Time For Jaguars To Unleash This Talented Weapon

The Jacksonville Jaguars need to unlock this talented offensive playmaker during the second half of the NFL season.

Aug 12, 2023; Arlington, Texas, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Brenton Strange (85) on the line of scrimmage in the game against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-Imagn Images / Tim Heitman-Imagn Images

The Jacksonville Jaguars fell to 2-8 after their Week 10 loss to the Minnesota Vikings, so it may be time for them to start trying some different things.

The Jaguars aren't going to the playoffs this year. Ergo, it would be smart for Jacksonville to start thinking about 2025 and beyond.

That means attempting to establish which young players could potentially make an impact after this season.

One weapon that the Jags should specifically be focusing on is tight end Brenton Strange.

The Jaguars selected Strange in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft, and after a very unimpactful rookie campaign in which he logged just five catches for 35 yards and a touchdown, it seems as if Jacksonville is starting to become more comfortable with the Penn State product.

Strange's numbers aren't brilliant this year by any means. In 10 games, he has caught 20 passes for 215 yards and a couple of scores. But he has had a few games in 2024 where the Jags have made him sort of a focal point, like in Week 8 when he caught five passes against the Green Bay Packers.

Still, the Jaguars aren't utilizing Strange enough.

Yes, Evan Engram is the No. 1 tight end, but he is already 30 years old and has just one more year remaining on his deal after this season.

Plus, Engram has been rather underwhelming this year, having posted only 31 receptions for 263 yards and a score.

There exists a world in which Jacksonville could trade Engram during the offseason in order to recoup some value for him and open things up for Strange.

If the Jags decide to go in that direction (and it's not out of the realm of possibility), it would be wise to start getting Strange some more targets now to see what he really has.

Strange didn't post huge numbers in college. He amassed 70 grabs for 755 yards while reaching the end zone 11 times over four years with the Nittany Lions.

However, the 23-year-old has obvious upside as a potentially explosive playmaker in the aerial attack, and quarterback Trevor Lawrence needs pieces to grow with moving forward.

Strange could be one of those pieces. It's time for the Jaguars to let him loose.

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