The Jaguars tight ends will be a critical part of the 2019 offense

Will the Jacksonville Jaguars be able to use the tight end position more effectively this season?

Tight ends are an important part of the Jaguars offense as designed by coordinator John DeFilippo. They were important in his last two stops – Philadelphia and Minnesota. It stands to reason the same thing will happen for this team in North Florida.

The Jaguars offense last year was pathetic. DeFilippo or “Flip” as his players and the coaching staff refer to him, has been put in charge. His job is to turn a very bad offense into (at least) a respectable offense.  He has worked with new quarterback Nick Foles in the past and both he and Jacksonville’s newest leader on offense want to create something special.

One important component is the success at the tight end position  DeFilippo told the media during OTAs the tight ends on this roster are going to be asked to a great many things during the season.

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The Jaguars have six tight ends on their current roster.  NFL teams usually keep three tight ends but may keep four and use one as a fullback on certain plays.

"Per Phillip Heilman of GateHouse Florida published in the Daytona Beach Journal on June 15, 2019, “Josh Oliver, a third round pick, should emerge as the best pass catching option for Foles.  Geoff Swaim is a consistent enough blocker. James O’Shaughnessy can do some of both. “"

The other tight ends on the roster at this time will probably not be on the active roster when the season begins. The Jaguars may search the waiver wires closer to regular season play if they decide to keep four tight ends.

Let’s look at the three tight ends that have a good chance to play for the Jaguars in the fall.

Oliver was a third round draft choice from San Jose State. He is a good prospect known for his pass catching abilities. As stated in a prior article  Oliver has all around athleticism, above average speed, strong hands, good body control, and the ability to make yards after the catch.  However, he has minimal blocking experience.

Swaim played for the Dallas Cowboys from 2015-2018.  He played in 37 games and caught 35 passes for 336 yards.  He has good size at 6’4” and 260 pounds.  He was used primarily as a blocker during his Cowboy years.  His development has been limited by a series of injuries.

O’Shaughnessy was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in 2015 and traded to the New England Patriots after two seasons. He was waived by the Patriots and claimed by the Jaguars in 2017.   He played in Jacksonville in 2017 and 2018.  He caught 46 passes for 449 yards.

This tight end group is very limited in experience but could be very good with the right coaching and a little luck.  If Oliver can play in the NFL the way he played in college, if Swaim can stay on the field and avoid the injury bug, if O’Shaughnessy can be moved around in a variety of roles then this could be a very solid group. Training camp will be critical to the development of this position group.