Jaguars named one of most improved teams of 2021 NFL offseason

The Jacksonville Jaguars have spent the offseason making changes to their coaching staff, their front office, and their roster. They needed to after losing 15 consecutive games last year, and others are acknowledging the massive turnaround they’ve undergone.

Michelle Bruton of Bleacher Report recently wrote about the most improved NFL teams this offseason and the Jags made the list. She says that they hit on their two 2021 first-round draft picks, which they used on franchise quarterback Trevor Lawrence and running back Travis Etienne. She thinks that even though their later selects may not have the same kind of impact, their draft class, in conjunction with their free-agency additions, should put the rest of the AFC on notice.

Bruton mentions the addition of cornerback Shaquil Griffin should upgrade their secondary. Furthermore, she points out that the team’s brass put an emphasis on bolstering their defensive front with players such as Roy Robertson-Harris, Jihad Ward, and Malcolm Brown, whom they got from the New Orleans Saints in exchange for a 2021 seventh-round selection.

On the other side of the ball, Bruton highlights the addition of Marvin Jones Jr. and former first-round pick Phillip Dorsett, who will round out an already talented wide receiver corps. She later says that the Jaguars have made so many meaningful changes this offseason that it wouldn’t be wild to think they could go from 1-15 to the playoffs in just one year.

Did the Jacksonville Jaguars improve that much this offseason?

If you watched the Jaguars play in 2020, you might’ve felt frustrated with the lack of direction and talent the team had. Although they were competitive at times and even made things interesting every now and then, they were just able to win one game. For that reason, it wasn’t surprising to see them hire Urban Meyer as their head coach and promote Trent Baalke to general manager.

After years of bad drafts and minimal results, the organization needed to shake things up, and so far, the new regime has been aggressive in its efforts to revamp the roster this offseason. Having the top pick in the draft and having the opportunity to take Lawrence, the best quarterback prospect in years helps but the Jags rebuilding effort has gone beyond quarterback and has made major additions to most position groups (with the exception of their tight end room).

On the other hand, expecting the Jags to earn a postseason berth may be too much to ask. While they have certainly taken the right steps, progress isn’t sudden and they need to win a few games before playoffs and Jacksonville are mentioned in the same sentence. The right pieces and the potential are there, but it’s too early to set that kind of expectation.

The Jaguars are rebuilding the right way but even though they might not a playoff-caliber team just yet, nobody will take away the fact they are one of the most improved teams in the NFL this offseason.