In the aftermath of the 35-6 win over the Los Angeles Chargers, the Jacksonville Jaguars made a couple changes at safety. First, they added veteran Juan Thornhill to the practice squad. And not long after, the team's brass released Kahled Hailassie.
Thornhill is a grizzled veteran, so the Jags can promote him on game day in case they need help at safety. They probably brought him in because they didn't think Hailassie could help, but that's not necessarily surprising. He was a healthy scratch throughout his stint in Jacksonville. What stood out about his release was that the front office didn't make a corresponding move, meaning that they didn't fill his roster spot.
Perhaps the Jaguars want to sign a free agent off the streets to bolster a position group. However, a most likely scenario is that they're paving the way for tight end Brenton Strange to return.
The Jaguars have one roster spot open for Brenton Strange
Brenton Strange suffered a quad injury in the Week 5 win over the Kansas City Chiefs. Not long after, he landed on the Injured Reserve. At the time, the former Penn State Nittany Lion was leading the team with 20 catches for 210 yards. On top of that, he filled an integral role on offense as a mauling blocker. It's fair to say that Jacksonville misses his attributes in recent weeks. This is why it was encouraging to see his 21-day window to return open after the loss to the Houston Texans.
Technically, Strange remains on IR, but he's back in the grass. If the Jaguars don't activate him within 21 days, he'll stay on IR the rest of the season, meaning that they open the window because they believe he'll be back soon.
And that's the thing, why would they leave a roster spot open if the team is close to activating Strange? The logical conclusion is that they're saving it for him.
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Brenton Strange will give the Jaguars a massive spark on offense
Football is a team sport, but you can tell how much the Jaguars missed Brenton Strange after he got hurt. From Week 6 to 11 (six games), they racked up four losses, and their offense struggled to move the ball. Not only did Trevor Lawrence miss his pass-catching skills, but the absence of his blocking chops was noticeable.
Fortunately, Strange is coming back at the right time. Lawrence has quickly built a rapport with wide receiver Jakobi Meyers, and the team cleaned up the penalties. Maybe Jacksonville could build off the win over the Chargers without Strange, but having him back will give the offense a much-needed boost.
Ultimately, the Jaguars need all the help they can get to finish the season strong. Having Brenton Strange back soon will most definitely increase their odds of qualifying for the postseason.