Jaguars Training Camp Battles to Watch: Tight End
With NFL training camps set to kick off on July 28, it is time to examine which training camp battles will be the most hotly contested once the Jacksonville Jaguars hit the field again.
For the Jaguars, 2020 represents a year of transition. A new offensive scheme, Gardner Minshew II taking the reigns of the offense on a full-time basis and an overhauled roster that is now one of the youngest and most inexperienced in the league.
Once training camp rolls around, the Jaguars will have to short out the best way to field 22 starters in Week 1 vs. the Indianapolis Colts. Who should start at key positions such as cornerback, wide receiver, offensive tackle and more?
In an effort to gauge which training camp battles will be the most noteworthy and likely the hardest fought, we are going to take a look at the upcoming competition for several positions. Today, we look at the tight end position, specifically the spot directly behind Tyler Eifert on the depth chart.
Jacksonville has a number of options to use as their primary tight end behind the veteran Eifert, who seems to be a lock to be Jacksonville's No. 1 player at the position. But who will they turn to? We examine the options here.
Tight end: Josh Oliver vs. James O'Shaughnessy vs. Tyler Davis vs. Charles Jones
When it comes to Jacksonville's depth at the tight end position, they actually have intriguing options up and down the roster. Intriguing doesn't automatically mean serviceable or productive, but the physical talent at the position is more enticing than it has been for the Jaguars in quite a few years.
But firstly, it needs to be reiterated how important tight ends are to offensive coordinator Jay Gruden's scheme. While Eifert is likely going to be the top dog, each tight end behind him should have a chance to produce to varying degrees, especially the No. 2 tight end.
"I think I know how important the tight end position is because if you look at our successful teams in Cincinnati and in Washington, when Jordan Reed and Vernon Davis played with the Redskins, we were pretty good on offense, really,
"So, having a tight end is critical. And I know that when you don’t have one, times are tough. Believe me, it’s tough and I think Josh Oliver showed a lot of promise as a rookie. Unfortunately, he had injuries. You know, James [O’Shaughnessy] did some good things, but then he got hurt. And then Charles [Jones], the rookie, has shown he has a chance to be a good ‘Y’, he’s a physical kid. We drafted Tyler Davis to be an athletic guy. He can play a little fullback, he can play tight end, he can run, so we are excited to see what he can do. But it’s a key position, and I think Tyler’s going to be a great add for us in getting these guys all on the field and see what they can do. It’s going to be exciting.”
One of the most enticing options for next season is 2019 third-rounder Josh Oliver, who is purely potential after catching just three passes for 15 yards in four games last season, but the potential is through the roof. Oliver battled through hamstring and back injuries that derailed his rookie season before it could really get started, but he is Jacksonville's best possible option for an athletic tight end who can stretch the field, a big reason why the Jaguars made him the second-highest drafted tight end in franchise history behind Marcedes Lewis.
"There’s a reason we picked him as high as we did. We’ve seen the flashes of it," Jaguars quarterback said when asked about Oliver last October.
Oliver will have to prove himself to the Jaguars both in terms of durability and on-field production, but his athletic traits suggest he will get as many chances as possible for an offense that badly needs playmakers to emerge.
If it wasn't for a Week 5 ACL injury that ended his season, James O'Shaughnessy would likely be staking the best claim behind Eifert in the tight end pecking order. Or perhaps the Jaguars would not have even signed Eifert considering O'Shaughnessy was extremely productive through the first few weeks of the season.
O'Shaughnessy was one of the Jaguars' most productive pass-catchers through the first weeks of the year, giving the Jaguars more plays made from the position than any other tight end had given them in a few years. His injury was a gut punch to Jacksonville's offense and is a big part of the team's red zone offense struggling down the stretch of the season.
In fewer than five whole games last year, O'Shaughnessy caught 14 passes for 153 yards and two touchdowns, leading the Jaguars' tight ends in all categories despite playing barely a quarter of the season. O'Shaughnessy's recovery and road back to the field will be a key storyline for Jacksonville's offense throughout the early portion of the season but he could carve out a sizeable role in the scheme for himself when healthy.
The other options on the roster are rookie tight end Tyler Davis, who Jacksonville selected out of Georgia Tech with the No. 206 overall selection in the sixth round of April's NFL Draft, and second-year tight end Charles Jones. While Gruden has had positive things to say about each player, it is hard to see them take reps from Oliver, O'Shaughnessy or Eifert as long as the trio is healthy.
As a senior, Davis (6-foot-4, 250-pounds) recorded 17 receptions for 148 yards and one touchdown on the season. He served primarily as a run and pass blocker, while also serving on the specials teams units, but the former quarterback caught the Jaguars' attention with his athletic skill set and versatility.
Davis' time with UConn was a bit more prolific than his one season with Georgia Tech. In three seasons, Davis caught 47 passes for 500 yards and seven touchdowns, including six touchdowns in 2018, which was tied for the second-most by a tight end in UConn history.
As for Jones, he was an undrafted free agent signing in 2019 who was able to find his way onto the active roster following several injuries at the position. He played limited snaps (27 in four games) and caught just one pass, but he is a looming presence thanks to his massive frame.
The tight end position will be key to Jacksonville's offensive success this season. How the group performs from top to bottom, from Eifert to Davis and Jones, will help determine if the Jaguars can improve from last year's abysmal offensive output, making this a training camp battle worth paying attention to.
