Coming off a successful 2025, the Jacksonville Jaguars are in good shape ahead of training camp. Head Liam Coen proved to be the right hire right off the bat. Trevor Lawrence played like a top-10 quarterback to finish the year, and general manager James Gladstone quietly raised the roster's ceiling in the offseason. That said, the Jags have their work cut out for them if they want to defend their AFC South title and make the playoffs for the second year in a row.
Gladstone did a good job of addressing the larger scale roster in the offseason, and Lawrence should have no trouble building off his banner year. That said, Jacksonville will have to answer the following questions in training camp if it wants to take the next step in 2026.
Who will emerge as the Jaguars' No. 3 pass rusher?
Travon Walker and Josh Hines-Allen give the Jaguars one of the best pass rush tandems in the NFL. However, they need to find a legitimate No. 3 behind them. Dawuane Smoot and Emmanuel Ogbah were expected to be rotational pieces in 2025 but were phased out in favor of undrafted free agents Danny Striggow and B.J. Green II as the season progressed.
Striggow appears to have a leg up for the No. 3 job ahead of training camp, and Green should also be in the mix. That said, both of them will need to keep making strides to get the nod. Rookies Zach Durfee and Wesley Williams are also in the mix but may need time to figure things out before they earn a role in the pass-rush rotation.
If nobody manages to separate himself from the bunch, Jacksonville will need to consider bringing in external help to bolster the pass rush.
Can Bhayshul Tuten truly lead the Jaguars backfield?
One of the biggest storylines in free agency was that the Jaguars let Travis Etienne walk and didn't make a big effort to replace him. They did sign Chris Rodriguez to a two-year deal worth $10 million, but his dearth of experience has raised questions about whether he can truly make an impact next season.
Of course, one huge reason Jacksonville let Etienne walk is that the team's decision-makers are confident that Bhayshul Tuten can fill the void at running back. His average of 3.47 yards per carry in 2025 certainly left much to be desired, but he also got plenty of work in short-yardage situations, and that was always going to bring down his overall statline.
Tuten also showed big-play potential in the playoff game against the Buffalo Bills, racking up 51 yards on four carries. With Etienne out of the picture and Rodriguez grinding out the tough yards, the sophomore running back is in a position to break out next year.
Can the Jaguars defensive line generate pressure from the interior?
The Jaguars excelled at stuffing the run last year, but they struggled to bring the heat, ranking 27th in the league with 32 sacks. Now, sacks aren't the only way to measure a team's ability to pressure the quarterback, but there's no doubt that Jacksonville could improve in that area.
That was evident in the playoff loss to the Buffalo Bills, when the Jags struggled to pressure Josh Allen, which, in turn, gave him ample time to throw. Part of the issue stemmed from their inability to create pressure from the interior defensive line, as Jacksonville didn't have a game-changer.
The expectation is that Arik Armstead will be more effective after suffering a hand injury in 2025 that hindered his production. Similarly, Ruke Orhorhoro should give the pass-rush a spark, but if either one fails to deliver, the Jaguars could be in trouble.
Will the Jaguars' quiet offseason come back to haunt them?
The Jaguars caught lots of heat for not being as aggressive as other teams in the offseason. Then again, they decided to take a deliberate approach because they expect several players to either take the next step or become key contributors next season. Trevor Lawrence, wide receiver Parker Washington, and Antonio Johnson fit the first category. Two-way star Travis Hunter, running back Bhayshul Tuten, and tight end Nate Boerkircher fall in the latter.
If things go as expected, the Jaguars should be even better than they were in 2025. If they don't, general manager James Gladstone could be under scrutiny. Thus far, signs point toward the former.
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