5 most disappointing Jacksonville Jaguars players from the 2023 season

3. Brenton Strange, tight end

One of the biggest storylines surrounding the Jaguars last offseason was whether tight end Evan Engram would walk in free agency after having a career year in 2022. The team's brass ensured he wasn't going to go anywhere when they slapped him with the franchise tag. But even with him in the fold, they needed to address the tight-end position due to the departures of Dan Arnold and Chris Manhertz.

Thus, Jacksonville chose Brenton Strange 61st overall in last year's draft. By then, Sam LaPorta, Dalton Kincaid, and Michael Meyer were off the board, so Strange was one of the best tight ends left on the board. After his selection, the team's brass said that they liked his versatility, with general manager Trent Balkee saying he checked off all the boxes. While the pick made sense on paper, it didn't probably have the impact they envisioned in practice.

With Evan Engram getting the bulk of the targets, Strange was relegated to a reserve role. But even then, he didn't get much playing time, and Luke Farrell, a fifth-round pick in 2021 ended up getting more snaps on offense last year. In Strange's defense, he was a good blocker in both running and passing plays. However, you don't spend a second-round selection on a blocking tight end.

All in all, Strange hauled in five receptions on nine targets for 35 yards with one touchdown. Now, it's too early to stick a fork in Strange. Players' availability is always variable and some need a bit more time than others to hit their stride. It's possible that Strange will have a bigger impact in Year 2. If he doesn't, he and the front office should be under scrutiny, especially in light of fellow tight end Sam LaPorta's successful rookie campaign.