The Jacksonville Jaguars cut ties with Evan Engram in the offseason despite the fact that he was a mainstay of their offense the past three years. Money certainly was a factor but far from the only reason they moved on from the veteran tight end. Another thing that played a role in the decision was the emergence of Brenton Strange, who is ready for a bigger role in 2025. In fact, he's better than Engram for the Jags' new offensive scheme in one key area.
Strange had a sitdown with John Oehser of the team's official website and acknowledged that he takes pride in blocking, pointing out that he wants to be a complete tight end.
"Most definitely, I want to be a complete tight end," Strange responded when Oehser noted that he strikes him as the kind of tight end who can catch and block. "And at the end of the day, it's just like imposing your will. Like, when you're blocking, like, go out there and impose your will over somebody, and you do it over and over again, they're gonna break down eventually."
Strange continued, "So it's one of my favorite parts, just being a complete tight end and being asked to do everything that the coaches are asking to do with you."
Earlier in the exchange, Strange told Oehser that the new scheme asks him to do many things.
"I think the best part about being a tight end is that you're asked to do everything. You know, you're asked to be a pass catcher, asked to be a blocker, you're asked to do everything. That's my favorite part about this scheme so far is that they're going to ask a lot of us. And that's the best part of being a tight end is that you get to be involved with everybody. And I think that's amazing," Strange said.
One thing that will help Strange build off of last year is the fact that the Jags kept tight ends coach Richard Angulo.
"That's a huge advantage just coming back, you already know what your coach expects out of you, and the standards of the room. And you don't have to build a new relationship. It can be tough sometimes to just learn a person and for that person to love you and I care, or to learn you. I think that Rich does a good job every single day to bring the intensity to our room and hold us accountable to that standard."
Strange was a non-factor as a rookie, tallying five receptions for 35 yards and one touchdown. However, he showed progress in 2024 when he filled in for Engram, hauling in 40 receptions for 411 yards with two touchdowns.
The well-rounded Brenton Strange was a better fit for the Jaguars than Evan Engram
Nowadays, tight ends are often used as big targets in the passing game. Engram certainly thrived in this area, but because he wasn't that much of a blocker, he wasn't a fit in Liam Coen's new scheme. Meanwhile, Strange excels in that area, and that's partly why, aside from his pass-catching skills, the Jags are rolling with him in 2025.
Another sign that the Jaguars won't use their tight ends as catchers and will instead use them as blockers is that they brought in Hunter Long, Johnny Mundt, and Quintin Morris in the offseason. The trio didn't put up big numbers but saw plenty of time as blockers with their respective teams.
As TE1, Brenton Strange will see an uptick in playing time next season but some of it will come as a blocker, so don't expect him to end up with a massive statline. Still, he will have a positive impact for the Jaguars.
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