Do Jaguars Have Best Tight End Room in AFC South?

Following the departure of veteran tight end Evan Engram, the Jacksonville Jaguars moved forward with Brenton Strange as their top player at the position. The team is seemingly set with him as the No. 1 guy as they made additions that would depict a picture of how they view him.

Strange is a former second round draft choice from Penn State who has quickly emerged as a reliable pass-catcher and blocker at tight end. He will be a key piece for Jacksonville and head coach Liam Coen moving forward as they look to prioritize the weapons around quarterback Trevor Lawrence.

Behind Strange are sufficient depth players signed this offseason in Johnny Mundt, Hunter Long, and Quintin Morris. Morris is the one that I'm excited about the most as a possible move and blocking end for Jacksonville and could play a key role in the offense if he earns the No. 2 spot on the roster.

With that said, is Strange the best tight end in the AFC South? Let's take a closer look at the rest of the division to see how he compares to and the depth behind each presumed starter.

Houston Texans

Dalton Schultz is a fine player and a sufficient starter at that for the Texans. However, am I crazy to think he could be expendable during the season?

Brevin Jordan has the chance to be a playmaker at tight end with his size and athleticism. Cade Stover provides depth as a blocker and the occasional fullback in 21 or 22 personnel. Luke Lachey is yet another Iowa tight end who could bloom into an impact player in Houston like George Kittle and Sam LaPorta have in past seasons.

Schultz is someone I see as a possible in-season trade candidate for a team in need of a pass-catching threat at the position when things aren't going well for that respective team. Still, he does provide an impact for the Texans in several ways.

Indianapolis Colts

Tyler Warren to the Colts was one of the most obvious, no-brainer choices in this year's draft. They needed a playmaker at the position and Warren's versatility, ceiling as a blocker, and ball skills made him an intriguing option for Indianapolis from the jump. This year's No. 14 overall selection has the potential to be a great player down the line but he will deal with the usual growing pains that are attributed to one of the hardest positions to transition to the NFL.

Behind Warren is veteran Mo Alie-Cox, a massive 6-foot-5, 267-pound player with tree trunks for arms and violence in his play in all phases. Jelani Woods and Drew Ogletree will compete for the No. 3 spot at tight end. Warren shouldn't be considered a top tight end in the division by any means considering he hasn't taken a snap in the league, but the potential is there to become as such.

Tennessee Titans

The Titans have a young tight end room that should excite their fans. Chig Okonkwo is an athletic pass-catching tight end who continues to grow into a great player at the position. I was a fan of his coming out of Maryland and appreciated his usage and versatility as a player similar to Warren.

Behind Okonkwo is third-year player Josh Whyle and rookie Gunner Helm. Whyle was semi-productive with 28 catches for 248 yards and a score, providing sufficient depth at the position. Helm fell in the draft due to an injury suffered during the combine that hurt his stock and a player that isn't an elite athlete by any means, but provides the Titans with someone who can be an effective blocker and run-after-catch player.

With rookie Cam Ward under-center, we could see this Titans tight end room emerge an impactful group in their offense.

Who is the best TE in the AFC South?

Based on experience and production alone, Schultz is the best tight end in the division. Again, he could become a trade piece if Jordan becomes a more impactful player this season but it also shows how the division lacks an elite playmaker at the position overall.

I like the chances of Strange becoming the best TE in the AFC South. He is a reliable hands player who runs good routes and can create after the catch while providing value as a blocker whether he is in-line or as a big slot in doubles or trips alignments. The player with the highest ceiling in the entire division belongs to the rookie Warren in Indianapolis, but this is a division to keep an eye on if one player begins to get hot at the right time.

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