As training camp nears for the Jacksonville Jaguars, we're going to break down each position and its respective battles that will take place in camp and the preseason. Between starting positions and depth spots, there will be interesting battles up and down the roster.

The Jacksonville Jaguars took a bit of a leap of faith in March 2022.  Evan Engram had finally become a free agent, and the Jaguars signed him to a one year, $9 million contract.  He delivered their faith with one of the best seasons ever by a Jaguars tight end.  

After placing the franchise tag on Engram, the talented tight end and the Jaguars reached a three-year, $41.25 million contract on July 16. 



So, with the top tight end cemented in Jacksonville for another three years, what does the situation behind him on the roster him look like?  

Tight End Candidates

Evan Engram

Engram is as locked into the Jacksonville roster as anyone after signing his new deal.  The only question now is how high he can soar in 2023 after setting franchise records for receptions (73) and receiving yards (766) in 2022.  If so, he should receive this fall what he was denied a year ago: Pro Bowl honors. 

Brenton Strange

With Chris Manhertz and Dan Arnold both gone in free agency, the Jaguars addressed the reserve tight end position in the draft with Strange in the second round.  While he doesn’t appear to be special either as a receiver or a blocker, he might be the most well-rounded tight end on the roster behind Engram.

At least potentially.  He will have to prove it this fall in camp, but at least based on upside and talent, he should be the #2 tight end after the preseason ends.  Anything less would be a disappointment. 

Luke Farrell

He’s not a receiving threat – he only had 4 catches for 40 yards last year – but he’s a very capable blocker that has a clear role in the running game.  His blocking abilities will likely keep him on the roster as the team’s third tight end – if not higher, depending on what happens this preseason. 

The Rest: Gerrit Prince, Sammis Reyes, and Josh Pederson

The Jaguars have carried 4 tight ends on the opening roster multiple times since 2017, so these three will potentially be fighting for a back-end spot on the 53-man roster, or at worst a spot on the practice squad.  

That's where Prince spent last season and built up familiarity with the Jaguars' offense.  That's not insignificant by any means and could give him a slight edge going into camp. 

However, the player with the highest ceiling athletically is Reyes, and it's not at all close.  Reyes tested off the charts at his pro day, basically better than any tight end prospect in years.  However, he barely has any experience in organized football, so it remains to be seen if that learning curve is too steep for his physical talents to match.

Pederson will have a tough time making the roster despite his father being the coach.  Pederson caught 99 passes for 1191 yards and 11 touchdowns for Louisiana-Monroe before catching on briefly with various NFL teams and completing last season with the Houston Gamblers of the USFL. 

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The Jaguars' deployment of their tight ends will obviously be dependent upon how the team lines up this fall.  With Calvin Ridley in the fold, it would be understandable to see a lot more one tight end formations and usage.  

However, the team will still need to employ multiple tight ends routinely, so seeing who earns the first trip off the bench will begin starting on July 25, when the full Jaguars roster reports for training camp. 

Jaguars Training Camp Battle: Offensive Tackle

Competition throughout the offensive tackle room will be fierce in camp

Featured image via Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK