The Jacksonville Jaguars underwent a dramatic turnaround in Liam Coen's first season as the head coach, finishing 13-4 after winning just four games the year prior.
Going into the 2026 season, the Jags will be looking to defend their division crown. To make it happen, they'll have several things going in their favor. For starters, Trevor Lawrence is an early candidate for the MVP award after finishing 2025 on a strong note.
Aside from Lawrence, general manager James Gladstone has built a well-rounded roster. On top of that, Jacksonville has four strengths that could power a deep playoff run.
A wide receiver corps stacked with talent
The Jaguars had no shortage of talent at wide receiver, with Parker Washington, Brian Thomas Jr., Travis Hunter, and Jakobi Meyers in the mix. All four had a substantial role last year and will once again get ample targets next season. However, the Jags needed to round out the unit, so they drafted Josh Cameron and CJ Williams with back-to-back picks in Round 6. After the addition of the rookies, Trevor Lawrence will have no shortage of weapons.
Meyers became a trusted target right off the bat and should be even better after spending a full offseason in Duval learning the scheme. Washington is expected to run more vertical routes, and Thomas is trending toward bouncing back after a disappointing 2025. On the other hand, Hunter will play defense full-time but will still line up at receiver.
Both Williams and Cameron have turned heads in the offseason program, so they may end up getting playing time even though they're at the bottom of the depth chart.
A devastating tight end group
The Jaguars caught lots of heat for drafting Nate Boerkircher at No. 56. Some of the criticism stemmed from the fact that they steered clear of the consensus big board. On top of that, Jacksonville already had Brenton Strange, so the Boerkircher pick seemed unnecessary. However, the Texas A&M product will help Jacksonville fulfill its offensive vision.
Last year, the Jags tried to run two and three-tight-end sets but lacked the personnel to successfully pull it off. That will now be possible with Boerkircher in the mix. Strange can stay at the line of scrimmage to block or serve as a pass catcher. Either way, the coaching staff will be able to create mismatches. But wait, there's more!
Apart from Boerkircher, Jacksonville drafted Tanner Koziol, who's wasted no time turning heads in the offseason program. At 6'7", Koziol has the size to carve out a niche as a red-zone target.
When you add it all up, Jacksonville may have been ridiculed for drafting Boerkircher but will get the last laugh when opposing defenses have no answer for the 12 and 13 personnel sets they'll routinely face.
Talent and depth in the secondary
Last year, safety was dubbed a question mark for the Jaguars, but it turned out to be a strength even though Caleb Ransaw sat out his rookie campaign with a leg injury. Eric Murray provided stability at the position, and Antonio Johnson had a breakout season. Ransaw is back, and Jacksonville drafted Jalen Huskey in Round 3.
Murray and Johnson will tentatively start, but Ransaw could also get substantial playing time. With Huskey and sophomore Rayuan Lane also in the mix, the Jags are set at safety. On the other hand, they also have a pretty good cornerback room.
Montaric Brown re-signed with Jacksonville before free agency and will start opposite Travis Hunter. Jarrian Jones and Jourdan Lewis thrive in the slot but can also play in the boundaries if needed. That's four quality cornerbacks. That leaves one or two spots up for grabs. Jabbar Muhammad is the most improved player from last year and is the favorite to get the nod. Christian Braswell will need to fend off rookies Davon Marshall and Preston Hodge but could also stick around.
While the defensive line remains a question mark, Jacksonville should be thrilled about its defensive backfield.
Continuity in the coaching staff
The biggest key to the Jaguars' success in 2026 will be the continuity they'll enjoy in the second season of the Liam Coen era. Coen became the head coach last year and immediately spearheaded a cultural shift. Although Jacksonville got off to a rocky start to the season, it ended up winning 13 games.
Coen managed to keep most of his staff intact. Offensive coordinator Grant Udinski and defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile interviewed for head-coaching jobs but opted to return to Jacksonville. The two will help Coen pick up where the Jags left off last year.
Moreover, the Jaguars did make two pivotal additions to their coaching staff: Brian Picucci as the run game coordinator and Mathieu Araujo as the defensive backs coach. Both of them will give their respective units a boost.
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