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Oct 19, 2025; London, United Kingdom; Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen looks on during warmups before a NFL International Series game between the Los Angeles Rams and the Jacksonville Jaguars at Wembley Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Most Underrated Jaguars' Need Is Crystal Clear

Originally posted on Jacksonville Jaguars on SI
By John Shipley | Last updated Feb 3, 2026 11:00 AM ET

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The NFL is all about trends. It was in the early days in the 1960s, and it is just as much the case where we stand today.

Often at the forefront of those trends over the last decade has been Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay. And a year after McVay admitted his admiration of Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen and his running scheme, it might be time for Coen to take an idea of his own from is former boss.

All that is to say, there is one position that could be a sneakily major need for the Jaguars this offseason: tight end, and a path to 13 personnel.

Tight End Need

The Jaguars clearly have a No. 1 tight end, which is likely why you hardly hear about the position as a need. Brenton Strange is one of the Jaguars' best players hands down, and he will command the tight end room for years to come -- but there is still a chance for the Jaguars to evolve.

Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

If you average Strange's 2025 per-game numbers over a 17-game season, Strange's numbers would have been something along the lines of 65 catches for 765 yards and four touchdowns. As for the rest of the tight end room, they combined for 21 catches for 231 yards and three touchdowns, hardly making them difference makers.

The Jaguars utilized multiple tight ends on quite a few occasions, though their most effective use was in the running game. In the passing game, the Jaguars still have room to grow at the position -- which is why they should consider adding another dynamic pass-catcher at the position.

Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

That is the beauty of 13 personnel. Defenses see multiple tight ends on the field and come out with heavier personnel, just for the offense to open the passing game up with play-action to take advantage of the defense's strategy.

We saw it happen to the Jaguars at multiple points last year, resulting in huge moments against their defense from the Rams and Seattle Seahawks in 13 personnel in consecutive weeks. With the way the Rams and McVay leaned into it with such success in 2025, the Jaguars should follow suit on the NFL's next trend.

Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

“We're always figuring out ways to try to be able to advance. I think a lot of it came up organically. We really sprinkled in 13 for the first time… we had some 12 personnel like you're talking about, but the first time that we actually got three tight ends out on the field was against Baltimore in some situational stuff in the tight red when we were up and they were jumping into some heavier groupings but it was just sprinkled," McVay said in December.

"Then you start saying, ‘Okay, what can we do with this?’ Puka ended up getting injured. We were without [Wide Receiver] Tutu [Atwell] against Baltimore. That Jacksonville game that week in Baltimore leading up to Jacksonville it was just sprinkled in. Then we were able to have a handful of snaps that we got off against Jacksonville in London and we've just built on it since."

This article first appeared on Jacksonville Jaguars on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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