Jaguars veteran already looking expendable as OTAs gain steam

Life in the NFL is tough. Sometimes, it's not about what you can or can't do but rather what other players can do. Such is the case for tight end Hunter Long. While he came through last season, the Jacksonville Jaguars could cut ties with him after the arrival of rookies Nate Boerkircher and Tanner Koziol.

Maybe if the Jags hadn't drafted Boerkircher and Koziol, Hunter would have better odds of sticking around. This begs the question, could he really be a victim of the numbers game?

The Jaguars could cut Hunter Long before the regular season

Hunter Long was a third-round pick by the Miami Dolphins in 2021. Injuries limited him to just 16 games in his first two seasons. By 2023, the Phins had seen enough and cut ties with him. The former Boston College Eagle then latched onto the Los Angeles Rams. After two unremarkable seasons, he became a free agent.

The Jaguars released Evan Engram in 2025 to pave the way for Brenton Strange. With Luke Farrell also leaving in free agency, the team's brass brougth in Long, along with Johnny Mundt, to serve as the backups. At the time, the moves made sense because Liam Coen needs his tight ends to block in his system.

Neither Long nor Mundt put up mind-blowing numbers with their past teams, but they made a name for themselves due to their blocking chops. In the end, Long logged 22 percent of the team's total snaps on offense, while Mundt played 33 percent. Already, the latter was released early in 2026, and the former could be next.

Hunter is set to make $2.7 million next season, but releasing him would free up $1.3 million in space with $1.3 million in dead money. That's not much, but it could still give Jacksonville enough relief to pull the trigger.

The Jaguars can afford to cut ties with Hunter Long

Hunter Long will be given a legitimate chance to stick around in Jacksonville, but it's simply hard to see him making the roster next season. Brenton Strange is firmly entrenched as the starter, and barring anything unexpected, Nate Boerkircher and Tanner Koziol will be Nos. 2 and 3 on the depth chart, respectively.

Boerkircher has missed time at Organized Teams Activities, but it doesn't appear to be something serious. Instead, the coaching staff is holding him out as a precautionary measure. Meanwhile, Koziol has stood out because of his pass-catching skills.

But even if Boerkircher or Koziol struggled, veteran Quintin Morris is also in the mix. He landed in Duval after the draft last year and became the primary backup behind Morris by the end of 2025. The Bowling Green product re-signed with the Jags in the offseason and may be the favorite to stay if Jacksonville keeps four tight ends.

Now, Hunter Long could make a strong enough impression to earn a roster spot with the Jags, so don't stick the fork just yet. However, his odds don't look particularly great with OTAs underway.

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