system — treated this offseason as much. He ate healthier and improved his sleeping habits, knowing how important he would be. After missing six games in his first two seasons, five of them last year, Engram wanted to make sure he’s able to stay on the field. When he’s active, he’s been productive, catching 109 passes for 1,299 yards and nine touchdowns in 26 games.
“I haven’t felt this good in a while,” the 6-foot-3, 240-pound playmaker said. “Being professional, taking care of my body, it’s making a huge difference.”
Engram has set a few personal goals for himself, but kept them private, preferring to focus on the team like a leader would do. He did share one hope for himself.
“I would like to make the Pro Bowl and not play in it,” he said with a smile. That would mean the Giants are playing in the Super Bowl.
He’ll have to wait to show what he can do in a game until the regular-season opener Sept. 8 against the Cowboys. Shurmur has held out Engram for the entire postseason after he was limited for most of the spring with a hamstring strain.
“We’ve really defined how we want to use him as a coaching staff,” Shurmur said.
Engram has shown no signs of the hamstring holding him back this summer, frequently running free during team drills. His ability to create separation and make plays down the field, however, isn’t anything new. His blocking, though, might be.
Engram and the Giants believe he has improved significantly in that area, which was viewed as a deficiency when he was drafted. Working closely with tight end Rhett Ellison has helped, but so has his desire to improve in that area.
“It’s crazy how much better I have gotten at the blocking game,” he said. “Watching [Ellison] each and every day, and working alongside him, it’s added a lot to my plate in the blocking game. With the steps, it’s the small details. I’ve always kind of had the punch, I’ve always had the heart to get in there and fight, but it’s been a lot of details. I really feel like I’ve taken my game to another level in that aspect, just through the coaching and playing with the guys.”
When the Giants drafted Engram, there was talk he could be the next great Giants tight end, following a group that has included Mark Bavaro and Jeremy Shockey. He heard that talk and aspires to be in the conversation with them. Now that he enters the season in top condition and has improved his all-around game, this would seem to be the right time to take that needed step forward.
“I love those guys, and I love being compared to those guys,” he said. “I’ve seen film and I’ve watched all the greats, and I have definitely learned a lot. I come up here each and every day to be the best Evan Engram I can be.
“As long as I take care of my body, as long as I get in the playbook, as long as I watch film and put the work in on the field, when the opportunity comes to make those plays, I’ll be getting comparisons. People will be comparing people to me.”