3 Jaguars players who cannot afford to regress in 2024

The Jacksonville Jaguars finished 9-8 last year but failed to qualify for the postseason. If they want to bounce back and become a contender, they'll need players such as Trevor Lawrence and Josh Allen to show out. They'll also need a handful of players to keep trending in the right direction.

In particular, the following three players showed promise last year, and the Jaguars' chances of making a deep playoff run will increase if they avoid a regression.

Jaguars LB Devin Lloyd must avoid a regression in 2024

After taking Travon Walker first overall in the 2024 NFL Draft, the Jags traded back into the first round to select linebacker Devin Lloyd with pick No. 27. At the time, linebacker was among the team's biggest needs, so they didn't want to pass on the former Utah Ute's intriguing upside.

Back in college, Lloyd showed amazing range and the ability to blitz and drop in coverage. He put those skills on display early in his NFL career, registering six passes defensed and two interceptions in his first three games. However, he wasn't able to sustain that kind of performance and regressed as the 2022 season progressed. At some point, the California native was benched in favor of Chad Muma and only got his job back because his fellow linebacker suffered an ankle injury.

But despite experiencing growing pains as a rookie, Lloyd earned the coaching staff's full confidence and was part of the starting lineup in 2023. While he missed a couple of games with injuries, he was more consistent, especially against the run.

Heading into Year 3, Lloyd is expected to have a breakout season. He showed up to offseason activities in great shape and should pick up where he left off last season. Barring something unexpected, the linebacker should put it all together.

Jaguars OT Anton Harrison must avoid a regression in 2024

Heading into the 2023 draft, guard seemed like a bigger need than right tackle for the Jaguars. After all, they lost Jawaan Taylor in free agency but 2021 second-round pick Walker Little was a capable in-house replacement. In the end, though, the Jags went with offensive tackle Anton Harrison at No. 27.

Even though Harrison had mostly lined up at left tackle in college, the team's brass envisioned him playing on the right side. Then, the regular season came and the Oklahoma product struggled. His worst performance was against Kansas City Chiefs defensive end Chris Jones. That week, the Oklahoma product gave up two sacks and three total pressures, which he called his welcome to the NFL moment.

Looking back, it was a game Harrison would surely want to forget. Then again, something positive came out of it. Afterward, Jones said that the then-rookie offensive tackle had a bright future ahead.

Getting that kind of endorsement from one of the top defenders in the league must've made Harrison's confidence go up. He showed progress and finished the 2023 season strong, giving up a manageable 14 pressures and no sacks the last nine games.

Following the 2023 season, Harrison said he wouldn't be opposed to switching back to left tackle if that's what the Jaguars want. But that seems unlikely with Cam Robinson and Walker Little in the mix.

For now, though, Harrison will get to stay on the right side, which in turn will allow him to get better. At least that's the plan.

Jaguars DE Travon Walker cannot afford to regress in 2024

Being drafted first overall is the kind of thing NFL prospects strive for. The downside of earning that achievement is that it comes with massive expectations. You name it, multiple Pro Bowl nods, All-Pro designations and maybe getting enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Using those parameters, Travon Walker is off to a somewhat slow start in the pros.

The first overall pick in 2022, Walker was a dominant player in college but because he made the transition from a three-point stance to standup linebacker full-time in Jacksonville, he was seen as a developmental prospect. This is fine if you're a mid or late-round prospect, but not something you expect from a first-round pick, let alone the top selection.

Still, the Jags thought Walker was the best option at No. 1 in the draft, so they were willing to wait if that meant seeing him flourish. The Georgia native flashed at times in his rookie but was otherwise unremarkable, logging 4.5 sacks and one interception.

With a strong grasp of the position, Walker made strides in Year 2. He logged 10 sacks, with five of them coming in the last four games of the season. That kind of production shows that it was worth waiting, and based on his progress, the best may be yet to come.

In defensive coordinator Ryan NIelsen's scheme, he'll be going back to playing with his hand on the ground. That's where he was at his best on the Bulldogs defense, so switching back to his old position could help him be even more productive in 2024.

When you factor in the arrival of defensive tackle Arik Armstead, who'll command the attention of opposing teams, Walker has no excuse to take the next step in 2024.

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