Jacksonville Jaguars: Collin Johnson adds another dimension on offense

With Collin Johnson part of the Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver room, the competition for making the roster gets that much better.

The Jacksonville Jaguars were quick to identify their offseason needs and fill them through free agency and the NFL Draft. The front office, with both general manager David Caldwell and head coach Doug Marrone each offering their opinion about who should be brought in to help with depth at nearly every position on the roster, it looks as though the duo has made changes to the team’s roster for the long haul, not just a short stay.

The Draft brought plenty of help on defense and a playmaker on offense in Laviska Shenault. But the front office did not stop there as the Jaguars also added Texas wide receiver Collin Johnson in the fifth round. The 6-foot-6, 222-pound pass-catcher gives the Jacksonville Jaguars another tall target in Jay Gruden’s passing game.

And as Brent Sobleski of Bleacher Report points out, Johnson could be the team’s gem of the Draft this coming season. Johnson joins a crowded wide receiver room looking to make his presence known once players are allowed back on the practice fields.

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"“Collin Johnson looked like a future first-round pick at one point during his collegiate career, but an underwhelming final season on campus made his draft stock plummet all the way to the fifth round,” Sobleski writes.“Even so, expectations are still high for the Jacksonville Jaguars rookie.”"

The only sure thing the Jaguars can count on right now with their wide receivers is that DJ Chark will line up Week 1 as the team’s No. 1 target. There is plenty of competition to go around. It’s the kind of crowded situation that must make wide receivers coach Keenan McCardell smile.

With his height and size, Johnson may become another red-zone threat and he certainly will add another dimension to the passing game in goal-line situations.

Marrone mentioned the Jacksonville Jaguars need to find more playmakers on offense prior to the NFL Draft. The franchise selected Shenault in the second round out of Colorado. Johnson was picked later, but could still impact how the team uses its new offense under coordinator Jay Gruden.

"“No, Johnson wasn’t the only wide receiver Jacksonville drafted… However, Johnson provides a different skill set than anyone else currently on the roster,” Sobleski adds."

The Jaguars wide receiver competition in training camp might be the best one to watch. The team has four established veterans – including Chark. How Gruden, Marrone and the coaching staff figure out who stays on the roster and who might be released or added to the practice squad could be one of the bigger stories heading into the 2020 season.