Maxx Williams could form solid tandem with Jaguars TE Dan Arnold

The Jacksonville Jaguars need to upgrade their tight end room this offseason and if they want to address the position in free agency, they will have several options available, including Maxx Williams who played for the Arizona Cardinals the last three seasons.

Brad Spielberger of Pro Football Focus recently came up with a list of one free agent every NFL team should pursue and Williams was the choice for the Jaguars. He notes that Jacksonville lacks talent at tight end (he isn’t wrong) and points out that the 2015 second-round pick would be a solid addition to the roster after signing the likes of Tim Tebow and failing to address the position last year.

Spielberg notes that the Jags eventually traded for tight end Dan Arnold, who posted 60 receiving yards in four of his first six games in Jacksonville but suffered a knee injury that cut his season short. He believes that Arnold and Williams would form a solid tandem despite the fact that they are “polar opposites”:

"Arnold and Williams are polar opposites in terms of tight end play, with Arnold a wiry 220 pounds and Williams a solid 252. They’d make a solid pairing in two-tight end sets, and Williams showed this year that he’s more than just a blocking tight end, with his 78.8 grade through Week 5 ranking fifth among tight ends and his 8.0 yards after the catch per reception ranking sixth."

Maxx Williams is one of many options the Jaguars will have in 2022’s FA.

If the Jaguars aren’t interested in giving Dalton Schultz, or Mike Gesicki a contract that pays either one top-market money, they can pursue a cost-effective option like Williams. As Spielberger said, he could form a solid tight end duo opposite Arnold.

Having said that, Jacksonville will have more than enough cap space — close to $59 million, per Over The Cap  — so there’s no reason not to be aggressive and look for the best options available in the offseason, especially when you take into account that Williams has only caught more than 16 passes in a season just one and that was all the way back in his rookie campaign, when he had 32. Another thing to keep in mind is that the Jags already have a tight end with a similar production on their roster.

Williams has hauled in 102 receptions for 994 yards with six touchdowns throughout his seven-year career. For comparison, James O’Shaughnessy, who is also set to become a free agent, has had 112 catches for 1,108 yards in the same span. The Jaguars may opt to go with the devil they know and re-sign O’Shaughnessy, who’s made 19 starts over the last two seasons, rather than pursuing Williams in the open market. One scenario in which the Jags could sign Williams is if the next coaching staff sees him as a better fit in the offense.

The Jaguars haven’t gotten much production from the tight end position these past two years. They will have the chance to get it right this offseason. Whether they address Williams, or someone else, they need to get Trevor Lawrence as many weapons as possible in both free agency and the draft.