TE Paul savors shot in new role

Could pile up catches with more targets in undermanned group

JACKSONVILLE — It didn’t take long earlier this week for Jaguars tight end Niles Paul to recount each touchdown catch he has made since entering the NFL seven years ago. All two of them. A 29-yard flag route off a playaction fake at Dallas in 2012 and a 2-yard fade route against the Jaguars in 2014 were Paul’s only receiving scores in 82 career games with the Washington Redskins.

“I found myself in D.C. in situations where I was behind Chris Cooley, Fred Davis, Jordan Reed, Vernon Davis, all these Pro Bowl-caliber players, all these Pro Bowl-caliber tight ends,” Paul explained. “I’m just trying to get in where I fit in, and I’ve just tried to make the most of every opportunity that I’ve had.”

Beginning Sunday when the Jaguars (3-2) are at Dallas (2-3), Paul could have his best opportunity yet to finally get in the end zone with some regularity. The Jaguars certainly hope he can.

Starting tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins (core muscle injury that required surgery) is on injured reserve and won’t be back until December at the earliest. Without him, Paul seems to be the likeliest option to emerge despite having all of 68 career catches before this season. He has 10 catches this year for the Jaguars.

Also on the Jaguars’ roster at the position are James O’Shaughnessy and David Grinnage. Promoted from the practice squad on Tuesday, Grinnage is in line to make his NFL debut against the Cowboys.

No doubt, it’s an undermanned group and one that would benefit from including someone like Marcedes Lewis, who is now in Green Bay after the Jaguars released him in March following 12 seasons with the team. But at least for now, it’s what the Jaguars have, and Paul is the most intriguing option.

“He’s a guy we’re still trying to figure out things he’s good at and what he likes to do,” quarterback Blake Bortles said. “He’s obviously a dude that can flat-out run. He’s fast. I would say each week there’s more and more stuff for him. It’s just a matter of busting out one game, and I think he’s due to have a big game.”

On the field for a season-high 35 snaps last week at Kansas City, the 29-year-old Paul took on a bigger role in the offense after Seferian-Jenkins went out. He had seven catches (on nine targets) for 65 yards, most of which came when the Jaguars trailed big in the second half and Bortles was forced to throw.

On his nine targets, Paul typically began each play either in the slot or as part of a trips package. Those looks led to shallow routes, which might not change much Sunday as the Jaguars — down to third-string left tackle Josh Walker — try to neutralize a Cowboys pass rush that is led by ferocious defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence (5.5 sacks, fourth in the NFL).

That’s fine with Paul, who has waited patiently for this type of moment.

“Whatever they ask me to do, I do,” Paul said. “Just having the opportunity to get more and more comfortable with Blake is a tremendous opportunity. I can feel that he’s a getting a little more comfortable with putting the ball in there for me and me making the play for him. Hopefully we can build on that from here.”

Whether it’s Paul, O’Shaughnessy or Grinnage in the game, just as important will be how the tight ends block.

When left tackle Josh Wells replaced an injured Cam Robinson in Week 2 against New England, the Jaguars consistently had Seferian-Jenkins line up on Wells’ outside hip to help with pass protection. The players will be different, but a similar game plan would make sense against Dallas, particularly if it turns out to be a low-scoring game.

“We’ve all just got to go out there and be fighters,” said O’Shaughnessy, who has six catches for 72 yards this season. “I think it’s instilled in us from our coach and instilled in us from our offensive staff. Between me, Niles and Dave, we all kind of have that fighting mentality, that scrappy mentality that we’re just going to do whatever it takes to get our job done to the best of our ability.”

Back in the preseason, the Jaguars were glad to have Paul as a special-teams contributor who provided depth on offense. That’s no longer a luxury they are afforded. They need him to be prepared to add to their passing game.

And that might finally translate to a few more touchdowns.

“If they needed me to play fullback, I could do that,” Paul said. “If they needed me to split out wide, I could do that.”