Brenton Strange Signs 3-Year, $48M Extension with Jaguars
Strange Gets Paid in Jacksonville
The Jacksonville Jaguars and tight end Brenton Strange have agreed to a three-year extension worth up to $48 million, including $25 million guaranteed, per ESPN's Adam Schefter and NFL Network's Mike Garafolo and Tom Pelissero. The deal carries a $16 million average annual value, which ranks fifth among tight ends in AAV, eighth in total value, and 10th in guarantees.
How Strange Got Here
Strange was a second-round pick out of Penn State in 2023. His first two seasons were limited by Evan Engram's presence, but he showed his upside when Engram missed time in 2024, finishing with 40 catches for 411 yards and 2 TDs in 17 games.
In 2025, the Jaguars released Engram and let Luke Farrell walk, handing Strange the starting job outright. He dealt with quad and hip injuries that cost him five games, but still posted career highs across the board: 46 catches, 540 yards, and 3 TDs on 60 targets in 12 starts, averaging 9.0 yards per target and 1.58 yards per route run.
The team-level numbers tell the story even more clearly. When Strange played in 2025, Jacksonville went 11-1 and averaged 30.1 points per game. When he was out, they went 3-5 and averaged 22.6 points per game. The Jaguars won the AFC South under first-year head coach Liam Coen.
Fantasy Outlook
Strange is clearly the Jaguars' TE1 with no real competition for that role. He is 25 years old, operating as Trevor Lawrence's primary pass-catching tight end in an offense that proved explosive in 2025. The extension removes any contract-year storyline and signals the team is building around him long-term.
That said, there are a couple of things to keep in mind heading into 2026. Strange finished as TE18 in half-point PPR fantasy points per game among qualified tight ends in 2025, which reflects both his real injury risk and the fact that his target volume is solid but not elite. Jacksonville also drafted tight ends Nate Boerkircher in the second round and Tanner Koziol in the fifth round of the 2026 draft, which suggests more two-tight-end sets could be coming. That usage pattern could reduce Strange's individual target share even if it keeps him on the field more.
Strange is a trustworthy TE1 in Liam Coen's offense when healthy. The extension is a positive signal, but his injury history and the new draft investments at the position mean you should not draft him as a locked-in top-10 fantasy tight end without accounting for some downside risk.