4 Jacksonville Jaguars that were a nice surprise in 2021

The Jacksonville Jaguars didn’t have many things going for them in 2021. Urban Meyer was supposed to help the Jags turn things around but was given the boot after just 13 games and left them in worse shape than when he got hired. Also, several of their key players, including wide receivers DJ Chark Jr. and Jamal Agnew suffered season-ending injuries. Heck, you could say that when it rains, it pours in Jacksonville.

However, not everything was doom and gloom and there were several bright spots in the Jaguars’ 2021 regular season. Trevor Lawerence showed flashes of the talent that made him the top overall pick in last years’ draft and showed he can be the face of the franchise. They also pulled off a few jaw-dropping wins, including the upset over Buffalo Bills in Week 9. If that wasn’t enough these four players were a nice surprise.

No. 1 Jaguars player who was a nice surprise in 2021 – Adam Gotsis.

Even though defensive tackle Adam Gotsis appeared in all 16 games and made 14 starts in 2020, he finished the year with no sacks and just 37 total tackles. For that reason, it was a bit puzzling to see the Jags re-sign him last season but looking back, they made the right call.

Although Gotsis was inactive in the 2021 season opener against the Houston Texans, he went on to appear in the following 16 games and ended up making four starts. Moreover, he made several key plays throughout the year. The 2016 second-round pick logged a tackle for a loss in Week 13 that forced the Los Angeles Rams to settle for a field goal when the game was still competitive. He had a couple more in key moments against the Indianapolis Colts in the season final.

Gotsis finished the season with 27 total tackles, seven tackles for a loss, and three sacks. He won’t make the Pro Bowl any time soon but he was a solid contributor in the Jaguars’ defensive line rotation in 2021.