The Jacksonville Jaguars have done a good job of replenishing the roster the past two years. Sure, they have a few glaring needs to address in the offseason, but you shouldn't expect a big makeover, at least when it comes to personnel side of things.
You could make the case that the roster does need an overhaul, but the truth is that the Jags have several young players ready to step into bigger roles. In fact, these four did enough last year to earn more playing time in 2025.
Parker Washington, wide receiver
In the NFL, injuries to one player open the proverbial door of opportunities to another. Such has been the case of Parker Washington, who's been thrust into action each of the past two years when fellow receiver Christian Kirk has gotten hurt.
A sixth-round pick in the 2023 draft, Washington got hurt early in his rookie campaign but showed promise late in the year when he stepped in Kirk's pace. He built off of his encouraging first NFL season and was even better in 2024, hauling in a respectable 32 receptions for 390 yards with three touchdowns. On top of that, the former Penn State Nittany Lion was a steady contributor on special teams, logging several long returns.
There's a chance that Kirk will be a cap casualty in the offseason. If the Jags move on from him, Washington will be in a great position to take his place as the primary slot receiver.
Ventrell Miller, linebacker
Back at Florida, linebacker Ventrell Miller was a stud. Unfortunately, he suffered a foot injury in his senior season that made him slide to the fourth round of the 2023 draft. To make matters worse, he sustained an Achilles tear that forced him to miss his entire rookie campaign.
But the Jags' confidence in Miller paid off, as he made an impact on the field whenever he got playing time. He ended up starting several games in relief of Foyesade Oluoukun and was at times the team's best linebacker. The Florida native finished the season with 80 total tackles, four tackles for a loss, and one forced fumble.
Jacksonville is still high on 2022 first-round pick Devin Lloyd, and the top brass may want him to start next season. However, they should at least have Miller challenge him for the job. After all, he was the better of the two more often than not last year.
Brenton Strange, tight end
The Jaguars raised eyebrows when they drafted Brenton Strange in 2023. Leaving aside that Evan Engram was in the mix, albeit on the franchise tag at the time, there were seemingly other more talented tight ends on the board when Jacksonville chose the Penn State product.
The Strange pick looked even worse after an unremarkable rookie season in which he logged a measly five receptions for 35 yards with one touchdown. However, something clicked, and his production increased considerably last year.
Granted, some of that had to do with Engram not being available, but Strange deserves praise for making the most of his chances and finishing with 40 receptions for 411 yards with two trips to the end zone. Whether his veteran counterpart returns in 2025, the third-year tight end is ready for a bigger role.
Maason Smith, defensive tackle
What appeared to be a blunder on draft day in 2024 turned out to be a promising pick. Defensive tackle Maason Smith fell to Round 2 because he missed time during his collegiate career. However, he always flashed when he was healthy, which is why the Jaguars took a chance on him.
Smith got off to a slow start to this rookie season. Compounding the issue is that he dealt with an ankle injury early in the year. But once he was healthy, he progressively got better. By the end of the year, the former LSU Tiger was arguably Jacksonville's best defensive tackle.
In retrospect, Smith's comparison to former All Pro Calais Campbell might've been warranted.