Following a disappointing 2024, expectations weren't particularly high for the Jacksonville Jaguars, and understandably so. Trevor Lawrence struggled before an AC sprain ended his season prematurely. Doug Pederson was shown the door, and the Jags replaced him with Liam Coen, who had no prior head-coach experience in the NFL. But against all odds, they managed to turn things around.
Jacksonville went 13-4 and won the AFC South for the first time in 2022. However, things will be considerably tougher in 2026. While Lawrence is coming off a banner season, and Coen proved he was the right man for the job, the rest of the division has also improved in the offseason.
Sure, the Jaguars are still the team to beat in the AFC South, but there are a handful of roadblocks that could prevent them from winning the division for the second year in a row. These three, in particular, come to mind.
A reveamped Houston Texans team
There's no doubt that the Tennessee Titans will be better after undergoing a makeover that included hiring Robert Saleh as their head coach. The Indianapolis Colts will also be in the thick of the playoff race through most of 2026, even if they ultimately come up short. However, the biggest threat to the Jaguars in the division is the Houston Texans.
The Texans have one of the best, if not the best, defenses in the NFL. Moreover, they made another attempt to fix their offensive line in the offseason, signing Wyatt Teller and Braden Smith in the offseason. If Houston can do a better job of blocking up front, its offense could give the Jags trouble next season.
Of course, the Texans' biggest X-Factor is quarterback C.J. Stroud. If he can bounce back after a pair of underwhelming seasons, the Jaguars will need to look over their shoulder in 2026.
The Jaguars defensive line
The defensive line may not be a weakness, but it's definitely a question mark ahead of the regular season. The Jags didn't make a splash to bolster the interior defensive line, and they need a No. 3 to emerge behind Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker.
Arik Armstead was a cut candidate early in the offseason, but signs point to him sticking around in 2026. He's the team's best interior pass rusher, so it made sense to hold onto him. If Ruke Orhorhoro can provide a boost, the defensive tackle position will look much better, but there's no guarantee that he will.
On the other hand, Jacksonville didn't add a veteran pass rusher and instead expects someone in the group of Danny Striggow, Zach Durfee, Wesley Williams, and B.J. Green II to separate himself from the rest.
Last year, the Jags' dearth of pass rush was exposed in the loss to the Buffalo Bills. They'll need to improve in that area if they don't want to come up short again in 2026.
Can the Jaguars build off their 2025 success?
History isn't on their side, so the Jaguars will need to buck the trend. The last time they made the playoffs in back-to-back years was in the distant years of 1998-1999. They did manage to finish with a winning record in 2022 and 2023 but didn't qualify for the playoffs in 2023. It will be up to Jacksonville not to get content. The good news is that head coach Liam Coen won't let it happen.
After losing to the Buffalo Bills in the playoffs, Coen made it clear that the team left meat on the bone. Not surprisingly, the Jags spent the offseason making tweaks to the roster and their offensive philosophy. Those changes should result in a more rounded Jaguars team that should be able to get over the hump.
As cliche as it may sound what the Jaguars did in 2025, doesn't have a bearing into next season, so it will be up to them to show that last year wasn't a fluke but rather a sign of things to come.
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