Did Jaguars TE Strange's Performance Give Glimpse Into the Future?

The Jacksonville Jaguars lost tight end Evan Engram for the year, but are we on the verge of watching Brenton Strange blossom into a starting role for the future?

Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Brenton Strange (85) hauls in a reception against New York Jets defensive end Haason Reddick (7) during the first quarter Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024 at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union] / Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Jacksonville Jaguars were unable to get the job done against the New York Jets in Week 15, losing in what seemed to be a game the Jaguars could end victorious in. While the season has not been in favor of Jacksonville, fans could be getting a glimpse into the future with an ascending tight end.

Brenton Strange, a 2023 second-round draft pick for Jacksonville, has shown that he has what it takes to be an effective piece of Jacksonville's future. While the Jaguars have star tight end Evan Engram, Engram has been unable to stay healthy this season, which could pose some thoughts to see what Strange can do in the meantime.

Taking this opportunity and running with it, Strange put up the best offensive performance of his young career in Week 15 for the Jaguars. In the loss, Strange had 11 receptions in 12 targets, gained 73 yards in those 11 receptions, and averaged 6.6 yards per catch. While the performance does not jump off of the page, his young career must start somewhere if it means more is to come from the young tight end.

"It felt pretty good, but it wasn’t enough to win," Strange said when asked about his performance. "So, at the end of the day, all we care about is winning around here. It really doesn’t matter. It’s cool to go out there and execute a little bit better than we have in the past weeks, but we didn’t do enough to win the game, and that’s all that matters.”

Strange may be young in age, but his mentality already resembles a strong, experienced player to have on offense. Most players won't bolster their individual stats if, at the end of the game, their team comes up on the short end. But as Strange ages, Jaguar fans may be watching a star being born.

“It really is important, but I’m not going to do anything more than just be myself," Strange said when asked about how important it is for him to perform down the stretch. "I don’t try to be anybody. I don’t try to do too much. If the ball comes my way, I’m going to make the play, and I’m going to try to score. That’s my mindset and mentality every time the ball is in my hands. Just try to score.”

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