The Jacksonville Jaguars and tight end Tyler Eifert made it official Monday. The veteran signed his two-year contract with the team, and per Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle, it’s a team friendly deal as expected.
This deal may look awfully familiar to Jags fans as it’s similar to the one they gave Austin Seferian-Jenkins (two-year deal worth $10 million with $4 million in guarantees). The second year is optional, which will give the Jags a way out if he has issues stating healthy as he’s had in the past playing in just 53-of-112 total games.
In totality, the contract could max out at $15 million with incentives as NFL insider Ian Rapoport previously stated.
Granted his health issues, Eifert can probably be penciled in as the Jags’ 2020 starter at tight end due to his familiarity to the system. As a rookie, he played under current Jags offensive coordinator Jay Gruden and was able to garner 39 catches for 445 yards and two touchdowns. His yardage total for that season was the second highest of his career, with 2015 being the only season he managed a higher total (615).
Joining Eifert at the top of the depth chart will be veteran James O’Shaughnessy and Josh Oliver, both of whom ended up on injured reserve last season. However, O’Shaughnessy established himself as one of Gardner Minshew’s top targets while Oliver was a favorite target of his in training camp. That said, if they can pick up where they left off in 2019, and Eifert can stay relatively healthy, the Jags’ tight end group could go from a weakness to strength.
