The Jacksonville Jaguars have already made clear this season how important it is to them to prioritize the tight end position for the 2026 NFL season.
Their latest signing emphasizes that still to be true.
They’ve signed Brenden Bates, a well-traveled tight end, with the news coming out on Tuesday afternoon.
Jaguars have signed TE Brenden Bates to the practice squad
— James Palmer (@JamesPalmerTV) September 22, 2026
Bates joins a crowded tight end depth chart in Jacksonville.
Still just 26 years old (turning 27 on Oct. 17), Bates is conceptually in his prime and has a chance to see game action at some point, even though he’s just on the practice squad for right now.
What to Know About Brenden Bates
Bates is a 6-foot-5 tight end originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, where he played at powerhouse Archbishop Moeller High School.
From there, he went to the SEC and played his college career for the Kentucky Wildcats.
Bates wasn’t drafted out of college, but he’s carved out a role in the NFL.
He first appeared in a regular season game for the New York Jets in 2024. He played in five games but in a non-receiving role — he didn’t get a single target.
Bates then joined the Browns for two games at the end of the 2024 season and was targeted once, although he didn’t catch it.
He moved on to the Houston Texans for three games to begin the 2025 season, and Bates was involved, catching both targets that went his way for his first 23 yards in the NFL.
Then he ended up back with the Browns for six more games. Bates caught 2-of-3 targets in that stint for a total of 25 yards.
So his full NFL tally so far is four catches on six targets in 16 games, for a total of 48 yards.
Bates spent this summer with the Browns but was waived with an injury settlement. Reports emerged earlier this week that Bates was healthy and looking for a new contract, and it didn’t take him long to find one with the Jaguars.
Jaguars TE Depth Chart
This move didn’t come about because of a Jaguars tight end injury. They clearly just really like Bates.
The 53-man roster in Jacksonville already includes four tight ends. Brenton Strange is the obvious TE1, and second-round pick Nate Boerkircher is behind him. The Jags also have fifth-round pick Tanner Koziol, and the free agent signing from Buffalo, Quintin Morris.
On top of that, the Jaguars had already signed Hayden Rucci to their practice squad earlier this season as another tight end option.
The Jaguars also note in their official press release about the move:
“Bates spent time with Head Coach Liam Coen (2021, 2023), DE Josh Hines-Allen (2018) and RB Chris Rodriguez Jr. (2018-22) with the Wildcats.”
It’s a bit of a UK reunion in Duval County.
Jaguars Sign TE With Jets, Browns, Texans Experience