Brenton Strange discusses replacing Evan Engram as Jaguars' TE1

The Jacksonville Jaguars' release of Evan Engram in March has Brenton Strange on track to become Jacksonville's main tight end under first-year head coach Liam Coen. 

During a recent appearance on the "O-Zone Podcast," Strange opened up about replacing Engram on the depth chart as Coen attempts to turn Trevor Lawrence into an elite quarterback.

"I'm definitely ready for it," Strange said about his increased role with the Jaguars, as shared by Bobby Kownack of the NFL's website. "I have a lot of confidence in myself and I've always had a lot of confidence in myself. I feel like I'm always one of the best players on the field. I feel like that's the mentality I bring."

A 2023 second-round draft pick, Strange tallied just five receptions for 35 yards and one touchdown over 14 games as a rookie. That, however, was before multiple injury issues limited the previously mentioned Engram to just nine games this past season. 

Per ESPN stats, Strange finished the 2024 campaign ranked third on the Jaguars with 40 receptions, third with 53 targets and second with 411 receiving yards. He also recorded a pair of touchdown catches while playing under former head coach Doug Pederson. 

Back in March, John Shipley of Sports Illustrated explained why Strange could flourish playing in Coen's offense this coming fall. 

"As talented as Engram is, his skill-set never made much sense for Coen's scheme," Shipley wrote. "He isn't a strong blocker and often times can tip the offense's hand to the defense based on his deployment. Strange doesn't have those issues, and it should help him quickly find a big role in Coen's offense in 2025."

Engram ultimately signed with the Denver Broncos.

"I think I have room to grow for sure," Strange added during the podcast. "And I have room everywhere. That's not just as a receiver. That's being a blocker, being a leader on this team, I have so much more room to grow. I'm excited for that. It's gonna be challenging, but I'm up for the challenge. I know I'm capable."

Coen may want Strange to become somewhat of a security blanket for Lawrence as the third full-time head coach the signal-caller has had with the Jaguars works to ensure the 25-year-old is worth every cent attached to the five-year contract extension worth up to $275M he signed last offseason. Assuming weapons such as Brian Thomas Jr. and rookie Travis Hunter will routinely attract the attention of defensive coordinators, Strange could be in for a career-best campaign.