Tag: Dan Arnold

Jags’ Dan Arnold among several TEs who attended Tight End University

Evan Engram wasn’t the only Jags tight end who attended Tight End University this week. Dan Arnold did as well.

The Jacksonville Jaguars weren’t just represented by their top tight end at this year’s Tight End University summit in Evan Engram, but their No. 2 tight end, Dan Arnold, also attended. The veteran shared a post on his Instagram stories feed from the event, which started on June 22 and ended on June 24.

Arnold is entering his second season with the Jags, who traded for him last season when they shipped cornerback C.J. Henderson to Carolina. He flashed as a good option for yards after the catch after playing in eight games and starting in three. He ultimately ended the season with 28 catches for 324 yards but had to go on injured reserve with a knee injury in December.

Arnold will be playing in a Doug Pederson system that heavily utilizes tight ends, which could mean a big season is coming up for him and Engram. With that being the case, it makes sense that both would keep themselves busy as the Jags are on their post-organized team activity break.

This year’s Tight End University event was held at Vanderbilt University. It drew 85 participants this year, including Mike Gesicki, Kyle Pitts, and Dalton Knox, to name a few. All-Pro tight ends George Kittle, and Travis Kelce constructed the event, as well as former Panthers tight end Greg Olsen.

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Trevor Lawrence discusses what TE group brings to Jags’ offense

Trevor Lawrence discussed the TE group this week and likes how well-rounded they are.

One of the most exciting parts of the Jacksonville Jaguars’ regular season is the anticipation of seeing how new coach Doug Pederson will improve the offense. He’s long been respected as a bright offensive mind in the NFL and he now has a player in Trevor Lawrence who many regarded as the best prospect to be drafted since Andrew Luck.

Pederson displayed how brilliant of an offensive mind he was with the Kansas City Chiefs as a coordinator, which led to him getting a job as a head coach in Philadelphia with the Eagles. While there, he was able to lead the team to a Super Bowl win during the 2017 season, and Jags fans are hoping he does the same for them.

When looking back at his tenure as a head coach, one key element of Pederson’s offenses was the utilization of the tight end position. That’s an area where the Jags have struggled in recent years, and the hope is that Pederson can improve the production there.

This spring, the team addressed the position by adding a former first-round pick in Evan Engram through free agency on a one-year deal. While he wasn’t able to put it all together with the New York Giants, he had developed a reputation as an athletic player at the position, which is something Lawrence has already picked up on after several practices.

Earlier this week, Lawrence talked about Engram with the media, as well as the rest of the tight end group, which consists of several players who bring different things to the offense.

“Evan [Engram]’s great,” Lawrence said when asked about the Jags free-agent addition. “He adds a lot of speed at tight end. Looking at our tight end room, you have some really good players. Some new guys obviously, but then you have Dan [Arnold] who can kind of do it all, Evan who’s really fast who’s going to add an explosive element to the offense, Chris Manhertz, just a really big guy that can help in the passing game, a great blocker, and then Luke [Farrell] who’s kind of a hybrid that can just plug and play wherever you need him, really good in the pass game, really technical with his hands in the blocking game, run game. We have a really good room, well-rounded and I think that’s going to help us a lot this year.”

While the pads have yet to go on, this is encouraging to hear about Engram, who could be the Jags’ top tight end in an offense that targets the position often. If he continues to make progress in the new system throughout the summer and in training camp especially, it’s possible he could be in line for another Pro Bowl season like he had as a rookie.

As for Arnold, he’s entering his second season with Lawrence as the Jags traded for him last September and acquired him from the Carolina Panthers. With almost a full season with Lawrence, both should have a great deal of chemistry this season, and fans should expect Pederson to take advantage of that.

Manhertz, who is the Jags’ oldest tight end, will also be entering his second season with Lawrence. And while he didn’t prove to be the receiver that Arnold was, he is the player the staff could be looking at as a TE3 where he will have to hold off 2021 rookie Luke Farrell, who is a good developmental tight end.

The Jags also have a group of athletic undrafted tight ends who could impress as organized team activities go on and training camp arrives. Those players are Gerrit Prince (a speedy receiving option), Naz Bohannon (a former collegiate basketball player), and Grayson Gunter. The preseason would be the time for them to gain ground on Manhertz or Farrell, but only time will tell if they can close the gap on the two veterans who got a great deal of experience in 2021.

Jaguars positional needs and 2021 review: Tight Ends

The Jags got some surprising production from Dan Arnold, but the tight end spot still needs some work.

The tight end position was one many expected the Jacksonville Jaguars to address in the offseason last year. Whether that meant targeting a free agent or taking a player in the first two days of the draft, it was clear the team needed to revamp the position.

Neither of those possibilities ultimately played out, though. The team didn’t do much to address the tight end spot until Week 4 of the regular season, when it dealt cornerback C.J. Henderson to the Carolina Panthers and got tight end Dan Arnold in return.

But that was the only major addition all of last season, and heading into 2022, it seems unlikely that the Jags make the same mistake at what is quickly evolving into one of the most important positions in the modern game.

Here’s how the tight ends looked in 2021 and the outlook at the spot moving forward.

Dan Arnold near the top of the league’s TEs in routes run from the slot or out wide

Arnold ranked fifth in the league among tight ends in routes run from the slot with 78%.

It was an overall disappointing season for Jacksonville, but one of the few bright spots was the play of tight end Dan Arnold. The position was arguably the team’s biggest need heading into last offseason, and it didn’t do much to address it aside from drafting Luke Farrell, who is primarily a blocker, in the fifth round.

That changed three weeks into the regular season when the team acquired Arnold in a trade with the Carolina Panthers. He finished with 324 yards on 28 catches, and though he didn’t find the end zone, he had five games in which he surpassed 50 receiving yards.

His season was ultimately cut short with an injury, but he proved to be one of the more versatile tight ends in the league, ranking among the top five in routes run from the slot or out wide.

This could prove to be significant in terms of how the Jaguars see his role moving forward. That’s especially the case when considering the lack of receiving ability the team has at the position behind Arnold right now.

With James O’Shaughnessy set to hit free agency from the current tight ends group, this team will likely look to add someone else, potentially in the first two days of the draft. However, that may not hurt Arnold’s role too much when considering how much new coach Doug Pederson likes to utilize multiple tight ends as pass catchers.

Tight end has become one of the most important positions in the NFL, and the Jags need to find one that can be a reliable target for quarterback Trevor Lawrence. Though there will likely be at least one new addition at the position, there’s reason to believe Arnold could be that player.

Jaguars coach Doug Pederson will have some weapons to work with in 2022

This Jaguars offense needs work, but it does feature a number of promising (if unproven) weapons.

If you watched Jacksonville play in 2021, you would be forgiven for thinking this was a squad entirely bereft of talent on offense.

While the team is lagging in that regard, it won’t be an entirely bare cupboard for incoming coach Doug Pederson, who is known around the league for his offensive acumen — particularly with quarterbacks.

With that in mind, many expect a Year 2 jump from quarterback Trevor Lawrence, who struggled as a rookie. This team needs more receiving talent, there’s no doubt about it. Even with Marvin Jones Jr. coming back, the team needs to re-sign D.J. Chark Jr. and probably add at least one other player.

But in terms of pass-catchers, this team has some intriguing, high-upside players already on the roster. Namely, speedy receiver Jamal Agnew. A return specialist and cornerback originally, Agnew made the move to receiver later in his career and finally saw quite a bit of action at the position this season.

He built a rapport with Lawrence and finished the season with 24 catches for 229 yards and a touchdown before suffering a season-ending injury. He may not be a No. 1-caliber receiver, but he has a lot of playmaking potential.

Another underrated player on this offense is tight end Dan Arnold, who was acquired from Carolina in the C.J. Henderson trade. Arnold showed a lot of promise before the back half of his season was marred by injuries. He had 328 yards on 24 receptions.

Like at receiver, the Jags will probably look to upgrade here. But even if they do, Arnold could surprise some folks with his production next season.

The passing game is only one component of the offense, though, and with James Robinson returning from injury, the running game will have some question marks.

Jacksonville will hope running back Travis Etienne, who missed his entire rookie season with an injury suffered in the preseason, can justify the use of a first-round pick on him.

The Clemson product has speed and can make plays in the open field. He also has some skills in the passing game, meaning he could be another versatile weapon similar to Agnew.

This isn’t to say Jacksonville shouldn’t target more proven playmakers this offseason. It absolutely should, but with the pieces already on the team, Pederson could surprise some people with this unit next year.

Jags place 10 active roster players on Reserve/COVID-19 list

Jihad Ward, Andrew Norwell, Brandon Linder, and Malcom Brown are just some of the few notables who have been placed on the Reserve/COVID-19 list recently for the Jags.

The NFL has been dealing with a league-wide COVID-19 outbreak over the last few weeks, but the Jacksonville Jaguars avoided it in the early part of Week 16. However, their Reserve/COVID-19 list started to garner names the closer the team got to their last game against the New York Jets with linebacker Myles Jack, receiver Laviska Shenault Jr., and guard Ben Bartch going on it alongside others.

Now, heading into Week 17’s game against the New England Patriots, the team has placed another wave of active roster players on the list, five of which were on both sides of the ball. They placed one practice squad player on the list, too.

That list of names are as follows:

 

Of the 10 active players that went on the Reserve/COVID-19 list, seven of them have made at least three starts this season. Those players are tight ends Chris Manhertz, Dan Arnold, and Luke Farrell, guard Andrew Norwell, center Brandon Linder, defensive tackle DaVon Hamilton, edge rusher K’Lavon Chaisson, and defensive lineman Malcom Brown.

The returns of the listed players could vary based on their vaccination status. Vaccinated players can return after two negative tests that are 24 hours apart. However, unvaccinated players have to miss at least 10 days.

So far, the only player who has been revealed as an unvaccinated player is Norwell, so it’s guaranteed that he won’t be back for the upcoming game in New England. However, if Bartch is cleared to come back from the Reserve/COVID-19 list, they could start him at right guard and put Will Richardson at left guard in Norwell’s place.

The tight end spot and defensive line will be the key positions to watch as they have multiple members from their respective groups that are listed. At tight end, the Jags are down to two players in Jacob Hollister and James O’Shaughnessy. But if needed, they could activate tight end, Matt Sokol, for this week from the practice squad.

As for the defensive line, the Jags have Doug Costin and Jeremiah Ledbetter on the practice squad to help if needed, too.

Jaguars designate TE Dan Arnold to return from injured reserve

Arnold could be back in action this week after missing the last three games.

Tight end has been a difficult position for Jacksonville to manage this year. The team lost James O’Shaughnessy in Week 2 for the bulk of the season, and it eventually acquired Dan Arnold from Carolina in the C.J. Henderson trade to help make up for it. Arnold has had a very solid season, becoming one of quarterback Trevor Lawrence’s favorite targets, but we haven’t had a chance to see the Jags’ tight end group at full strength for very long.

In O’Shaughnessy’s first game back from the injured reserve against the Atlanta Falcons on Nov. 28, Arnold left the game with an injury of his own (Grade 2 MCL sprain) and was placed on the injured reserve.

Though the Jags’ season has torpedoed as the team now sits at 2-12, we may at least get to see O’Shaughnessy and Arnold play together, as the team designated the latter to return from the injured reserve on Wednesday.

 

That opens the door for Arnold to play on Sunday against the New York Jets, if his health allows. Since joining the Jaguars in Week 4, Arnold has started three games and made 28 catches for 324 yards. When adding his stats in the first three games with the Panthers, he is on pace to set a career-high in receiving yards if he plays in the final three games.

Once a player is designated to return from injured reserve, they have three weeks to be activated to the final roster. That said, with three weeks remaining in the regular season, Jags interim Darrell Bevell said the team wanted to make the designation to return for Arnold this week to keep his window to come back open.

“We’re opening up the window today to see where he’s at because there is only three weeks left in the season anyway,” Bevell said Wednesday. “He’s been doing a great job in rehab. He’s working his tail off and really wants to get back and help out. He feels like he can help Trevor [Lawrence], so we’re going to open it up and see what he can start doing.”

It would be a big boost. It really would. He’s a great talent for us and he has a lot of speed. I think it presents a problem to the defense, but we’ll just see how far he can come in the next days.”

There haven’t been many positives the last few weeks for the Jags, but getting Arnold back could provide a nice boost for Lawrence and the passing game, at the least.

Jags put TE Dan Arnold on IR

It’s official, #Jaguars TE Dan Arnold is now on the injured reserve after sustaining a Grade 2 MCL sprain Sunday.

If losing players like DJ Chark, Travis Etienne, and Jamal Agnew wasn’t enough, the Jacksonville Jaguars will be without their top tight end heading forward as the team announced that Dan Arnold has officially been placed on the injured reserve.

The news comes a day after NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that Arnold would be out four to six weeks with a Grade 2 MCL sprain. It was an injury he suffered in the second quarter of Sunday’s game against the Atlanta Falcons.

Arnold sustained the injury after hauling in his first and only reception of the game from Trevor Lawrence. He proceeded up the field and started to pull several defenders with him before being brought down for a nine-yard reception. However, he was slow to get up, and his actions on the sideline were a big indication that his injury could be severe.

Arnold, who the Jags picked up through a trade with the Carolina Panthers in September, will head to the injured reserve with 35 receptions for 408 yards this season. Of those receptions, 28 of them were with the Jags (for 324 yards).

With the veteran heading to injured reserve, Arnold will have to at least miss three weeks. However, based on the timeline provided by Rapoport, he could be out longer or for the rest of the season.

With Arnold out, the Jags will now lean on veteran James O’Shaughnessy to lead the way, who just returned from the injured reserve himself on Sunday. Behind him will also be veteran Chris Manhertz and rookie Luke Farrell, both of whom received extensive playtime in O’Shaughnessy’s absence.

 

Report: Jags TE Dan Arnold sustains a Grade 2 MCL sprain, injury might be season-ending

The Jags have suffered yet another big blow to their offense according to Ian Rapoport as Dan Arnold will miss at least a month, according to his sources.

The hits just keep coming for the Jacksonville Jaguars’ struggling offense.

This week, it entered its game against the Atlanta Falcons without notables like DJ Chark, Travis Etienne, and Jamal Agnew, and now the unit will be without its best tight end, Dan Arnold, for at least a month.

According to the sources of NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Arnold sustained a Grade 2 MCL sprain in the process of Sunday’s loss to the Falcons. The injury will sideline him from four to six weeks, which means his season could be over depending on his recovery process.

Arnold left Sunday’s game in the second quarter on a completion from Trevor Lawrence that was his first of the game. With the catch secured, Arnold dragged defenders with him before being stopped for a nine-yard gain but remained on the ground for a bit after the play. He was ruled questionable to return afterward, then in the third quarter, he was ruled OUT.

Arnold has been a solid contributor for the Jags since they traded for him (with a 2022 fifth-round pick) back in September for cornerback C.J. Henderson and a 2022 third-round selection. He registered four games where he was able to garner 60 yards or more since joining the Jags and was one of Trevor Lawrence’s top targets. However, without him, the Jags will have to get even more creative down the stretch on offense.

Veteran tight end James O’Shaughnessy was just making his return from the injured reserve Sunday and having him together with Arnold would’ve given the Jags a nice one-two punch at the position. However, O’Shaughnessy will now be thrust back into the TE1 role for the Jags (at least as a receiver) with Chris Manhertz and rookie Luke Farrell behind him.

As more news becomes available, we’ll be sure to provide more updates on Arnold.

Update: Jaguars TE Dan Arnold ruled OUT vs. Falcons with knee injury

One of Trevor Lawrences favorite targets, Dan Arnold, has been ruled out against the Falcons after sustaining a second quarter knee injury.

Jacksonville’s pass-catching corps really can’t catch a break.

On the third play of the second quarter in Sunday’s game against the Atlanta Falcons, tight end Dan Arnold made a nine-yard catch but was slow to get up after being hit on the play. He exited the game, and he is listed as questionable to return in the second half, per the Jaguars PR Twitter account.

Arnold was injured on his first target of the game. A trade acquisition from Carolina in the deal that sent cornerback C.J. Henderson to the Carolina Panthers, Arnold is already fairly close to notching his career-high in receiving yards with 315 on 27 catches. Though he’s been held out of the end zone, he has been one of quarterback Trevor Lawrence’s favorite targets this year.

Arnold was one of three tight ends active for this game, joining Chris Manhertz and James O’Shaughnessy, who is making his return after spending most of the season on the injured reserve. Manhertz has been targeted twice, making one catch for 11 yards, while O’Shaughnessy has been targeted once but has no catches.

The Jags will hope Arnold’s injury isn’t severe, as a team that has already lost D.J. Chark Jr. and Jamal Agnew for the season can’t afford any more losses.

Update: Arnold has been ruled out.