Working on the July 27th Update, we try to cover every relevant development since the magazine went to the printer. One is the Jaguars signing tight end Brenton Strange to a three-year, $36 million extension a few weeks ago.
Strange had been entering a contract year, plus Jacksonville drafted Nate Boerkircher in the second round and Tanner Koziol in the fifth. I was wondering a little if those moves were a sign that Strange would be playing out his deal and departing.
Instead, he'll continue as their main player at the position. Problem is that it hasn't really been a featured part of Liam Coen's offense.
Tables below show team tight end production -- catches, yards, touchdowns -- and their percent of the passing game in 2024 and 2025. In each case, tables are sorted by percent of the offense's receiving yards, and Coen's two offenses (Jacksonville in 2025 and Tampa Bay in 2024) are in bold. A bottom-10 share for the tight end position each year.
| TIGHT END TEAM PRODUCTION, 2024 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | Rec-Yds-TD | %Rec | %Yds | %TD |
| Arizona | 137-1355-4 | 37% | 35% | 19% |
| Las Vegas | 143-1443-5 | 35% | 35% | 26% |
| New Orleans | 113-1170-5 | 33% | 35% | 28% |
| Kansas City | 144-1323-8 | 36% | 33% | 31% |
| New England | 108-1169-8 | 32% | 31% | 38% |
| Baltimore | 106-1281-18 | 33% | 31% | 44% |
| Seattle | 89-1203-9 | 26% | 27% | 39% |
| Miami | 112-1053-8 | 27% | 26% | 36% |
| Pittsburgh | 96-933-10 | 30% | 26% | 48% |
| Cleveland | 111-953-8 | 28% | 25% | 42% |
| Tennessee | 98-868-6 | 29% | 24% | 27% |
| Philadelphia | 69-811-4 | 23% | 23% | 17% |
| Jacksonville | 102-857-3 | 30% | 23% | 16% |
| Cincinnati | 129-1114-4 | 28% | 23% | 9% |
| LA Chargers | 83-810-2 | 25% | 21% | 9% |
| Buffalo | 72-800-4 | 22% | 20% | 13% |
| Green Bay | 62-796-7 | 20% | 20% | 25% |
| Dallas | 95-823-1 | 24% | 20% | 4% |
| Minnesota | 82-855-5 | 23% | 20% | 14% |
| Washington | 79-766-8 | 22% | 19% | 28% |
| San Francisco | 86-810-5 | 21% | 18% | 24% |
| Detroit | 74-848-9 | 19% | 18% | 23% |
| Tampa Bay | 75-803-6 | 18% | 18% | 15% |
| Carolina | 60-595-3 | 18% | 17% | 14% |
| Houston | 70-672-3 | 20% | 17% | 15% |
| Atlanta | 55-653-4 | 15% | 15% | 19% |
| NY Jets | 74-601-5 | 19% | 15% | 16% |
| Chicago | 56-512-4 | 16% | 14% | 20% |
| NY Giants | 46-486-2 | 13% | 14% | 13% |
| Indianapolis | 39-467-2 | 13% | 13% | 10% |
| Denver | 51-483-5 | 13% | 13% | 17% |
| LA Rams | 51-459-3 | 14% | 11% | 14% |
And the 2025 numbers.
| TIGHT END TEAM PRODUCTION, 2025 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | Rec-Yds-TD | %Rec | %Yds | %TD |
| Arizona | 164-1580-12 | 38% | 36% | 41% |
| Las Vegas | 118-1161-8 | 35% | 35% | 40% |
| Cleveland | 111-1064-10 | 34% | 34% | 63% |
| Buffalo | 95-1210-12 | 28% | 30% | 41% |
| Pittsburgh | 113-1093-8 | 31% | 30% | 31% |
| Tennessee | 104-947-5 | 31% | 29% | 33% |
| New Orleans | 104-1109-4 | 26% | 28% | 21% |
| Chicago | 92-1085-8 | 28% | 27% | 29% |
| Baltimore | 86-874-8 | 31% | 27% | 35% |
| Atlanta | 96-976-5 | 29% | 26% | 26% |
| Kansas City | 99-1034-5 | 27% | 26% | 22% |
| Miami | 74-849-7 | 23% | 26% | 30% |
| LA Rams | 103-1128-17 | 27% | 24% | 37% |
| Indianapolis | 94-977-6 | 26% | 24% | 24% |
| San Francisco | 102-1006-14 | 26% | 23% | 42% |
| New England | 81-1031-9 | 22% | 23% | 29% |
| Houston | 98-883-3 | 27% | 22% | 13% |
| LA Chargers | 69-881-3 | 19% | 22% | 12% |
| Washington | 74-739-6 | 26% | 22% | 32% |
| NY Giants | 65-821-7 | 20% | 22% | 33% |
| Green Bay | 74-852-8 | 23% | 22% | 31% |
| NY Jets | 75-604-2 | 25% | 22% | 13% |
| Cincinnati | 98-876-8 | 24% | 21% | 22% |
| Philadelphia | 76-707-12 | 24% | 20% | 46% |
| Minnesota | 71-642-7 | 24% | 20% | 39% |
| Jacksonville | 73-791-6 | 21% | 20% | 21% |
| Carolina | 78-638-5 | 24% | 19% | 21% |
| Denver | 78-719-3 | 20% | 18% | 12% |
| Seattle | 71-729-7 | 22% | 18% | 28% |
| Dallas | 105-822-9 | 25% | 17% | 29% |
| Tampa Bay | 61-589-2 | 17% | 16% | 8% |
| Detroit | 67-677-5 | 17% | 15% | 14% |
Some of this is clearly personnel dependent. Arizona and Las Vegas being at the top of both tables has a lot to do with the starters on those teams. But there aren’t many players like those two.
I don't think it's a case of Coen not being interested in using the position; the team paying Strange and drafting a pair of players (with Boerkircher, he'll likely contribute as a blocker) belies that. But both teams were deep at wide receiver, and that's especially true with Jacksonville -- Brian Thomas, Parker Washington and Jakobi Meyers are all highly capable wideouts.
Things change from year to year. Note that the Rams, for example, went from last in yardage share in 2024 to 13th in 2025. Same offensive coordinator (Mike LaFleur) both years, running Sean McVay's offense. It's possible Coen plans to ramp up the position's usage this season, which both the draft picks and the new contract could suggest. It's not what I'm predicting, but it's possible, and in that case Strange will be ranked too low.
Until we see some sign on the field, though, I don't really see him paying off as a good selection in fantasy leagues.
--Andy Richardson
