3 problems the Jaguars are already dealing with in training camp

The Jacksonville Jaguars raised eyebrows early in training camp because of their offense and Trevor Lawrence struggled the first few days. They've since made progress and should continue to get better ahead of the regular season. That said, the Jags have also encountered a few problems.

The good news is that Jacksonville still has a bit of time to take care of these issues but cannot afford to turn their back on them. Without that in mind, here are three things the team is already dealing with in training camp.

The Jaguars aren't getting great play from Mac Jones and the QB position

Trevor Lawrence caught flak and was even compared to Blake Bortles for his underwhelming start to training camp. He's played much better in recent practices and should continue to improve in the upcoming days. Having said that, fellow quarterback Mac Jones is still trying to hit his stride.

The Jags traded for Jones in the offseason because they wanted to bolster their depth at quarterback. The move made sense because he was a former first-round selection who made the Pro Bowl as a rookie. Granted, he struggled the past two years but that was mostly due to the New England Patriots mishandling his development.

It was fair to assume that Jones was going to benefit from a fresh start in Jacksonville. However, he's had a few rough practices in training camp. While he's made a few encouraging throws, he's been picked off nearly every day. Like Lawrence, the Alabama product should be able to get back on track but he's certainly left a bit to be desired.

Compounding the issue is that C.J. Beathard, the team's primary backup the past three years, has also been unremarkable. He hasn't turned the ball over as much as Jones but he hasn't also done enough to make you think he will be QB2 job behind Lawrence in 2024.

The silver lining is that head coach Doug Pederson isn't overly concerned about the offense's early struggles, pointing out that the team is focused on scheming at this stage of training camp. If that turns out to be the main reason for their less-than-stellar play, all the Jaguars quarterbacks should see an improvement in the upcoming days.

The Jaguars aren't getting much production from their 2024 NFL Draft class

Players' readiness is always variable coming out of the draft. Some can contribute right out of the gate while others need a bit of time to make the transition to the pros. That said, the Jaguars would surely want to get more out of their rookie class at this point of the offseason.

Make no mistake, some of the Jags' first-year players have flashed but not many of them — Jarrian Jones and Cam Little notwithstanding — have done nearly enough in training camp to make you think that they'll have an impact right out of the gate.

This shouldn't be a reason for concern because Jacksonville doesn't have many starting jobs open for competition and many of their rookies are either developmental prospects or slated to take on reserve roles. Then again, the coaching staff will still want them to be ready in case they're pressed into action because of the injury bug.

On the bright side, the Jaguars' 2023 draft class has stood out. Late-round picks such as offensive guard Cooper Hodges, cornerback Christian Braswell, and linebacker Ventrell Miller are making a strong impression after dealing with injuries last year. All three have seen their stock get a boost in training camp and should feel good about their chances of moving up on the depth chart ahead of the regular season.

The Jaguars are in better shape at cornerback than anticipated

Some problems are good to have and the Jaguars find themselves with an unexpected one at hand. Even though they signed Ronald Darby in free agency and used a pair of draft picks on Jarrian Jones and Deantre Prince, the front office has gotten flak for not making further reinforcements at the position. Based on how things have played out in training camp, they probably won't.

Jones stood out in offseason activities and his encouraging play has carried over into training camp. While he rolled his ankle and missed part of a practice, he was back in the fold not long after. Tyson Campbell, who's fresh off signing a contract that makes him the highest-paid cornerback who's never made the Pro Bowl or earned an All-Pro designation, was limited to individual drills the first few days but he's now joined his teammates in 7-on-7s and 11-on-11s.

If that wasn't enough Darby and sophomore Christian Braswell have been making plays while Prince is coming along slowly.

Although trading for Marshon Lattimore or even Paulson Adebo would be great, it would be unnecessary at this point. Both of them played for Jaguars defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen when he held the same position for the New Orleans Saints in 2021, so it kind of makes sense. Having said that, Jacksonville is currently stacked at the position, and that's without taking Antonio Johnson and Darnell Savage into account.

Johnson played nickel in his rookie year. He's switching to safety in 2024 but could move back to the slot if needed. Similarly, Savage played safety for most of his stint with the Green Bay Packers but will line up at nickel in Jacksonville.

The bottom line is that cornerback may not be a strength for the Jags now but it's not the need it was thought to be before training camp.

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