NFL voice offers compelling reason to keep an eye on Jaguars in training camp

The Jacksonville Jaguars garnered encouraging reviews throughout the offseason, but you will be hard-pressed to find someone who legitimately believes he'll make a deep playoff run in Year 1 of the Liam Coen era. Nevertheless, an NFL voice argues that the Jags have several intriguing pieces that make them a team to watch ahead of the regular season.

Mike Jones of The Athletic drew up a list of overrated and underrated teams ahead of training camp and picked Jacksonville as a team to keep an eye on, arguing that the new regime has made upgrades across the roster.

"This year's Jacksonville reset has a youthful theme, led by 39-year-old rookie head coach Liam Coen and 34-year-old GM James Gladstone," Jones wrote. "Intent on infusing the franchise with life, they jumped up in the NFL Draft to No. 2 to pick dynamic two-way player Travis Hunter, and then worked to retool their offensive line and the defense."

Jones also argues that Coen can help Trevor Lawrence put it all together once and for all and put the Jags in a position to challenge the Houston Texans for the division crown.

"If Coen can position Trevor Lawrence to finally live up to his potential — just like he did with Baker Mayfield in Tampa Bay last season — Jacksonville has a chance to rebound. Fortunately for the Jaguars, they're in the AFC South. The Texans have won back-to-back division championships but the other contenders are the rebuilding Titans and the Colts, who remain limited by quarterback struggles," Jones wrote.

Back in 2022, the Jags hired Doug Pederson as the head coach following the Urban Meyer debacle. Pederson oversaw an immediate turnaround, with Jacksonville making the playoffs and winning the AFC South title. However, the Jags failed to qualify for the postseason in 2023 and struggled badly the following year.

So after two years of coming up short, the organization decided to get rid of Pederson (and later Trent Baalke). To replace him, they conducted an extensive search that concluded with the hiring of Coen.

During his lone stint as the offensive coordinator for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he turned their offense into a well-rounded juggernaut. On top of that, he helped quarterback Baker Mayfield post career numbers and is expected to have a similar impact with the Jags.

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Why Liam Coen will be pivotal to the Jaguars' success in 2025

Trevor Lawrence's recovery from a shoulder injury is one of the biggest storylines to keep an eye on, but Liam Coen will also have a big role in whether the Jacksonville Jaguars can steer the ship in the right direction next season. Heck, Mike Jones also brings up his arrival as an equally appealing training-camp plot to keep an eye on, and it's understandable.

As important as Lawrence will be to the Jags' success, it's Coen who will set the tone. Although Jacksonville lacked depth and talent last year, the cupboard wasn't fully bare. There were a few building blocks in place, but because Doug Pederson didn't run a tight ship, the Jags weren't able to compete week in and week out.

And while the front office has done a good job of revamping the roster, the same core from last year remains in place, and it will be up to Coen to get the most out of him. So far, he's gotten praise from both the media and players.

It will be up to Coen to build off of the work the team put in during the offseason to have a strong training camp, something they'll need if they want to be ready for the Carolina Panthers in Week 1.

With Liam Coen at the helm, the Jaguars are undergoing a soft rebuild, so nobody will bat an eye if they fail to turn things around in 2025. Having said that, they have enough talent in place to maybe take the league by surprise.

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