USAT: Jaguars Wire audio clip

USAT: Jaguars Wire

Feb 24, 2022

Many expected the Jacksonville Jaguars to make the tight end position a priority last offseason, either by drafting a player like Pat Freiermuth or making a trade for someone like Zach Ertz. - No big move like that materialized, though. The only addition during the offseason was Luke Farrell, a fifth-round pick who is primarily a blocker. The team got a nice boost in Week 4 when it traded for Dan Arnold, who had a surprisingly productive season, but the position remains a need heading into 2022. - However, Pro Football Focus thinks the Jags will find the answer. In its free agent predictions, it has the team landing Dalton Schultz from the Dallas Cowboys. - - Prediction: Jacksonville Jaguars – Four years, $52 million ($32.5 million guaranteed) - Schultz had a huge year for the Cowboys and was a reliable weapon in the passing game, especially when Amari Cooper and Gallup missed time. Schultz had the third-best wins above replacement (WAR) at the TE position and the seventh-highest receiving grade amongst TEs (77.0). Going to the Jaguars would be a huge help for Trevor Lawrence, as it would provide him with a reliable safety blanket over the middle, which he lacked in his rookie year. - Schultz was a fourth-round pick out of Stanford in 2018, and with his rookie deal expiring this offseason, he’s set for a major payday. He’s coming off his most productive season with the Cowboys in which he totaled 808 yards and eight touchdowns on 78 catches. - Signing him wouldn’t be cheap for Jacksonville (as the projected deal would indicate), but it also wouldn’t be prohibitive for a team with among the most money to spend in the league. Arnold was solid this year but he wasn’t nearly as productive as Schultz. - However, he did run a lot of routes from the slot and out wide, and with Schultz playing a more traditional tight end role, the pair could provide Trevor Lawrence and the offense a nice one-two punch at the position. - Listen to the latest from Jags Wire’s Phil Smith and James Johnson on the “Touchdown Jaguars!” podcast via Apple Podcasts and Spotify. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Email - - - - - Sign up - - - - - - - - Like this article? - Sign up for the Jaguars Wire email newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning - - - - An error has occured - - - Please re-enter your email address. - - - - - - Thanks for signing up! - - - You'll now receive the top Jaguars Wire stories each day directly in your inbox.

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