If the Jacksonville Jaguars had more talent, they wouldn’t have a 2-14 record ahead of Week 18 and they wouldn’t be poised to earn the first overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. On the bright side, we wouldn’t be having this conversation, so not everything is gloom and doom.
The Jags’ offense currently ranks 32nd in the NFL and has struggled to move the ball and score points all year long, so what should the team’s brass do to improve in 2022? Here are five things they should do this upcoming offseason.
1. The Jaguars have their QB of the future but can bolster their depth.
Trevor Lawrence is the top quarterback on the team. The Jaguars had some unique players at the position over the years but none of them was nearly as talented as the former Clemson Tiger. He has the tools to be a productive passer in the league.
Of course, no quarterback will be successful if he has no one to throw the ball to but more on that later. C.J. Beathard is a solid backup and in limited action, he has shown that he can be effective when the time comes. With similar traits to Lawrence, there is not much of a difference in the offense when he comes into the game.
Although there are more pressing needs than this position, I would like to see the Jags add some talent to develop through the later rounds in the draft. Beathard is QB2 on the depth chart but he’s set to become a free agent after 2022, so the team needs to start planning for the future and groom his potential replacement.
2. Wide receiver is a position the Jaguars need to upgrade improve drastically.
Outside a few splash plays throughout the season, the Jaguars wide receiver corps has underperformed. The group was seemingly making progress with the tutelage of former Jaguars receiver Keenan McCardell. I would have liked to see Collin Johnson stick around and develop further. This group has Marvin Jones Jr., D.J. Chark, Jamal Agnew, Laviska Shenault Jr., Laquon Treadwell, Tavon Austin, and Jaydon Mickens but it could look very different in 2022.
Honestly, I would make a big effort to re-sign D.J. Chark Jr. to a team-friendly contract. He was one of the better route runners with a good deep ball presence. Jones was brought in to make an immediate impact in the offense but it has not really gone the way the team has planned. The unit’s inability to run routes played a huge factor (as well as dropped passes). Also, playing to the strength of the group is hard when you are playing from behind.
After re-signing Chark, the Jags should try to cut some of the loose ends and move on from Tavon Austin and Jaydon Mickens. The duo is nothing more than stopgap options at this point in their respective careers. With the estimated salary cap of around $70 million for this offseason, according to Spotrac, the team could convince some free-agent wide receivers to want to come to Jacksonville next year.
Davante Adams, Allen Robinson, Chris Godwin, Jamison Crowder, Mike Williams, and Michael Gallup are set to hit the free-agent market in 2022. Some of these guys are coming off some serious injuries, which might be a bargaining chip to try to get them to come to the Jaguars.
Adams will likely get the franchise tag by Green Bay. Mike Williams will likely sign back with the L.A. Chargers. Godwin, Crowder, and Gallup provide some veteran options for the front office to target. Then, there’s Allen Robinson, whose contract with the Chicago Bears is about to expire. Could he make a return to Duval county?
3. The Jaguars’ tight end room is in need of a boost.
Here’s a list of all the tight ends that are currently on the Jaguars’ roster: Dan Arnold, James O’Shaughnessy, Chris Manhertz, and Luke Farrell. This group is a hard one to evaluate because of all the missed time and the lack of consistent production.
Arnold is a great pick-up that should continue to get snaps when he is available. On the other hand, the Jags need to consider cutting ties with O’Shaughnessy and try to develop someone alongside Arnold. Manhertz is more of a blocker than a receiving threat. With more playing time, Farrell might see the field in certain situations near the goal line.
With the way the modern NFL is, you need to have a big threat in the passing game that can create mismatches in the middle of the field and is able to effectively block in the open field on running plays. There are only three free agents that could help them improve the position and that group includes Robert Tonyan Jr., O.J. Howard and David Njoku.
Tonyan will likely try to stay with the Packers. He is a big part of the passing game that allows them to exploit their competitors. Howard could use a change of scenery that would allow him to take advantage of his field-stretching ability. Njoku does not seem to be a big part of Brown’s future. He can big a big part of the passing game if the Jaguars are willing to take a chance on him. These three could improve the passing game as well as blocking in the running game.
4. The Jaguars running backs show promise but need reinforcements.
This running back group seemed to be a strength for the Jaguars last offseason. James Robinson had an outstanding rookie campaign after being undrafted out of Illinois State. Travis Etienne Jr. could have added another dynamic element to the offense if he hadn’t gotten injured. On the other hand, Carlos Hyde should have never been a part of the team. Dare Ogunbowale and Ryquell Armstead will get the Jaguars through the last couple of games due to injuries to the other three.
The Jaguars are one injury away from having a revolving door at the running back position. The right thing to do here in 2022 is to sign a running back that can actually contribute to the offense. If Byron Leftwich were to return to Jacksonville could he bring Leonard Fournette with him?
Phillip Lindsay could provide a spell for Etienne. Hopefully, injuries will not be something that will take the Jags’ two top running backs out for much of next season. Rashaad Penny may be effective on a complementary role in the run game.
The draft will provide some unproven options to explore but there are a few prospects in the middle rounds that might be helpful to the Jaguars. Who would you pick as some free agents to provide stability to the offense?
5. The Jaguars must address the offensive line in every way possible.
If you look closely you can see the offensive line flinch. It is no secret that the Jaguars’ offensive line is in need of upgrades. They are constantly tasked with trying to block for a team that is playing from behind more often than not. It has been Cam Robinson, Andrew Norwell, Brandon Linder, A.J. Cann, and Jawaan Taylor anchoring the line for a couple of years now.
The Jags could upgrade this line with the addition of a few free agents. Having depth will go a long way with a group such as the offensive line. They are out there on every offensive snap. Crashing into the defensive line to try to move the ball down the field. Piles happen and injuries sometimes could ruin the chances of a team winning games on a regular basis.
Good help is hard to find. The Jaguars should re-sign Tyler Shatley due to the ability to replace the interior of the line. Cam Robinson is playing with urgency while playing on the franchise tag. He could provide quality depth at the tackle position. I would not consider him a top-end offensive tackle but he could be relied on to protect the quarterback and block for run plays on a consistent basis. Ben Bartch can contribute when called upon. As well as Walker Little, who has shown he can step in the future.
The biggest move that I would make is to draft the bookend tackle in Evan Neal. If you do that and it pans out, you could shift some players around and develop a well-rounded line. It would be an experienced unit with a good mixture of veterans along with some youth to push each other. Jacksonville needs to let Cann go in free agency to explore other options. Jawaan Taylor becomes a question mark and could be traded away to bring in someone that could step into the interior of the offensive line.
Some free agents to consider would be Brandon Scherff, Trent Brown, Terron Armstead, and Morgan Moses. These players have some experience in starting roles. They have a few years left in their tanks and would upgrade the positions. Brown and Armstead will probably try to re-sign with their respective teams. Moses plays for the Jets but would probably not mind being a part of something that might be a few short pieces away from being competitive. Let us know what you think of this offensive line shuffle in the comment box.