Jacksonville Jaguars among 8 NFL teams with biggest Super Bowl window

There was nowhere to go up for the Jacksonville Jaguars after going 3-14 in 2021. Winning six or seven games last season would’ve been considered a massive step in the right direction after the chaos they experienced during Urban Meyer’s short stint as their head coach.

However, the Jags exceeded expectations, seizing the AFC South and advancing to the Divisional Round of the Playoffs in head coach Doug Pederson’s first season at the helm. Moreover, they have enough pieces in place to return to the postseason. In fact, Bucky Brooks of NFL Media thinks Jacksonville has a strong chance of making the Super Bowl in the not-so-distant future.

Brooks recently drew up a list of eight teams with the biggest Super Bowl window. To nobody’s surprise, the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles claimed the top two spots but the Jaguars also made the cut and popped up at No. 8. Brooks believes that the head coach/quarterback duo of Pederson and Trevor Lawrence should bring sustained success to Jacksonville for years to come.

"The combination of a Super Bowl-winning head coach and an emerging star quarterback is enough to earn Jacksonville the last slot on this list. Doug Pederson and Trevor Lawrence helped the Jaguars advance to the Divisional Round with a mind-bending wild-card comeback in the first year of marriage, and the foundation this duo has put in place could lead to some banners and titles in Duval County in the coming years.Lawrence has entered the conversation as one of the elites at the position after clicking with his veteran pass catchers down the stretch. And in Year 2 under Pederson, the former No. 1 overall pick should take another big step forward due to a better understanding of the scheme and philosophical approach."

Brooks goes on to say that Jags have the potential to become an offensive juggernaut if they can sign tight end Evan Engram to a long-term deal and wide receiver Calvin Ridley is reinstated from a suspension he’s currently serving. Based on how effective the offense was last year, it’s hard to disagree with Brooks on this one.

Doug Pederson and Trevor Lawrence give the Jacksonville Jaguars a terrific HC/QB duo for years to come

As Brooks noted, Lawrence should be even better in 2023. This was his first year working with Pederson and he made a huge leap. Even though the Jags could potentially lose passing game coordinator Jim Bob Cooter to the Indianapolis Colts, there will be a significant level of continuity on the coaching staff, which should in turn benefit Lawrence and other players.

Lawrence’s rookie season was derailed by Urban Meyer, who disagree with his coaching staff on how to develop the young quarterback. Fortunately, Pederson spent last year helping Lawrence work on his fundamentals and become a better player overall. Having checked off that box, the former Clemson Tiger can now focus on mastering Pederson’s system.

Then again, Pederson’s impact went beyond ‘fixing’ Lawrence. He helped the Jaguars heal after the Meyer debacle and helped several players bounce back after underachieving in 2021. This will be Pederson’s second season in Jacksonville and given his familiarity with the roster, he should be able to get even better production out of his players.

Making the Super Bowl is no easy task but the Jacksonville Jaguars should have a favorable shot for years to come as long as Pederson and Lawrence remain in place.