The Jacksonville Jaguars managed to keep Evan Engram from leaving in free agency with the franchise tag but tight end still remained a need in the 2023 NFL Draft due to the offseason departures of Dan Arnold and Chris Manhertz. Although the Jags had the chance to go after Luke Musgrave, Michael Mayer, and Sam LaPorta -- this year's top tight end prospects, they went with Penn State's Brenton Strange at No. 61.
While Strange pick raised eyebrows, the Jaguars' brass saw him as a culture fit, with head coach Doug Pederson noting that "he's kind of a ready-made tight end for us". A four-star recruit out of high school, Strange was projected to be a third-round or Day 3 pick. However, general manager Trent Baalke said the people he spoke with had nothing but good things to say about the tight end and added he "really plays the game the way we want to play it".
Even though Strange needs to work on his route-running, his versatility should make him an intriguing piece of the Jaguars' offense. Besides being a capable in-line blocker, the West Virginia native has a penchant for churning out yards after the catch, an highly valuable trait in any passing attack.
With that said, you could argue that the Strange pick deserves skepticism when you consider that there were other higher-graded tight ends on the board when the Jags drafted him. However, there are reasons to believe they got it right with the former Nittany Lion, and here are three.
3. The Jaguars didn't force the Brenton Strange pick in Round 2
The Jags could have taken Dalton Kincaid in the first round but opted to trade down and let the Buffalo Bills draft him instead. In Round 2, the Detroit Lions and the Las Vegas Raiders proceeded to select Sam LaPorta and Michael Mayer respectively. Then, the Green Bay Packers went with Luke Musgrave. All this while Jacksonville kept looking for ways to move down.
Instead of trading to the top of the second round for a tight end, the Jags waited for Brenton Strange to fall to them. General manager Trent Baalke told the media one week before the draft that it wasn't an "absolute necessity" to bolster their tight end room and true to his word, they waited until Round 2 to address the position. Moreover, they didn't have to trade up to get their guy.
2. Having Brenton Strange will allow the Jaguars to make a decision on Evan Engram
Evan Engram got the franchise tag and unless he reaches a multi-year agreement with the Jags before the July 15 deadline, he'll become a free agent next offseason. While there's a chance the former Ole Miss Rebel and the Jaguars strike a long-term contract, the front office might doesn't seem to be inclined to pay him more than what they think he's currently worth.
Nobody will deny Engram's impact on the offense. Besides setting new career highs, he broke several team records, including the most yards in a game by a tight end, most receiving yards by a tight end in a season, and most catches by tight end in a season. Simply, he played a huge role in Trevor Lawrnence's development and was also a big reason Jacksonville ranked 10th in points scored last year.
Not surprisingly, Engram wanted a contract that reflected his value to the teams. Following the end of the 2022 season, paying him an annual salary of around $13 million to $15, which would have made him one of the five highest-paid tight ends in the league, seemed reasonable.
Unfortunately, there wasn't a high demand for tight ends this year and the market was severely depressed. Mike Gesicki signed a one-year deal that can be worth up to $9 million with the New England Patriots while Dalton Schultz, got a $6.25 million contract from the Houston Texans.
Right or wrong, Engram wasn't going to get the deal he wanted in free agency, and staying in Jacksonville might have been his best possible outcome. And if he doesn't adjust his contract demands, the Jaguars have insurance in Brenton Strange.
1. Brenton Strange can become the Jacksonville Jaguars No. 1 tight end in 2024
When teams scout prospects, NFL clubs project what kind of role they can have in the pros. Whether those players end up living up to expectations is a whole different issue but the Jags surely think Brenton Strange can develop into a solid starter. Otherwise, they wouldn't have used an early-round pick on him.
So what exactly do the Jaguars' brass expect from Strange? Certainly, not to be a Day 1 starter, and barring injury, he won't get significant playing time in 2023. First, he'll first need to beat Luke Farrell and Gerrit Prince for the No. 2 tight end job. But given the investment the front office made in him, he will get every possible chance to earn it.
So let's say Strange is the No. 2 behind Engram in 2023. He is a better receiver than Chris Manhertz is and he's also an adequate blocker, which should help him earn playing time early on. It's not farfetched to see Strange playing 38 percent of the offensive snaps, the same amount Manhertz logged last year.
The fact that Strange won't get a feature role on offense right off the bat and will instead learn behind Engram should allow him to focus on refining his skills during his rookie campaign. Similarly, not being the top tight end on the depth chart should take some pressure off his shoulders.
If Strange ends up making a good impression on the team's brass throughout the year, they will have an easier time moving on from Engram. Conversely, if Strange struggles, the Jacksonville Jaguars can bring back Engram or invest an early-round pick in the position. Either way, the team's brass will have flexibility at tight end.