The Jacksonville Jaguars' nine-win improvement this past season has fundamentally changed their trajectory. What was expected to be a lengthy rebuild, with a dubious franchise quarterback in Trevor Lawrence at the center of it all, transformed into abundant long-term optimism almost overnight.
While the Jags do have some work to do this offseason to ensure they stay atop the AFC South, or at least return to the playoffs, they're headed in the right direction.
Further proof of that is how they're perceived by the public. I'll admit that I didn't see Jacksonville's sudden resurgence coming in 2025. I doubt many others did either. As far their Super Bowl chances, well, a recent piece had a rosy view of their odds for the new season.
Super Bowl contender list has favorable outlook for 2026 Jaguars' chances at Lombardi Trophy
FanSided.com's Christopher Kline power ranked how close each of the 30 teams who didn't play in Super Bowl LX were to reaching the Big Game. Jacksonville checked in at a respectable 10th place, which ain't bad for a team that lost 13 games in 2024.
"The Jaguars flew under the radar all season, emerging as one of the most complete and successful football teams in the league. Josh Allen did Josh Allen things in the first round, but the Jags' future is bright with Liam Coen at the commands. Trevor Lawrence finally started to look like a franchise quarterback, especially late in the season. Jacksonville has a complicated offseason ahead of it, but the Jags are a lovable — and believable — underdog."
Chemistry on a coaching staff is difficult to achieve no matter the circumstances. Liam Coen was for sure a phenomenal hire by the Jags, because he's an elite offensive mind who hails from the Sean McVay coaching tree. Hard to go wrong there.
James Gladstone has proven he's a plenty capable GM. Even though his first draft class left something to be desired, Gladstone's proactive approach to trades shows his willingness to do whatever it takes for the Jags to lift that Lombardi Trophy someday.
The bold draft day trade for Travis Hunter should pay off huge in 2026 now that Hunter is transitioning to a more full-time role at cornerback. That's in part because of how great Jacksonville's receiving corps is — and is a credit to how Coen's system elevates the players.
And as Kline's write-up alludes to, Lawrence looked like a legitimate top-five QB in the second half of the 2025 campaign. Another year of continuity in Coen's system, with all his primary pass-catchers at wide receiver and tight end still under contract, should lead to the best all-around season of his career to date.
If Gladstone can just find one impact player from the 2026 draft, and make sure the league's reigning No. 1 run defense stays mostly intact, there's no reason the Jags can't be a real contender to represent the AFC in Super Bowl LXI.