Why the Jaguars Desperately Need Brenton Strange Back

The Jacksonville Jaguars are inching closer to receiving important reinforcements for the final stretch of the regular season.

Starting tight end Brenton Strange has been out of action since Week 5, when he left the thrilling win against the Kansas City Chiefs with a hip injury, slotting him onto injured reserve. Now, over a month later, his return to the field is near. The offense has missed him, as have the coaches.

The impending return creates excitement for the Jaguars, especially at a time when his presence is needed the most at a critical juncture of the season.

Excitement reigns in the locker room, coaching staff

While Strange won't play this week, he still has over 14 days remaining to be activated from IR. However, the potential of his return excites quarterback Trevor Lawrence, who has struggled without his quality pass-catching tight end. The Jaguars franchise signal-caller called Strange's long-awaited return "huge" for the offense as a big piece of the unit.

"I'm just excited to get him back, whether that's this week or whenever, obviously want to do what's best for him and make sure he is ready to go when he does come back," Lawrence said. "But yeah, I'm hoping that's sooner rather than later because I think it's no secret how important he is to our offense and what he can do run game, pass game, just how versatile he is."