4 Jacksonville Jaguars who need to change their narrative in 2024

The Jacksonville Jaguars fell short of expectations last year. Favored to win the AFC South title, they faltered down the stretch and failed to make the playoffs. Following a disappointing end to the season, the Jags have made several changes to avoid another collapse. They started by revamping their coaching staff. They then proceeded to address a handful of needs.

Next is the draft, and if Jacksonville manages to come out with a good haul, they should be in a position to reclaim the AFC South. It would also help if a handful of players change their narrative next season. These four, in particular, come to mind.

4. Chad Muma, linebacker

Re-signing linebacker Foyesade Oluokun ensures defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen has enough pieces to install his scheme. But one unintended consequence of bringing back the veteran is that the decision to draft Chad Muma came under fire.

Back in 2022, linebacker was a need for the Jaguars, so it wasn't surprising that they signed Oluokun and later drafted Devin Lloyd in the first round. However, general manager Trent Baalke didn't stop there and took Muma in the third round. Even though the pick seemed excessive, it made sense at the time because you should never stop adding playmakers, and Muma came in with lots of upside.

However, Muma has been unremarkable the past two seasons. He started a few games as a rookie in relief of Lloyd but returned to the sidelines when he suffered an ankle injury. The former Wyoming Cowboy once again subbed in for Lloyd for a couple games last year but was underwhelming. He now enters 2024 with uncertainty.

With Oluokun and Lloyd expected to start, Muma will need to fend off sophomore Ventrell Miller to keep the top backup spot at linebacker. That's certainly not what the Jags envisioned when they drafted him in 2024. Maybe Muma will put it all together but this could turn out to be a make-or-break season for him.

3. Brandon Scherff, right guard

The Jacksonville Jaguars made several splash signings in 2022. One of their biggest acquisitions was right guard Brandon Scherff. A first-round pick in 2015, Scherff made the Pro Bowl five times and earned an All-Pro designation during his seven-year stint with the Washington Commanders. When the Jags gave him a three-year deal worth $49.5 million, they were paying him to be that player for them. However, the former Iowa Hawkeye has left a bit to be desired.

Make no mistake, Scherff has been solid in Jacksonville. Moreover, he hasn't missed a game the past two years, a noteworthy feat when you take into account that he hadn't appeared in a full season since 2016. That said, the Jags didn't pay him top-market money to be serviceable.

In 2022, Scherff gave up six sacks and 27 total pressures. He was better last year, allowing just two sacks and 15 total pressures, but he was still not playing at a level proportional to his salary. In his defense, he's played through injuries the past two seasons, an ankle injury in 2023 and a core injury the season prior. On top of that, he's become an important locker-room presence.

The team's brass seemed to have recognized Scherff's impact on and off the field and restructured his deal to ensure he stays in 2024. They could've easily released him and gotten $9 million in space but Jacksonville realized they were better off keeping him around. He'll now have the chance to show he deserved to be back, and if he manages to stay healthy, maybe this is the year he'll return to Pro Bowl shape.

2. Tyson Campbell, cornerback

The Jaguars raised eyebrows when they drafted cornerback Tyson Campbell 33rd overall in 2021. It wasn't that he was a bad player, but the front office had already signed Shaquill Griffin in free agency and brought back Tre Herndon and Sidney Jones. Moreover, then-sophomore C.J. Henderson was expected to make a leap, so the Campbell pick seemed unnecessary. But in retrospect, it was the right call.

Jones was traded before the start of the 2021 season, and Henderson suffered the same fate a few weeks later. Griffin was good but not great that year while Campbell progressively got better. Granted, he got off to a slow start to his NFL career but that's because he was miscast as a nickel. Once he moved to the boundaries, he fared much better, finishing his rookie campaign with a team-high two interceptions.

Campbell continued his ascension in Year 2, tallying three interceptions and giving up fewer than 10.0 yards per reception. By the end of the 2022 season, he had joined the conversation about the top 10 corners in the league. Expected to build off of his sophomore campaign, the former Georgia Bulldog instead struggled.

Injuries held Campbell back. First a hamstring, and later a quad. He still managed to suit up for 11 games but wasn't nearly as productive, registering no picks and surrendering 12.4 yards per completion. With Ryan Nielsen taking over the defense, Campbell's future in Jacksonville could be in doubt.

Campbell is better suited to play zone but he'll be tasked with playing press coverage under Nielsen. Not only will the third-year corner have to show he's 100 healthy but he'll have to do it while adjusting to a new scheme. That could be a steep hill to climb, but he'll be given a legitimate chance to bounce back and reclaim his place as one of the best corners in the league.

1. Trevor Lawrence, quarterback

There have been a string of debates on social media about whether Trevor Lawrence is a bust or a franchise quarterback. In case you missed the argument, critics point out that the former Clemson Tiger hasn't lived up to expectations since he was drafted first overall in 2021. To back up their claim, they compare his numbers to those of fellow first-round passers Daniel Jones and Mac Jones. The issue of solely relying on stats to make a case is that they're missing context.

Jones isn't nearly as accurate as Lawrence, and Jones has a limited ceiling. For his part, Lawrence had to put up with the Urban Meyer debacle as a rookie and he had to put the team on his shoulders last year. Without a running game or ideal protection, Lawrence was rushed to throw, with his quick release often masking the offensive line's shortcomings.

Without solid protection, Lawrence tried to do more, which led him to take more downfield shots instead of taking the checkdown or throwing it out of bounds. Similarly, he was at times reckless with the football, losing a concerning 12 fumbles.

Having said that, the Jaguars' inability to make the playoffs shouldn't fall exclusively on Lawrence's shoulders: The defense couldn't stop opposing teams from moving the ball at ease and his receivers dropped passes at the worst possible times. The offensive game plan didn't help either.

Imagine half those passes went for touchdowns. Nobody would question Lawrence's viability as a franchise quarterback. But you know what, you don't have to imagine. Back in 2022, played like a top-10 passer to finish the year, completing 69.7 percent of his passes for 1,2273 yards with 15 touchdowns and just two interceptions the last nine games. He then went on to lead Jacksonville to one of the biggest comebacks in NFL history.

Lawrence is still that player, and an improved offensive line should help him prove it next season.

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