Jacksonville Jaguars have 4th best pass catchers according to Pro Football Focus
By Daniel Lago
The Jacksonville Jaguars had some breakout stars on offense in 2015 and people are starting to notice.
Before the 2015 season, you could’ve said the Jaguars were one of the worst teams in the NFL at identifying talented pass catchers. Since the departure of Jimmy Smith back in 2005, the Jaguars never really had a consistent set of producers at wide receiver. Marcedes Lewis had his moments at tight end, but he hasn’t really put together more than one season of solid production. Overall it’s been a sad collection of first round busts and street free agents.
That all changed last year when the Jaguars had two breakout players – Allen Robinson and Allen Hurns. Both guys showed themselves to be solid 1-2 options, while the rest of the receiving group flashed potential. Outside of the Allens, the Jaguars have some intriguing talent in Julius Thomas, Marqise Lee, and Rashad Greene.
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Gordon McGuinness over at Pro Football Focus thinks all that
talent amounts to the 4th best receiving group in the NFL
.
"4. Jacksonville JaguarsProjected starters: WR Allen Robinson, WR Allen Hurns, WR Marqise Lee, TE Julius ThomasKey depth: WR Rashad Greene, WR Bryan Walters, TE Marcedes LewisKey stat: Allen Robinson’s 672 yards on passes 20 yards or more downfield were the most in the NFL last season.A 2014 second-round draft pick out of Penn State, Allen Robinson is on the cusp of becoming one of the top receivers in football. He lacked a little bit of consistency in 2015, and dropped eight of the 88 catchable passes thrown his way, but still finished the year with 80 receptions for 1,400 yards and 14 touchdowns. Averaging 17.5 yards per reception, he and Blake Bortles have grown together into one of the top young quarterback-receiver combos in the league. No. 2 receiver Allen Hurns wasn’t quite as dominant at times, but did drop just three of the 67 catchable passes thrown his way, picking up 1,030 receiving yards and scoring 10 touchdowns. They need tight end Julius Thomas to return to the form he showed with the Denver Broncos after a tough first season in Jacksonville, but this unit is a big part of the reason why many think the Jaguars can improve on their 2015 win total in 2016."
This is a good spot for the Jaguars group of receivers, but honestly I’d be shocked if they aren’t even higher after the 2016 season. Robinson and Hurns were outstanding in 2015, but the rest of the guys were somewhat underwhelming. I fully expect Julius Thomas and Rashad Greene to improve significantly during their second seasons with the Jaguars, and this is a make-or-break year for Marqise Lee.
Of the teams ahead of the Jaguars (Patriots, Cardinals, Redskins), the only one I really would contend with is the Redskins. While the Redskins do have quite a bit of depth, their top end options are nearly as good as the Jaguars’ duo of the Allens. Jordan Reed is the best tight end of the bunch, but Washington doesn’t really have an elite wide receiver.
Still, it’s exciting that the Jaguars finally have a great set of skill position players on offense. If they improve in 2016, this offense could be one of the best in the league.