You won’t probably find the Jacksonville Jaguars at the top of many power rankings ahead of training camp. However, they had a productive offseason and got substantially better since the end of the 2021 season.
Sure, it wasn’t always perfect and the Jaguars still have a long way to go before they become a legitimate playoff contender. On the other hand, they also took several steps in the right direction. With that in mind, here are five ways Jacksonville won during the offseason.
5. The Jaguars added depth to most position groups
Back in 2020, the Jaguars hardly spent in free agency and traded away (or released) many key contributors. This left the roster devoid of talent and led to a 1-15 record that year.
The Jags didn’t have many building blocks the past two seasons and when a starter went down, there was a significant dropoff in production. So not only has the team’s brass added playmakers at key positions but they’ve also added depth to most units. There’s still work to be done but Jacksonville’s roster looks in good shape ahead of training camp.
While the wide receiver corps and the cornerback group aren’t among the best in the league, both units have enough depth to withstand a few injuries. The same is true at inside linebacker.
Selecting Chad Muma in the third round of this year’s draft after taking Devin Lloyd might have been seen as unnecessary but defensive coordinator Mike Caldwell will have sufficient talent to run his system without limitations. Even the Jaguars’ safety room, which didn’t get many upgrades in the offseason has four starting-caliber players.
4. The Jaguars got Trevor Lawrence and Josh Allen help in the offseason
NFL teams need to get as many blue-chip players as they can. But they also need to put them in a position to succeed and surround them with talent. Otherwise, they’ll place an immense amount of pressure to win games, which is precisely what happened to Trevor Lawrence and Josh Allen last year.
The Jaguars’ brass made several additions to their roster last year but not nearly enough to move the needle. Fortunately, general manager Trent Baalke realized the team still needed more upgrades and keep adding talent in free agency. While he might have paid a premium for some of the players he signed, both Allen and Lawrence will benefit from the acquisitions.
Lawrence now has a wide arsenal and solid protection upfront. A few questions still loom ahead of training camp, mainly at tight end and right tackle. However, the quarterback’s supporting cast is way better than the one he had last year. The same is true for Allen, who won’t be the lone source of pass rush in 2022.
Besides drafting Travon Walker first overall, the Jaguars inked defensive lineman Arden Key in free agency. Moreover, they signed defensive lineman Folorunso Fatukase and brought back Adam Gotsis, a key cog in their defensive line rotation last year. This will pave the way for Allen to make more plays.
With all the moves the Jags made in the offseason, both Lawrence and Allen are poised to make a leap this upcoming season.
3. The Jaguars gained some ground in the AFC South
The Jaguars have been in the cellar of the AFC South since 2018, and it hasn’t been close. The Houston Texans, the Indianapolis Colts, and the Tennessee Titans have all been to the playoffs while Jacksonville has amassed a combined 15 wins over the last four seasons. That’s not the kind of track record NFL clubs would be proud of. On the bright side, things could change in the division in 2022.
While the Jags took an aggressive approach in the offseason, their AFC South counterparts were a bit more conservative. Sure, Indy looked for stability at quarterback and traded for Matt Ryan. They also acquired defensive end Yannick Ngakoue (remember him?) from the Las Vegas Raiders but other than that, they refrained from making any splash signings.
Instead of bolstering their wide receiver corps, the Titans dealt A.J. Brown to the Philadelphia Eagles. Ryan Tannehill is a fine quarterback but he showed in the playoffs that without a fully healthy Derrick Henry, he will struggle. Then, there’s the Texans. Just like the Jags, they made several important moves in the offseason but not as many. Also, they’re going with Davis Mills as their starting quarterback. His ceiling isn’t as high as Trevor Lawrence’s and doesn’t have as much talent around him as his Jacksonville counterpart.
This isn’t to say that the Jaguars will win the AFC South in 2022 but they should be able to win a few more divisional games and move up a few spots.
2. The Jaguars front office will have continuity
General manager Trent Baalke isn’t a popular figure in Jacksonville. As a matter of fact, he isn’t well-liked across the league due to his track record and his inability to work with others. That’s why it wasn’t shocking to see fans get together and ask for his dismissal after the Jags cut ties with Urban Meyer.
But in spite of all the heat Jaguars owner Shad Khan got, he remained unfazed and stuck with Baalke. While the move has the potential to eventually backfire, Khan showed he’s willing to give the embattled general manager a chance to turn things around. He did it with Gene Smith and Dave Caldwell, why would he buck the trend with Baalke?
Now, there’s only one way Baalke can solidify his place with the Jaguars and that’s by keeping replenishing the roster and helping them rack up wins. Fortunately for him, it looks like he’s been doing precisely that over the last two years. Not counting Trevor Lawrence, the general manager drafted four potential starters last year. Furthermore, he signed key contributors such as wide receiver Marvin Jones Jr. and return specialist Jamal Agnew.
The Jaguars and Baalke didn’t stop fortifying the roster this offseason. They were one of the most active clubs in free agency and they once again held the No. 1 pick, which they used on Travon Walker. If the signings and the 2022 draft class have the expected impact in the regular season, Baalke’s seat will cool off considerably.
1. The Jaguars found a Super Bowl-winning HC in Doug Pederson
The Jaguars could have hired pretty much anyone after firing Urban Meyer and they would still have made an upgrade at head coach. Having said that, the top brass didn’t take the search for Meyer’s replacement lightly and instead took their time, leaving no stone unturned in the process. Heck, at one point, Bill 0’Brien and Rich Bisaccia surfaced as potential candidates for the vacancy, making everyone wonder if the Jags would bring in Jeff Fisher and Steve Spurrier for an interview.
After weeks of due diligence and almost hiring Byron Leftwich, the Jaguars chose Doug Pederson. Sure, Leftwich became a trendy candidate during the search due to his ties to the organization but Pederson could be the better candidate in the long run.
Leftwich has moved up the assistant and coordinator ranks since he joined Bruce Arians’ staff with the Arizona Cardinals. And by Arians’ own admission, Leftwich deserves plenty of credit for the offensive success the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have had over the last two years. Moreover, he’s ready to become a head coach. On the other hand, Pederson has proven he can get it done, helping the Philadelphia Eagles win their first Super Bowl in franchise history and leading them to the playoffs in three consecutive years.
Pederson has helped the Jags heal after Meyer brought them down last year. He’s also gotten Trevor Lawrence on the right path and has been an important figure in his development. It might sound like hyperbole, but Pederson is the best head coach Jacksonville has had since Tom Coughlin.