After going 13-4 and making the playoffs in 2025, the Jacksonville Jaguars were expected to add reinforcements to an already talented roster to get over the hump next season. However, they did the exact opposite.
Back in free agency, running back Chris Rodriguez was the only external player the Jags signed. Then the 2026 NFL Draft came, and they were blasted for going against the norm, choosing instead to stick to their internal board.
Because of the dearth of impact additions, along with its controversial approach to the draft, Jacksonville earned the worst possible grade in a report card.
The Jaguars got an F in B/R's offseason report cards
Brent Sobleski of Bleacher Report assigned offseason report cards to all NFL teams. He gave the Jaguars an F, arguing that they didn't make many meaningful moves to improve since the end of 2025. Here's the skinny.
"How exactly did the Jacksonville Jaguars improve this offseason?" Sobleski asked. "Travis Hunter is expected to be healthy, but he was already on the roster. Aside from the signing of Chris Rodriguez Jr. to get a more physical runner in the offense, the Jaguars did little-to-nothing when trying to improve upon last season. Otherwise, Travis Etienne and Devin Lloyd are significant losses."
Sobleski continued, "To be fair, Jacksonville played as well as team toward the end of the 2025 regular season. They couldn't close in the postseason, though. April's draft class was panned based on the Jaguars' inability to accurately assess value in regards to certain prospects."
All things considered, Sobleski makes some valid points. Losing linebacker Devin Lloyd and running back Travis Etienne in free agency most definitely stings. Granted, both of them were integral pieces in their 2025 turnaround, but the Jags weren't going to be able to bring them back without compromising their already precarious cap situation.
Moreover, Jacksonville is confident that Ventrell Miller can step into Lloyd's shoes, with head coach Liam Coen stating that the fourth-year linebacker should feel great about the team not bringing in someone to compete with him. Similarly, Coen is high on Tuten, pointing out that the team is confident he can take on a bigger role.
This is a long-winded way to say that the Jags felt comfortable letting Lloyd and Etienne walk because they believe they have their replacements in place. On the other hand, it's easy to see why Jacksonville's approach to the draft has been the subject of criticism.
Coen said that the Jags followed its internal process, and he's made it clear that they don't care about the outside criticism. The issue is that they've yet to show that it works. And until they have success, they'll continue to be under scrutiny.
The Jaguars took an unconventional approach because of their roster core
There's no doubt that the Jaguars could have used an established pass rusher to round out their rotation, or a dominant defensive tackle to fortify the trenches, especially when you take into account that they couldn't contain Josh Allen in the playoff loss to the Buffalo Bills. On the other hand, you can see why the Jags approached their offseason the way they did.
The Jaguars already had a talented core in place. And while it's true that they needed to address the pass rush and the interior defensive line, they did take care of other position groups. They bolstered the tight end group one year before it became a need. Similarly, they beefed up the offensive line with Emmanuel Pregnon in Round 3 and fortified the defensive line with Ruke Orhorhoro and Albert Regis.
If that wasn't enough, Jacksonville added much-needed depth — something they lacked last year — to most position groups. When you factor in that key players such as Trevor Lawrence, wide receiver Jakobi Meyers, tight end Brenton Strange, and the formidable duo of Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker.
When you add it all up, the Jaguars did enough to improve in the offseason, even if their report card doesn't reflect it.
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