Kyle Pitts Helped Make Jaguars' Future Deal With Brenton Strange Even Easier

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The Atlanta Falcons made former top-5 pick Kyle Pitts the latest tight end to cash in this week, and the Jacksonville Jaguars could reasonably end up feeling the effects of it.

The Jaguars have their own talented young tight end in former second round pick Brenton Strange, who is entering his fourth season and who has seen his numbers steadily rise throughout each year of his career.

It remains to be seen what the timing could look like for the Jaguars on a potential extension for Strange, who is one of several players from the Jaguars' now-esteemed 2023 draft class. But what exactly kind of impact could the Pitts deal have on the Jaguars and their rising star tight end?

Impact on Strange

Pitts ended up getting a three-year, $54 million deal from the Falcons with $36 million guaranteed. This is a sizeable deal for the former Florida Gators star, who now ranks fourth amongst tight ends in total value, third in average salary, and third in guaranteed money.

It makes sense for this to potentially serve as a ceiling of sorts for Strange since it is on the high end of deals and is above the likes of Cole Kmet, Jake Ferguson, Isaiah Likely and other tight ends who have signed deals in recent years.

Is Strange a potentially more valuable player than Pitts due to his ability to be a difference-maker as a block? There is a good argument to make, and that is why I do not think the Jaguars will hesitate to make keeping Strange a focus one way or another. He opens things up for them in the running game and now with reinforced tight end depth behind him, he could be unlocked in the passing game.

brenton strang — Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Brenton Strange (85) hauls in a reception against New York Jets defensive end Haason Reddick (7) during the first quarter Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024 at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union] | Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

With that in mind, Strange's numbers as a receiver still do not yet meet that of what Pitts has done. Receiving numbers are why Pitts got the figures he did, and averages over 700 yards a season. Strange would have put up closer numbers to that average than the 540 yards he recorded last year if he did not miss five games with an injury, but it still makes sense for Strange to now find his market somewhere between Pitts and the aforementioned tight ends.

But it is clear the Jaguars place an appropiater value on Strange. In January, general manager James Gladstone said Strange and fellow former Penn State pass-catcher Parker Washington are people the Jaguars "feel like align strongly with how we want to move forward.

"Our belief in Brenton and others in the wide receiver room that they, with opportunity, could take a step. Certainly excited now where we're seated to be able to say that was a sound decision. Now, at the same time, Brenton did his part to bring that to life. Rich [Tights End Coach Rich Angulo], in conjunction with our offensive staff, helped bring that with life," Gladstone said after the 2025 season.

"Obviously at this point in time feel like he's someone that we can really rely on moving forward, some version of a security blanket in the passing game and can make things happen when the ball is in his hands. But as a run blocker, he's certainly somebody that can dent the line of scrimmage and set the tone, and so at this point in time, certainly feel like that vision being brought to life through him, through others that are around him is really cool to have seen unfold."

Even with a crowded pass-catching room that has two rookie tight ends, two rookie receivers, a former No. 2 pick, and one of the top starting wide receiver trios in the entire NFL, Strange should still be expected to be a core piece of what the Jaguars do next season. His game meshes well with Trevor Lawrence's, Liam Coen has shown the ability to scheme things up for him at a high level, and the Jaguars' passing game is truly ascending.

But even with everything going in the right direction for Strange and his receiving production, a deal somewhere south of what Pitts got makes the most sense. There was not a clear tier-defining contract amongst recently-paid tight ends, but the Pitts deal now helps set one.

For the Jaguars, the decision to re-sign Strange moving forward should be a relatively easy one. Thanks to the Falcons and Kyle Pitts, the math should not be overly complicated once the deal does come into focus in the future ... whenever that might be.

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