Jaguars are a worst to first candidate in 2020

Can the Jacksonville Jaguars go from a team at the bottom of the AFC South to a playoff contender in one season like in 2017?

How soon will the Jaguars rebound in 2020? It’s a question former executive vice-president of football operations Tom Coughlin talked about when he was asked at his press conference after Week 12 of the NFL season.

The cantankerous Coughlin, who has since been relieved of his duties, said he thought the current roster had the potential to climb back toward the top of the AFC South quickly based on the talent the team had.

That theory is about to be tested. After a 6-10 record and a last-place finish in the division, Jacksonville is one of eight teams looking to jump from worst to first amongst their NFL colleagues.

Gil Brandt, NFL Media senior analyst for NFL.com believes there is plenty of potential in a jump from the division basement but does not see this Jaguars team as the one to bet one to make such a leap.

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He ranks the Jaguars fourth out of the eight bottom dwellers.

"“This team has some players, although the quarterback position is a glaring question mark,” Brandt adds.“Sixth-round pick Gardner Minshew looks like a potential franchise QB, having supplanted Nick Foles as starter, and Minshew is expected to hold that position in 2020, though he remains relatively untested (while Foles is promised a hefty paycheck).”"

Who will lineup under center should be the biggest question of the offseason, along with how the team will find better offensive linemen to protect their signal-caller and open up holes for the running game. The Jaguars still need to find more weapons on offense, even if wide receiver DJ Chark and running back Leonard Fournette emerged as true home run threats.,

This offense, that only averaged 18.8 points a game in 2019, as void of a legitimate tight end to take the pressure off the pass catchers underneath.

Brandt’s analysis of the defense was a bit different. The unit surrendered more than 24 points a game in 2019 and looked like a huge hole was torn in the middle of the linebacking unit. Still, Brandt believes there is hope for next season.

"“The Jaguars don’t need to overhaul their defense, but they should seek to add a run-stuffing tackle and more difference-making linebackers if they want to return to the Sacksonville heyday of 2017,” he wrote. “The fact that none of the other teams in the AFC South finished with more than 10 wins this season reflects how close the organizations in that division are.”"

The Jaguars were seventh in the NFL in sacks this season and the pass rush continued to show its effectiveness throughout the season. The run defense gave up 200 or more yards in five games in 2019.