Item yesterday that Blake Bortles has been showing an early connection with Austin Seferian-Jenkins at Jaguars practices. It makes sense, as he's a better pass catcher than what Jacksonville has put out there at the position recently, and Bortles could use a nice safety valve to throw short passes to, rather than forcing them in to covered receivers further downfield.
Question is whether the addition of Seferian-Jenkins will actually change the offense much when the games start. A year ago, the Jaguars were one of the teams least inclined to throw the ball to tight ends.
Marcedes Lewis, James O'Shaughnessy, Ben Koyack; that's the group Bortles was looking at a year ago. Not any receivers as capable as Seferian-Jenkins, so maybe that's why Jacksonville ranked so poorly in terms of tight end roles in the offense.
TIGHT END TEAM TOTALS, 2017 | |||
---|---|---|---|
Team | No | Yards | TD |
Kansas City | 108 | 1358 | 9 |
New England | 95 | 1303 | 9 |
Philadelphia | 110 | 1202 | 14 |
Tampa Bay | 82 | 1099 | 13 |
NY Giants | 96 | 1049 | 8 |
Tennessee | 97 | 1015 | 6 |
Washington | 85 | 966 | 6 |
Buffalo | 78 | 947 | 5 |
LA Chargers | 81 | 943 | 7 |
Indianapolis | 98 | 870 | 4 |
San Francisco | 66 | 866 | 6 |
Oakland | 71 | 844 | 2 |
Cleveland | 68 | 817 | 5 |
Baltimore | 104 | 811 | 5 |
Detroit | 74 | 797 | 7 |
Seattle | 84 | 797 | 15 |
Arizona | 57 | 701 | 6 |
Dallas | 69 | 673 | 6 |
Denver | 50 | 657 | 5 |
Atlanta | 61 | 648 | 4 |
Minnesota | 70 | 646 | 9 |
Carolina | 49 | 645 | 2 |
Houston | 53 | 630 | 2 |
Green Bay | 56 | 627 | 2 |
Pittsburgh | 57 | 560 | 4 |
Chicago | 47 | 543 | 6 |
Cincinnati | 56 | 542 | 8 |
LA Rams | 41 | 539 | 3 |
Miami | 56 | 525 | 4 |
NY Jets | 62 | 516 | 4 |
Jacksonville | 43 | 505 | 6 |
New Orleans | 45 | 476 | 4 |
A year ago only Rams tight ends caught fewer passes, and only Saints tight ends put up fewer yards. Those teams also didn't have much at the position, but with all of them it could also be a function of the offense; more inclined to throw it to wide receivers and running backs.
I'm interested in Seferian-Jenkins, and like the idea that Bortles is looking for him. But I will likely be cautious with him in drafts. Seems overly optimistic to think he's going to change the offense overnight from not using tight ends very much, to featuring them.
--Andy Richardson