3 most pleasant surprises for the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2024

The 2024 NFL season has been dismal for numerous Jacksonville Jaguar players, many of whom have failed to live up to expectations. With the joint worst record in the AFC at 2-9, it’s hard to pinpoint who’s been the worst of the lot, though. Simply, there are too many to choose from.

At the same time, when an anticipated bounce-back season derails so fast, it’s equally difficult to find the bright spots for Doug Pederson’s group after 11 games. That said, not everything has been doom and gloom in Duval.

With that in mind, here are the three most pleasant surprises for the Jaguars this season.

1. Tank Bigsby, running back

The Jags’ second-round selection in 2023 out of Auburn had an underwhelming rookie campaign out of the backfield for this team. Press Taylor seemed to lose faith in him early into last season, with his longest run being a mere 12 yards, while he failed to convert short-yardage plays repeatedly.

With a mere 2.6-yard average per carry last season, there were understandably questions surrounding his capability as a secondary running back to Travis Etienne.

When Etienne went down with an injury earlier this season, they had no choice but to promote Bigsby, and the 23-year-old has delivered. He's done a great job at finding the holes and running through them, averaging 5.5 yards per carry while scoring four touchdowns.

Bigsby's shown in 2024 that he can keep the chains moving, with 21 first downs after 11 games, and that he can be explosive when he gets into the second level.

Many believe his performances will make him the #1 running back in the future rather than the Jags’ former first-rounder in 2021 (Etienne).

2. Jarrian Jones, cornerback

The Jags secondary has been a disaster in 2024, but there is some promise for the future in Jarrian Jones. The 23-year-old out of Florida State has shown to have plenty of upside at that position with one interception and 16 solo tackles.

Jones has been particularly strong in single coverage when called upon and had among the highest coverage grades early into November.

Jacksonville’s cover game has been rather invisible throughout the year, but Jones’ speed and ability to break up plays has been impressive. He’s also been among the team’s best run-stoppers throughout the campaign. His overall performance at cornerback certainly warrants consideration for him to be a starter in 2024.

3. Ventrell Miller, linebacker

Ventrell Miller’s aggressiveness and ability to close quickly have been evident throughout the campaign. He is second on the team in tackles after 11 games (73), 49 of which were solo jobs. The former Florida Gator has also done a nice job working off blockers while showing strong lateral movement.

For such a violent tackler, who’s registered three for losses, Miller can also be a solid cover guy, defending two passes so far.

Defensively, across the board, it’s not been an easy 2024 for this group, but Miller’s numbers suggest there is hope that we can see some improvements at the linebacking position next year.