After going 13-4 and making the playoffs in 2025, the Jacksonville Jaguars will be looking to defend their AFC South title next season. All things considered, they have a favorable chance to repeat as division champions for the first time since they played in the AFC Central in the late 1990s.
Of course, winning the AFC South again in 2026 won't be a walk in the park, especially when you take into account that both the Houston Texans and the Tennessee Titans improved in the offseason. In fact, an NFL analyst argues that a handful of roster holes could hold Jacksonville back.
The Jaguars are among the five least improved NFL teams
ESPN drew up a list of 100 predictions for the 2026 season, and Aaron Schatz focused on discussing the five least improved teams. He included the Jaguars, noting that they probably won't collapse but could still regress due to questions about the pass rush and Devin Lloyd's departure, among other things.
"The Jaguars aren't going to collapse and be one of the league's worst teams, but expect to see some regression," Schatz wrote. "How much pass rush is there behind Josh Hines-Allen? Will the WR/CB Travis Hunter experiment work better in 2026? Is Cole Van Lanen ready to be a full-time left tackle? There are a lot of roster questions."
All things considered, these are valid points, but some of them aren't nearly as concerning. For instance, the Jaguars are confident that Ventrell Miller can replace Devin Lloyd.
Granted, Lloyd is coming off a banner season in which he finally lived up to his draft billing. However, he left much to be desired before 2025, and it wasn't until Anthony Campanile took over as the defensive coordinator that the former Utah Ute took off.
Nobody would bat an eye if Miller experiences a similar surge next year. In fact, head coach Liam Coen says that he should feel good about the team not bringing anybody to compete with him for the starting job next to Foyesade Oluokun.
On the other hand, Travis Hunter is ahead of schedule in his recovery from the LCL injury he suffered last year. Before his rookie season came to a screeching halt, the former Heisman Trophy winner flashed his two-way potential, registering a pass defensed and hauling in eight receptions for 101 yards with one touchdown against the Los Angeles Rams.
Hunter will see an uptick in playing time at corner, where he's at his best, next season. The expectation is that he's going to make a massive leap and fulfill his game-altering promise.
Of course, the Jaguars aren't perfect and a handful of roster voids could hold them back last year.
The Jaguars face a pair of roster questions
As Aaron Schatz wrote, the pass rush remains a question mark. Sure, Josh Hines-Allen is among the best pass rushers in the league, and Travon Walker is close to 100 percent after dealing with hand and knee injuries last year. However, Jacksonville is missing a No. 3 behind them to round out their rotation. Sure, the cupboard isn't fully bare, but nobody has truly stood out in training camp.
Danny Striggow, B.J. Green II, and rookies Wesley Williams and Zach Durfee are in the mix. One of them will need to separate himself from the rest and claim the No. 3 job. Otherwise, the Jags will need to look for external reinforcements.
Aside from the pass rush, the left tackle spot could also be a reason for concern. Cole Van Lanen seized the job last year but suffered a knee injury that is currently sidelining him. It's hard to tell from an outside perspective just how serious it is and whether he'll be back at full strength for the season opener. This is probably why Jacksonville has held onto Walker Little even though he's been the subject of trade rumors throughout the year.
But even when you take tjese question marks into account, the Jaguars have enough firepower on both sides of the ball to keep up in the AFC arm race. And with Liam Coen and Trevor Lawrence in the fold, they'll have a fighting chance week in and week out.
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