The Jacksonville Jaguars brought in Tyler Eifert this offseason and tight ends coach Ron Middleton believes he and the other tight ends already on the roster are in line for a big year. Middleton knows to start, he needs his players healthy and that is going to be the number one key.
He said, via Jaguars.com:
“We need them on the grass.”
The team has Eifert, Josh Oliver and James O'Shaughnessy, along with Charles Jones and rookies Tyler Davis and Ben Ellefson. It's a relatively young group, but that doesn't mean Middleton doesn't believe the veteran Jaguars also have some proving to do. As he said,
“They've got a lot to prove – from the oldest to the youngest … If we can stay healthy, I think we're going to be productive.”
Middleton hasn't been able to physically be with the players because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but he still has been able to connect with them vertically. Even without Middleton seeing Eifert in front of him on the field, he is excited about what he will be bringing to the Jaguars offense:
“He wants to get back to that potential that he has …. [He can] run all the routes. He's got the niftiness to detach him out to the sidelines. He can work a safety. You can bring him inside and attach him [to the line], and he'll give you a willing effort in the run game. He's not going to dominate, but he shows toughness. We have to put him in position to make plays and keep him on the field. Injuries are a part of football, but let's be smart about it.”
With a young quarterback like Gardner Minshew under center for Jacksonville, he will probably be looking the way of his tight ends a lot.
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