Coming off a playoff appearance in 2025, the Jacksonville Jaguars have a prime opportunity to achieve a feat that has evaded them since 1999.
Each of the past three times the Jags have qualified for the postseason, they've failed to get in the following year. They can buck the trend in 2026.
One thing working in Jacksonville's favor is that the 2026 team is different from its past iterations.
The Jaguars will take a step forward because they've built through the draft
Pete Prisco of CBS Sports made an appearance on 1010 XL and stated that the Jaguars won't take a step back in 2026, noting that, unlike past years, they're built the right way.
"Coughlin's teams didn't take a step back right when they won, and they were built with draft picks, young players that grew together," Prisco said when asked if the Jags will regress next season (10:09 mark). "Some of those other teams in Jacksonville weren't built that way. You had free agents on that team that went to the Super Bowl that one year. That was built with free agents. This team is built more with draft picks and younger players, and I think that's the difference. That's why, Frank."
Prisco continued, "You know, 'Oh, Jacksonville was a fluke last year. They're going to go back to being a garbage team.' That's what they're thinking, and the history says that. But the reality is, this team is different than some of the recent ones. The Coughlin teams were a lot like this. They were built to keep growing and going forward. And I think this team is built to keep growing and going forward."
Later in the exchange, Prisco argues that one big difference between the current Jags team and past iterations is that this one actually has a franchise quarterback in Trevor Lawrence.
"And the thing that makes it that they have their quarterback. You know, the other ones, those like Bortles, he was good that year before he did. He wasn't the long-term answer. What was the other one when they won last year? Garrard." Prisco said.
For context, David Garrard was the quarterback when the Jags made the playoffs last year. And Blake Bortles was the starter when they reached the AFC Championship in 2017. On the other hand, Lawrence has made the playoffs twice in the past four years, and he'll have a golden opportunity to buck that trend in 2026.
The Jaguars were overreliant on free agency in past years
Trent Baalke went on a spending spree in 2022 but said that he didn't want to be overreliant on free agency. However, his strategy didn't work because he failed to build through the draft. By 2025, he was gone.
Dave Caldwell, for his part, built a pretty good core. But instead of paying his players, he was seemingly more interested in hoarding draft picks. By 2020, he had effectively dismantled a team that had been one of the best in the NFL.
Here's where James Gladstone comes in. He knew that the roster needed upgrades but also had several talented pieces to work with, so he's aimed for balance. Dating back to 2025, he's made the necessary free-agent signings and locked up key contributors, but has mainly built through the draft. That's the right formula to build a contender.
The Jags wasted no time locking up cornerback Montaric Brown, defensive end Travon Walker, and tight end Brenton Strange in the offseason. However, they lost linebacker Devin Lloyd and running back Travis Etienne in free agency. Both were valuable contributors, but the team's brass already had their respective replacements ready to go. Something similar could happen next year.
Players such as linebacker Ventrell Miller and safety Antonio Johnson could leave in 2027, but the Jaguars have been grooming their potential replacements. As long as they can keep their roster core together and replenish it when necessary, they will enjoy sustained success for years to come.
It will also allow them to make the playoffs in back-to-back years for the first time since 1988-1988.
Add us as a preferred source on Google