As a whole, the Jacksonville Jaguars’ 2021 season was a disappointment. Sure there were solid performances every now and then and there were flashes of competitive play but in the end, there’s not much to celebrate when your team ends the year with a 3-14 record and finishes last in the division.
There are more than a handful of reasons why the Jags’ mustered just three victories last year and the biggest one was hiring Urban Meyer, who was supposed to right the ship but instead left the team in worst shape than it was before he was hired. Another reason was that several Jaguars’ players underperformed. In particular, these five disappointed in 2021.
No. 1 Jaguars’ biggest disappointment in 2021 – Myles Jack, LB.
Linebacker Myles Jack wasn’t necessarily bad in 2021 but he wasn’t great either and that’s not what you want from a cornerstone player. He led the Jags with 108 total tackles but didn’t register a single big play after posting one sack, one forced fumble, and one interception the year before. Furthermore, he posted a measly Pro Football Focus overall grade of 35.2, a career-low.
Even though Jack has never earned a Pro Bowl or All-Pro designation, he’s shown he’s capable of performing at a high level. Several Jaguars’ players were affected by Meyer’s questionable coaching acumen and the linebacker might have been one of them. There’s no reason to doubt he will be able to rebound in 2022, especially when you take into account that he’s entering a contract year and will benefit from playing well.
No. 2 Jaguars’ biggest disappointment in 2021 – Travis Etienne, RB.
Wait a minute! How did Travis Etienne disappoint in his rookie year when he didn’t even play a single down in the regular season? That’s precisely the reason why. Drafted 25th overall in 2021, the former Clemson Tiger was expected to share the Jaguars’ backfield with James Robinson and form a formidable running back tandem.
During training camp, Etienne often displayed the burst that helped him play at a high level at the collegiate level. Also, he showcased the ability to run routes and be an asset in the passing game. So it was fair to say the Jags were excited to see him play in the regular season.
Alas, the Louisiana native never had the chance to show what he could do on the field, as he suffered a Lisfranc injury in the preseason that ended his first season in the NFL before it started. He met with the local media after the conclusion of the season and said that even though he could have played last year, doctors advised him to wait until 2022 to make a full recovery.
When the Jags drafted Etienne, they didn’t foresee he would get hurt. Instead, they surely envisioned him becoming a mainstay of the offense. They will now have to wait for him to contribute until next season. The fact that they drafted him 25th overall in 2021 doesn’t help matters. You can always draft a good running back in later rounds and if you choose one in the first, he’d better be in the same level as Adrian Peterson or LaDainian Tomlinson. The jury is still out but the early results aren’t great.
No. 3 Jaguars’ biggest disappointment in 2021 – Jawaan Taylor, RT.
It may feel like right tackle Jawaan Taylor is being picked on, as he also popped on a list of players that should be released but that’s not the case. Simply, he hasn’t lived up to expectations even though he’s given several chances.
A second-round selection in 2019, Taylor has started at right tackle since Day 1 and hasn’t missed a single game. That’s a pretty good accomplishment when you take into account that NFL players regularly miss games due to the beating they receive every Sunday. On the other hand, he should have made a leap in his third season and didn’t.
Taylor showed flashes in his rookie year but he regressed in his sophomore campaign, allowing a concerning 58 total pressures and nine sacks. Bouncing back seems reasonable in Year 3, as the Florida Gator has never lacked the size and the athleticism to play in the pros. Also, Urban Meyer kept offensive line coach George Warhop, which in theory should have helped the right tackle. All things considered, he did show some improvement, giving up 24 fewer total pressures and two sacks less. However, he committed several penalties, (some of them costly) that hurt the Jags’ ability to move the ball.
Taylor is entering the last year of his rookie deal and there’s a chance he could become the player the Jags envisioned when they drafted him but time is running out. Don’t be surprised if the team’s brass brings in competition in training camp for the right tackle job.
No. 4 Jaguars’ biggest disappointment in 2021 – Tre Herndon, CB.
Tre Herndon was one of the Jaguars’ few healthy cornerbacks in 2020. While he wasn’t a Pro Bowler, he lined up at different spots across the secondary and didn’t miss a single game that year. The Jags’ regime liked what they saw and re-signed him last offseason.
An undrafted free agent in 2018, the Vanderbilt product had to work his way up to the roster, and after making no starts in his rookie campaign, he had a combined 26 in 2019 and 2020. He was supposed to take another step last year and man the slot but then, he tore his MCL in the preseason.
While Herndon returned for the Jaguars’ Week 4 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals, he wasn’t fully healthy and it showed in his performance, giving up seven receptions on eight targets for 98 yards and one touchdown. Things didn’t get much better the following two weeks, as he gave up a 100 percent completion rate on seven targets and one score.
After the Jags’ BYE in Week 7, Herndon lost his job in the slot to Rudy Ford and was inactive for several games for the remainder of the season. Despite the fact that he suited up in Weeks 12, 15, and 17, he didn’t get a single snap on defense and was mostly relegated to special teams play. He’s set to become a free agent and may need to settle on a one-year deal in Jacksonville or somewhere else to rehabilitate his stock.
No. 5 Jaguars’ biggest disappointment in 2021 – Laviska Shenault, WR.
Here’s one entry that may seem confusing. After all, wide receiver Laviska Shenault Jr. was also mentioned on the list of five Jaguars that could become breakout stars in 2022. However, there’s an easy explanation for his inclusion in both articles. The 2020 second-round pick has all the skillset to play a gadget kind of role in the NFL but hasn’t managed to turn his potential into steady production.
Last season, he had a pretty good performance against the Bengals on Thursday Night Football, hauling in receptions for 99 yards. He also finished the 2021 campaign with more catches and more receiving yards than in his rookie year. On the other hand, he averaged just 9.8 yards per grab and didn’t find the end zone even once. That’s not what you expected from a player that was seen as a favorite to breakout. Back when the Jags lost fellow DJ Chark Jr. to a fractured ankle, Viska had a prime opportunity to step up and soften his absence but didn’t.
All this is puzzling when you consider that Shenault’s ability to break tackles and create extra yards after contact is second to none. He can also get deep and line up anywhere across the line of scrimmage. He lacks top speed but that’s not necessarily something that can hold him back. Maybe the Jags’ offense in 2021 didn’t suit him and if that’s the case, he will have the chance to prove that’s what held him back last year.