Jacksonville Jaguars: 3 positions still in need of upgrades

3 of 4

JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA – SEPTEMBER 19: James O’Shaughnessy #80 of the Jacksonville Jaguars looks on after scoring a touchdown during the first quarter against the Tennessee Titans at TIAA Bank Field on September 19, 2019, in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images) /

Tight End

I say this knowing the Jacksonville Jaguars signed Tyler Eifert in free agency and his history of injuries in his career. I also say this knowing the Jaguars tight end room has looked more like a M.A.S.H. unit that it has a place for players to contribute.

The 2020 season should be dubbed the “Year of the Tight End” in Jacksonville, hoping someone emerges and makes the coaching staff happy and the front office a little less worried about jobs. Everything will be predicated on how quickly Gruden gets the tight end involved in the offense. If the game plan is to throw the first 10 passes of the regular season to tight ends, that would send a message about how he is about using the position for something more than just an extra blocker on the offensive line.

More from Jaguars Free Agency

"“I think I know how important the tight end position is because if you look at our successful teams in Cincinnati and in Washington, when Jordan Reed and Vernon Davis played with the Redskins, we were pretty good on offense, really, especially on third down and in the red zone,” Gruden said last week when he met with the local media through Zoom. “When those guys didn’t play, you were asked to replace them with some younger guys who aren’t quite as athletic or gifted as those guys… You can double receivers all you want to, it’s hard to double tight ends and tight ends really are a key component down there in the red zone and on third down, and they’re a quarterback’s best friend.”"

If that’s the case, then expect big things in 2020.

Home/Jaguars Free Agency