Jacksonville Jaguars roster ranked 3rd best in AFC South

The Jacksonville Jaguars have had a pretty good offseason however you want to look at it. After winning just one game last season, they have made changes to the coaching staff, the front office, and the roster. The Jags hired Urban Meyer as their head coach and drafted a potential quarterback in Trevor Lawrence. Also, they promoted Trent Baalke to oversee the front office. The team’s brass has made significant upgrades to most positional groups over the last few months but it may not be enough to compete for a division title in 2021.

Ryan Fowler of The Draft Network recently ranked every roster in the AFC South and the Jaguars got the third spot. He believes that nobody has a clear idea of how head coach Urban Meyer plans to turn things around. He acknowledges that the team has made significant changes to the roster but he doesn’t expect rookies Travis Etienne and Trevor Lawerence right out of the gate.

Not everything is negative though. Fowler believes that the Jaguars’ “above-average” skilled-positon players will be key for their success this upcoming season.

"The usage of versatile chess pieces in Etienne, James Robinson, and Laviska Shenault Jr. could serve as the key for the Jaguars to potentially steal games if their youth-infused defense is able to stay off the field."

The Jacksonville Jaguars could make things interesting in the AFC South.

The Jaguars need to win just two games to double their totals from 2020. However, that’s a pretty low bar. After all the additions they made in the offseason, they should be able to earn seven or eight victories in 2021. Furthermore, they should be able to keep games closer and avoid blowouts. Last season, the game would frequently be out of reach by the third quarter but that should no longer be the case with Meyer and Lawrence leading the way.

On the other hand, the Jaguars aren’t the only AFC South team that has made significant upgrades this offseason. The Tennessee Titans’ offense will still run through running back Derrick Henry but they now have a dynamic wide receiver duo in A.J. Brown and All-Pro Julio Jones. Moreover, they signed former Pittsburgh Steelers EDGE defender Bud Dupree and former Indianapolis Colts defensive end Denico Autry to bolster their pass rush.

Also, the Colts traded for quarterback Carson Wentz. The second overall pick in 2016 had a down year last season but as recently as 2019, he was one of the best signal-callers in the NFL. He will now join head coach Frank Reich, who was his offensive coordinator the year the Philadelphia Eagles won Super Bowl 52. Indy won 11 games with an aging Philip Rivers at the helm. They could be even better in 2021 if Wentz can regain form.

The Jaguars are a young team that has the potential to pull a few upsets this upcoming season. Also, they have the right head coach in place and young building blocks. They could eventually contend for the AFC South down the road. For the time being, they are the third-best team in the division.