Which Tight Ends Could the Jaguars Key In on During Free Agency in 2020?
For the better part of the last two seasons and even many seasons before then, the Jacksonville Jaguars have been nothing sort of barren at the tight end position.
The 2019 season was perhaps a perfect representation of the Jaguars' issues at tight end. For the first four to five weeks of the season, they finally had a breakout player at the position with James O'Shaughnessy. He caught 14 passes for 153 yards and two touchdowns in less than five games but would suffer a season-ending ACL injury during Week 5.
Despite O'Shaughnessy not even playing a full five games, he still led all Jaguars' tight ends in receptions, yards, and touchdown. Only one other tight end, Seth DeValve, cracked 100 yards. Third-round pick Josh Oliver was hampered by injuries all season and caught only three passes for 15 yards in four games.
No matter which way you cut it, Jacksonville needs to revamp its tight end room. Luckily for the Jaguars, there are several intriguing options in this year's free agency crop. Which ones would make sense for the Jaguars to target?
Eric Ebron
After Indianapolis Colts general manager Chris Ballard said the team would be moving on from tight end Eric Ebron a few weeks ago, teams have had a chance to evaluate Ebron's film knowing full well he will be available once free agency begins. When watching that film, coaches will see an athletic, albeit inconsistent, tight end who can be a mismatch nightmare in the passing game.
Ebron has been mostly a disappointment since being drafted in the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft, but he had a career year with the Colts in 2018, catching 13 touchdown passes. He regressed in 2019 due to injuries and lesser quarterback play, but he still has the talent to be a receiving threat for an offense that badly needs one.
MyCole Pruitt
Fifth-year tight end MyCole Pruitt has never been a bonafide starter in his NFL career, but he has the traits to contribute more to a passing offense than his past stats would indicate.
In 31 games with the Titans, Pruitt has caught 15 passes on 19 targets for 192 yards and two touchdowns. He has been a valuable blocker in space but has had to wait behind Delanie Walker and Jonnu Smith for attention in the passing game. When he has been targeted, though, he has displayed soft hands and a good ability to pick up yards after the catch. He'd provide an upgrade in terms of athleticism compared to Geoff Swaim and Ben Koyack.
Hunter Henry
The tight end on this list who is most likely to fetch a big deal from a team this offseason, Hunter Henry has battled back from several injuries, including a torn ACL in 2018 that sidelined him for the entire season. Despite the injuries he has sustained early on in his career, he has still been one of the most productive young tight ends in the NFL.
Henry had one of the best years of his career in 2019, catching 55 passes for 652 yards and five touchdowns. If Jacksonville wants a tight end signing who is close to a sure thing, Henry is likely the best route to go thanks to his developed skill set and track record of success. He won't come cheap, but he is a safe signing as long as he remains healthy.
Tyler Eifert
Another tight end who has suffered from the injury bug throughout his NFL career, Tyler Eifert's career has been a rollercoaster over the past seven years. From catching 15 touchdowns in his first three seasons to missing 34 games over the next three seasons, Eifert has gone from a rising tight end to an afterthought in Cincinnati.
But in 2019, Eifert played in 16 games for the first time in his entire NFL career. The Bengals didn't see much success on the field and had one of the worst-ranked offenses in nearly every metric, but Eifert had a decent year, catching 43 passes for 436 yards and three touchdowns. He likely can't be depended upon as a top passing threat at this stage, but he still has enough skill to contribute.
Logan Thomas
Sixth-year tight end Logan Thomas has never been asked to play a large role in an offense in his NFL career, which is understandable considering he was a quarterback in college. But in 2019, Thomas had the best year of his career while serving in a depth role behind T.J. Hockenson and Jesse James on the Detroit Lions. Thomas caught 16 passes for 173 yards and a touchdown, flashing the athleticism which allowed him to make the full-time switch to tight end to begin with.
Betting on Thomas to be able to step in and make a large impact would likely be asking for too much, but he deserves a bigger role than the one he saw in Detroit in 2019, and Jacksonville could be an ideal landing spot.
