The Jacksonville Jaguars caught lots of heat for opting not to make any major acquisitions in the offseason. However, there was a method to their madness. The team's brass let Devin Lloyd and Travis Etienne walk because their respective replacements are ready to take their place.
Similarly, the Jags expect Trevor Lawrence and wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr., among many other offensive players, to take the next step in their second year under head coach Liam Coen. The same is true for defensive end Travon Walker and safety Antonio Johnson on defense.
One NFL insider has taken notice of Jacksonville's approach and isn't overly concerned about the dearth of big swings in the offseason.
The Jaguars expect Trevor Lawrence, Brian Thomas Jr., and Travon Walker to improve
Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated shared his thoughts on every NFL team ahead of training camp. He acknowledges that the Jaguars had a quiet offseason, but that's because they're expecting several players to take a leap in 2026.
"The Jaguars have had an awfully quiet offseason after the Liam Coen-James Gladstone-Tony Boselli triumvirate delivered immediate results in 2025," Breer wrote. "And interestingly enough, the ascension of guys they've already got on the roster might wind up being the biggest difference-maker for the reigning AFC South champions with Trevor Lawrence, Travon Walker, and Brian Thomas Jr., as three that still have some meat left on the development bone."
Of the three, only Trevor Lawrence had a banner 2025, but even he got off to a slow start. It wasn't until Week 11 that No. 16 truly took off, completing 62.6 percent of his throws for 1,856 yards with 18 touchdowns and just four interceptions.
Unlike last year, Lawrence didn't have to learn a new offense or rehab any injuries in 2026, so he's been able to fully focus on getting a better hold of the playbook and honing his rapport with his receivers. This should lead to an even better performance.
Circling back to Thomas, he was plagued by drops and inconsistency last year. But he's spent the whole offseason working on being better. His improvement was noticeable in the offseason program, and he's trending toward rediscovering the level he reached as a rookie in 2024.
Walker, for his part, appears to be back at full strength after dealing with hand and knee injuries last year. Sure, he only logged 3.5 sacks in 2025 but racked up a combined 20.5 the prior two years. It's fair to assume that the former Georgia Bulldog has a chance to record 10 sacks next season.
The Jaguars didn't have to make nearly as many offseason additions
Just like Albert Breer suggested, the Jaguars didn't undergo a substantial makeover because they didn't need to. They already had a talented core in place, and the coaching staff managed to get the most out of it last year. This allowed general manager James Gladstone to focus on addressing specific areas of the roster.
You could argue that the Jags could have still made a blockbuster move. That they could have signed John Franklin-Myers or added a pass rusher in free agency. But they instead made an aggressive effort to lock up their homegrown talent.
This offseason alone, Jacksonville re-signed team mainstays such as Travon Walker, long-snapper Ross Matiscik, cornerback Montaric Brown, and tight end Brenton Strange. Nobody would bat an eye if either wide receiver Parker Washington or safety Antonio Johnson gets a contract next.
Of course, we'll see just how good the Jaguars truly are until they take the field in September. For the time being, though, they've completely bought in and remain unfazed by the outside noise.
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