Trusted Jaguars voice projects Brenton Strange to cash out big

Now that OTAs have officially started, it's time to stop crying about the past and start looking ahead to the future. And interestingly enough for the Jacksonville Jaguars, the future could involve a very pricey decision: Time has absolutely flown by, and Brenton Strange is entering the final year of his rookie deal.

When he first arrived in Jacksonville, Strange struggled to make a noticeable impact on the team's offense. In 2025, however, he established himself as one of the most important pieces of Lian Coen's offense. According to Sports Illustrated's John Shipley, the former Nittany Lion's performance has placed him in line to earn a payday that would put him among the highest-paid players at his position.

While giving his take, Shipley was pretty measured, as he conceded that Trey McBride, the Arizona Cardinals' All-Pro tight end, was "on a different level" than the Jaguars' fourth-year standout. When elaborating, the respected beat writer said:

"[It] is worth noting that McBride's pass-catching production has been on a different level than Strange's," Shipley said. "It is also worth noting that he is one of the only Cardinals players worth paying a big deal right now, while the Jaguars have big-money deals inked at quarterback, wide receiver, offensive tackle, and defensive end."

For context, the Colorado State alum recently signed a deal worth $76 million, $32.5 million of which is fully guaranteed. However, those two numbers aren't really what I'm concerned with, as the $19 million per year (or Average Annual Value) mark McBride reached after agreeing to his contract is what I'd bet Gladstone and the rest of the front office are concerned with.

How much will Brenton Strange cash out after he and the Jaguars make a deal?

Outside of McBride's monster contract, Shipley highlighted some other wealthy players at the position. Isaiah Likely ($40 million, $13.33 million AAV) and Cole Kmet ($50 million, 12.5 million AAV) were two other high performers who were well compensated for past (and future efforts). Notably, the journalist didn't bring up Kyle Pitts and the $15.04-million franchise tag he got hit with by the Atlanta Falcons. In terms of AAV alone, Pitts actually has a better deal than Likely and Kmet and will hit the open market sooner.

When giving his final call, Shipley said, "I believe a four-year deal worth $56 million with $33 million guaranteed would get the job done. It would give Strange plenty of long-term security, while making him the league's third-highest-paid tight end in most categories. It would not be George Kittle or McBride money, but it would be more than any other tight end in the NFL outside of them."

If Shipley's estimate was correct, Strange would be pulling in $14 million in AAV. That would make him the fourth-highest-paid player at his position on a year-to-year basis. For a player who hasn't had a 1000-yard season as a receiver (yet), that would be a very good number. Also, the 2026 franchise tag for tight ends should increase since Kyle Pitts and Trey McBride will influence the average amount of compensation for the top players at the position.

I think the Jags would be wise to get Strange's services secured before the 2026 season begins. Since he was drafted in the second round, there's no fifth-year option to save the team if the Parkersburg, West Virginia native has an absolutely bonkers regular season and contributes during a playoff run as well. If they pay him now, $14 million a year would be fairly cheap. As such, the leaders in charge should learn from past mistakes before it's too late.

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