The Jacksonville Jaguars aren't in need of help at tight end; quite the opposite. You could even make the case that they're stacked at the position. However, that didn't stop the team's brass from bringing in reinforcements following the discouraging Week 2 loss to the Denver Broncos.
The Jags announced that they've signed tight end Brenden Bates to the practice squad. They had 16 players on the practice squad — not counting Kilian Zierer via the International Pathway program — before inking him, so it may be a matter of time before they release someone.
Head coach Liam Coen coached Bates at Kentucky, so it's highly likely that their connection played a role in the signing.
The Jaguars just got stronger at tight end with Brenden Bates
The Jaguars already had Brenton Strange, Tanner Koziol, Quintin Morris, and Nate Boerkircher on the roster. Hayden Rucci is also on the practice squad, so bringing in Brenden Bates seems a bit unnecessary, but Jacksonville may have a role in mind for him.
An undrafted free agent, Bates spent his rookie season with the Chicago Bears. He's also played for the New York Jets, the Cleveland Browns, and the Houston Texans. The former Wildcat has appeared in 16 games with three starts the past two years, hauling in four receptions for 48 yards in that span.
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Don't expect the Jaguars to give Brenden Bates too much playing time
Brenden Bates quietly held the fort in Cleveland late in the 2025 season when fellow tight end David Njoku was unavailable. He spent the offseason with the Browns but was given the boot before the cutdown deadline. His stint in Berea is noteworthy because he was mostly used as an in-line blocker, and that's probably how the Jags will use him.
Having said that, it's hard to see Bates eventually get signed to the active roster even though he may be better than Hayden Rucci. Instead, the best-case scenario right now might be promoting him via standard elevation for a couple games if Jacksonville suffers an injury at tight end. And even then, he may have an uphill battle to see the field next season.
Having said that, Brenden Bates' upside and familiarity with Liam Coen might have been too good for the Jaguars to pass up, so even though they won't need him right now, it doesn't hurt to have him around.
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