Jaguars named AFC South biggest 2021 offseason winners

The Jacksonville Jaguars had a pretty uneventful offseason, revamping the coaching staff, front office, and roster. That was expected after going 1-15 last year. However, they weren’t the only team to load up in free agency and the draft. Still, Maurice Moton of Bleacher Report believes the Jags had the best offseason of any team in the AFC South.

Moton recently discussed each NFL division’s biggest 2021 offseason winners and thinks the Jaguars had the most productive offseason in their division. He mentions drafting quarterback Trevor Lawrence as the main reason for naming them the top team in the AFC South.

"The Jacksonville Jaguars had an inside track to win this division because everyone knew they would take one of the most accomplished quarterbacks to come out of the collegiate ranks in recent years."

However, Lawrence is not the only reason why Moton thinks Jacksonville deserves the division crown. He points out that the team revamped their secondary, which was a weakness last season. He highlights the acquisition of cornerback Shaquill Griffin, safety Andre Cisco, and rookie Tyson Campbell.

Moton also mentions the addition of defensive tackles Jay Tufele and Malcom Brown to the defensive front. The duo should fortify a group that couldn’t apply pressures on opposing quarterbacks nor stop the run.

The Jacksonville Jaguars still need to take the field.

There’s no doubt the Jaguars had a productive offseason, but they still need to play games in the regular season. Their AFC South foes didn’t make as many changes as they did, but they were already better than them. The Tennesse Titans won the division last year in spite of not having a reliable defense. However, they still have the best running back in the NFL and an efficient quarterback in Ryan Tannehill. The division title will still run through them in 2021.

On the other hand, the Indianapolis Colts was a well-rounded squad last year and finished 11-5. Head coach Frank Reich has led Indy to two winning seasons over the last three years and can make it three after trading for his protégé, quarterback Carson Wentz. The North Dakota State product had a down season in 2020 and if someone can help him become a top 10 signal-caller, it’s Reich. The Colts had several offensive weapons last year. They just needed someone to take advantage of all of them and they do now.

The only AFC South team that may not be currently better than the Jaguars are the Houston Texans. They won three more games than Jacksonville in 2020 but couldn’t make many acquisitions this offseason due to salary cap restraints. Moreover, they didn’t have a first or second-round pick in 2021’s draft. To make matters worse, franchise quarterback Deshaun Watson is facing several lawsuits that allege sexual abuse and misconduct. Heading into the season, his future with the team is murky.

The Jaguars have improved, and have a franchise quarterback at last. Nevertheless, winning the offseason doesn’t guarantee regular-season success. Don’t forget they are in the early stages of a rebuild. Even though it would be great to see them win their first AFC South championship since 2017, they have a long way to go before they become perennial playoff contenders. On the bright side, they are on the right path.