Tight End Evan Engram
November 15, 2017
Q: How did you react to ownership’s statement on Head Coach Ben McAdoo?
A: We’re behind Coach Mac. Coach Mac is our head coach, he’s leading us right now and we’re following him. I love Coach Mac, I appreciate him. He’s been tremendous with my transition into the league and he definitely has our support and we’re fighting for him.
Q: Has this year gone better than you had anticipated, personally?
A: Like, individually? No, I have pretty big expectations for myself. I feel like I can be doing more, but definitely I’m kind of hard to please. But, definitely, it’s pretty cool coming in and having some success, but it’s just some expectations I have for myself.
Q: Do you feel that it has been a smooth transition into the NFL this year?
A: Those first couple of weeks, my head was spinning a little bit out there and I wasn’t as confident. But definitely learning some things, fixing some mistakes and knowing that I belong out there, having some confidence, I think that’s been the biggest jump I’ve taken. It’s definitely helped me with my game and getting out there and making plays.
Q: Are you playing loose right now?
A: Just playing loose, just having confidence and knowing that I’m out there and can make big plays and be physical in the run game. Just doing what I’m supposed to do for my team. Just having some swagger and some confidence with it.
Q: How has quarterback Eli Manning been in your transition to the NFL?
A: Oh man, Eli, from day one, helping me get on the same page as him. Learn the offense, learn the ins and outs, just getting on the same page with him. Chemistry is a big deal between quarterbacks and his receivers, so it’s tremendous help by 10 and definitely I owe him a lot to the transition I’ve made.
Q: How do you feel like your blocking development is coming?
A: It’s alright. Definitely I think I can do some things better. Just kind of just getting in some positions, hold my ground a little bit more, just small things I’m working on. There’s some things I’m doing pretty well, but definitely kind of more focused on the corrections I can make.
Q: Why do you think you’ve been able to make improvements to your blocking?
A: Just learning, technique, just getting in the right positions. To kind of actually know what the defense is trying to do, that helps a lot. Just kind of the small things. The physicality and the strength part, that’s just football, but there’s a lot of small things I’ve learned that has helped me a lot.
Q: Have you been in-line more than you expected coming into the season?
A: A little bit, yeah. But, it creates a lot of mismatches and it opens up a lot of things. So, I’m definitely in-line a lot, but I love it.
Q: How has the adjustment been going, lining up across from defensive linemen?
A: It’s definitely tough, but that’s the game and I love to compete. Those guys are huge, but I’m in there trying to compete with them.
Q: When you were drafted, people thought you may play more out wide, but you’re a tight end, right?
A: Yeah, I’m a tight end. People can say that all day, but I do everything every other tight end does. I don’t really pay too much mind of it, but I’m just doing what I’m asked to do.
Q: Looking ahead, if you are asked to be in-line more, will you try to get a little bit bigger, or do you think you’re okay with where you’re at now?
A: I think I’m good. Along the season it’s kind of inevitable, you drop a couple pounds, but from where I started in camp and where I’m at now, I’m good.
Q: Did you not like that label, when you were called a big wide receiver?
A: I didn’t pay any mind to it. I’m in-line, I do everything any other tight end is asked to do, so I don’t really pay any mind to it. I just do whatever my team asks me to do.
Q: Was it an effort to keep your weight up when you got here?
A: It was actually not that hard when I got here. In college, it was always hard for me for some reason, but when I got here, the food, just all the different types of shakes they have and the weight plan and the weight room, for some reason – I think it was just old man weight that’s starting to stick on me.
Q: How much do you weigh now?
A: Around 235.
Q: What did you weigh when you joined the Giants?
A: When I got here, I was 235. When camp started, I was 240.
Q: Have you noticed that defenses are starting to pay more attention to you?
A: Yeah, last game they had some coverages kind of thrown at my way, some different things. But, they’ve got to respect when we’re in the lead, they’ve got to respect when you’ve got Sterling [Shepard] over there, when you’ve got ‘TK’ [Tavarres King] and ‘Otto’ [Roger Lewis]. I mean, a lot of teams, pretty much they choose what they, but there have been some instances where I’ve seen some coverages kind of trying to take me out of the offense.
Q: How much do you think it will help you that you have been thrown into being a large part of the offense so fast?
A: I’ve just had to grow up a little bit faster, mature a little bit more, learning a lot. I think that’s probably going to be the biggest step that I’m going to take, just learning the importance of just being a big playmaker, just stepping up in big moments, kind of having to deal with a lot of adversity. So, definitely going forward it will make me a better player, a better person.
Q: Is it hard to balance personal success with team struggles?
A: Honestly, it’s kind of hard to appreciate the personal success with the team’s outcome. It’s tough for me to get excited by how I play when we lose a game. But, I’m doing some good things and some things I can definitely build on, but it’s definitely tough to kind of enjoy those things with the unwanted team outcome.
I am in the camp that we really don't need to "add" a traditional #2. I think with King and Lewis, we're fine. And even better would be having more 2TE formations with Engram split out and Shepard in the slot.
The potential is there for Eli and whoever follows him to have great success, as long as we have a good offensive coach to put it all together, and good play from the QB.