5 Jacksonville Jaguars players who desperately need to develop in 2022

Poor decision-making has stripped the Jacksonville Jaguars roster of talent over the last few years. This has in turn made it difficult for them to keep up with other teams and consistently win games.

On the other hand, there are a few young players on the Jags’ roster that have the potential to become key contributors down the road. If the team wants to take a step in the right direction, Doug Pederson and his coaching staff will need to get the most out of them this upcoming season. Here are five of those players who desperately need to develop in 2022.

No. 1 Jaguars player who needs to develop in 2022 – Ben Bartch, OG.

A couple of years ago, offensive guard Ben Batch got the national spotlight at the NFL Scouting Combine when he shared the secret recipe for the smoothies he drank at the time to gain weight.  He told the local media in 2021 that he no longer needed them but he kept working hard regardless. Looking back, that protein overload paid off.

Last season, Bartch stepped at right guard after A.J. Cann suffered a season-ending MCL injury and ended up making 11 starts. The former St. John Johnny posted a Pro Football Focus overall grade of 62.1 and allowed 24 total pressures and three sacks.

It’s uncertain if Bartch will have a clear path to the starting lineup or if the team’s brass will bring in the competition this offseason but he needs to show he can be the long-term answer at right guard in 2022.