3 winners and 3 losers from the Jaguars offseason so far

No. 3 loser from the Jaguars offseason so far – Laviska Shenault, WR.

Bringing in new players means that those that were part of the team last season might either have to compete for their jobs or outright become victims of the numbers game. This is the nature of the NFL and a situation wide receiver Laviska Shenault Jr. finds himself in this offseason. A second-round pick in 2020, the Colorado product showed flashes as a rookie, hauling in 58 receptions for 600 yards and five touchdowns. Moreover, he displayed a penchant for creating yards after contact.

Ahead of the 2021 campaign, Shenault was seen as a candidate to break out. However, he was one of many players affected by Urban Meyer’s toxic environment and took a step back, averaging half a yard less than in 2020 and failing to reach the end zone even once. Viska can certainly play better and should bounce back in 2022.

Nevertheless, Jacksonville signed Zay Jones and Christian Kirk in free agency and both of them are set to have feature roles. This means that Shenault will have to compete for playing time. To make matters, worse, the Jaguars could be open to trading him.

If the Jags wanted to motivate Shenault, they are pushing the wrong buttons. While most NFL players welcome competition, the team’s brass isn’t showing enough confidence in him and instead of doubling down on their support for him, they are currently exploring alternatives at wide receivers. Shenault could end up having a solid year in Jacksonville but this offseason has definitely not been kind to him.