3 rookies who have shined for the Jacksonville Jaguars this season, 2 who haven't

2. Brenton Strange has been a non-factor for the Jaguars in 2023

Evan Engram had a career year for the Jaguars in 2022. Having signed a one-year deal, he was set to become a free agent but the team's brass prevented him from hitting the open market by applying the franchise tag. The former Ole Miss Rebel would ultimately get the long-term but Jacksonville still needed to bolster their tight end room due to the departures of Chris Manhertz and Dan Arnold, so they used a second-round pick on Brenton Strange.

The team's brass says that they were lured by Strange's versatility and ability to create yards after the catch. On top of that, they saw him as a culture fit, so the pick made sense in theory. In practice, however, the Penn State standout has been a non-factor this season. Now, Engram was always going to be TE1, especially after signing a multi-year extension. However, it's a bit concerning not only that Strange hasn't gotten much playing time but also that fellow tight end Luke Farrell has had a bigger role than him.

You could point to Farrell's experience in the system as a reason for getting more playing time than Strange. On the other hand, you don't draft a player in the second round to keep him on the sidelines unless he's a quarterback or he's struggling.

Maybe Strange is having a bit of trouble with his adjustment to the pros, but he's not the only player who's experienced rookie pains. Perhaps he'll get more playing time next season, but for the time being, he's been somewhat of an afterthought on the Jaguars offense.