With the 2023 NFL Draft in the books, the Jacksonville Jaguars can fully focus on preparing for the regular season. Sure, Week 1 is still months away but they need to begin to put in the work if they want to avoid getting off to a hot start.
One of the most important items on the Jags' to-do list will be evaluating their rookie class. Although the roster doesn't have any glaring weaknesses, there are a few position groups that still remain a question mark, including the following three.
No. 3 Jaguars biggest weakness following the 2023 NFL Draft: Cornerback
The Jags have a pair of talented cornerbacks that can line up in the boundaries in Tyson Campbell and Darious Williams. However, they need a third corner, one that can hold the nickel spot. The front office seems to be high on Tre Herndon, who returned on a one-year deal, but he's the long-term answer at the position.
Last season, Herndon gave up a 71.1 completion percent rate and allowed 14.8 yards per reception. The Vanderbilt product could start the season in the slot but some of the team's young cornerbacks will need to step up.
Sophomore Gregory Junior and Montaric Brown might have an early edge by virtue of having one year of experience under their belt. However, 2023 sixth-round pick Christian Brasswell could move up the depth chart in training camp if either Junior or Brown fails to impress.
Another thing to keep in mind is Chris Claybrooks' legal situation. He's facing domestic assault and vandalism charges following an incident in May. A special teams ace, the former Memphis Tiger is entering a contract year but releasing him would create $1 million in cap space, so the team's brass might feel inclined to part ways with him before the regular season commences.
If the Jaguars do release Claybrooks, they'll need one of the younglings to fill the void.
No. 2 Jaguars biggest weakness following the 2023 NFL Draft: Left guard
The Jaguars' offensive line has undergone meaningful changes over the last two seasons and none of the Week 1 starters from 2021 will be in the lineup in this season's opener. This isn't necessarily a bad thing though, as this year's version is poised to be significantly better than its 2021 counterpart. Then again, there's one spot in the trenches that will be worth monitoring in the upcoming months and that's left guard.
Ben Bartch, a 2020 fourth-round pick, has progressively gotten better over the last three years. The former St. John Johnny fared well last season, giving up seven total pressures and no sacks on 197 pass-blocking snaps. Unfortunately, he dislocated his knee in Week 5 and was shut down for the remainder of the year.
Head coach Doug Pederson told the local media one week before the draft that Batch might not be a full-go for training camp and if he's still recovering by the time the regular season kicks off, the coaching staff will go with Tyler Shatley, who's more than capable of holding the fort. The downside of plugging Shatley in at left guard is that he's serviceable but not the long-term answer at the position.
The Jags could give third-year offensive lineman Cole Van-Lanen an extended look in the summer and 2023 seventh-round pick Cooper Hodges could also get a few reps. Having said that, none of them inspire confidence in case Bartch has to miss an extended period of time.
Had the Jaguars drafted O'Cyrus Torrence in the first round or traded up to get him in the second to replenish their offensive line, the guard position would be in much better shape. Then again, they drafted their right tackle of the future, so the decision is justified.
No. 1 Jaguars biggest weakness following the 2023 NFL Draft: Pass rush
You might have noticed a theme on this list and it's that the Jaguars waited to address to most of their needs in the draft and instead prioritized finding a suitable replacement for Jawaan Taylor at right tackle. In their defense, Jacksonville didn't need immediate starters but rather depth at certain position groups, including their pass rush.
The Jaguars have a pair of bookend pass rushers in Travon Walker and Josh Allen but they needed another edge defender to round out their rotation after defensive end Arden Key deflected to the Tennessee Titans in free agency.
Even though Key only logged 4.5 sacks last year, his presence and flexibility helped his teammates get more favorable matchups. Not surprisingly, he was dubbed the Jags' biggest loss in free agency. While De'Shawn Nixon could see an uptick in playing time, he's still a work in progress. Similarly, outside linebacker K'Lavon Chaisson hasn't done enough to justify the team's decision to draft him 20th overall in 2020.
The Jaguars have gotten rave reviews for drafting Yasir Abdullah in Round 5, who's got the potential to develop into a dynamic pass rusher in the NFL. However, if the former Louisville Cardinal gets off to a slow start in the 2023 season, the Jags might have trouble creating pressure up front.
Maybe Abdullah will become an instant contributor in the Jaguars' pass-rush rotation but if he doesn't, the front office might need to consider getting on the phone with a familiar face.