Brenton Strange has chance to prove his worth to Jaguars amid Evan Engram injury news

Even though the Jacksonville Jaguars have been eliminated from playoff contention, there's no shortage of storylines surrounding them ahead of their Week 15 matchup against the New York Jets. The biggest one is probably that Evan Engram will be placed on Injury Reserve and undergo a season-ending injury. While there's no doubt that his absence will hurt the offense, the Jags have a more than capable replacement in sophomore Brenton Strange.

Doug Pederson met with the local media ahead of the Jets game and said that Engram will undergo season-ending surgery to repair his labrum. When asked about how the team plans to overcome his absence, the head coach noted that the team has a handful of options. The most notable of the bunch is Strange.

A second-round pick in last year's draft, Strange made headlines but not for good reasons. For starters, his selection felt unnecessary. The Jags already had Engram in the fold. Granted, he was in the middle of a holdout, but there were no indications that he was planning to sit out the season. In fact, the team's brass and the veteran tight end ended up agreeing to a three-year extension.

Then the season came, and Strange was underwhelming, registering five receptions for 35 yards with one touchdown. The fact that he was unremarkable during offseason workouts didn't help alleviate concerns. But then, the former Penn State Nittany Lion was pressed into action when Engram suffered a hamstring injury early in the season. He showed he was up to the task., hauling in 12 receptions for 120 yards with two touchdowns.

Once Engram returned to the lineup, Strange took a backseat. However, he'll once again have a chance to show his worth.

Brenton Strange could make Evan Engram a cap casualty for the Jaguars in 2025

There's no doubt that Evan Engram has been a key contributor for the Jacksonville Jaguars since his arrival in 2022. However, he has only one year left on his contract, and the presence of fellow tight end Brenton Strange could make him expendable.

Engram is set to have a cap hit of $19.75 million in 2025, but the Jaguars can free up $6.2 million with $13 million if they release him or trade him. An alternative would be to take a pay cut, but it's uncertain if the Powder Springs native would be willing to take that path.

Ultimately, Engram's potential release would come down to two things. First, do the Jags think he's worth the $6.2 million? Second, Strange showed promise early in the season and if he comes through the last few weeks of the season, his veteran counterpart could become expendable. Add the fact that there could be a new regime in place in 2025 — one that didn't bring in Engram — and he might not return next year.

It's never great to see a player go down with injuries, but the show must go on. There's no doubt the Jaguars will miss Evan Engram, but Brenton Strange should lessen the impact of his absence.

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