The Jacksonville Jaguars have had a productive offseason. While they weren't able to make any splash signings like they did last year due to cap constraints, they still managed to fortify most position groups and add much-needed depth to the roster.
Although there are many months left for the 2023 NFL regular season, the Jags are in good shape and based on the moves they've done in free agency and the draft, it's not unrealistic to expect these five predictions to come true.
The Jacksonville Jaguars will exceed the projected win total for 2023
The win total for the Jags in 2022 was set at 6.5. That number might seem rather low but they were coming off a 3-14 season and the roster was in dire need of talent. The fact that Jacksonville was at one point 3-6 and close to getting eliminated from playoff contention made it seem like the bettors had gotten it right.
But then, something changed and the Jags went on to win six of their last eight games of the 2022 season and qualified for the postseason as the No. 4 seed. Following their massive turnaround, Jacksonville is now projected to win 10.5 games and they should have no trouble hitting the under.
Many of the players that had a role in the playoff run are back on the team. Moreover, Jacksonville added Calvin Ridley to an already stacked wide receiver corps, giving Trevor Lawrence a wide arsenal of weapons to work with.
Speaking of Lawrence, he's entering his second year in head coach Doug Pederson's system, so he should have no trouble picking up where left off last year. As a matter of fact, don't be surprised if the former Clemson Tiger enters the league MVP conversation in 2023 if the Jaguars get off to a strong start.
Calvin Ridley and Christian Kirk will be 1,000-yard receivers in 2023
Some skill-position players might want to pump up their stats as much as possible. Some don't care as long as the team wins. In the end, it's an offensive coordinator's job to look for matchups to exploit Press Taylor will have several playmakers to deploy in his scheme in 2023. Last year, he had Christian Kirk, Zay Jones, Marvin Jones Jr., and tight end Evan Engram.
Marvin Jones left in free agency but the Jags got an upgrade with Ridley, who will Trevor Lawrence a true No. 1 bonafide wide receiver to throw the ball to. Ridley might take some targets away from Jones, Engram, and Kirk but his presence will also draw coverage away from his teammates, which should in turn put them in more favorable matchups.
Last season, Kirk crossed the 1,000-yard mark while Jones and Engram tallied more than 700 yards each. Back in 2020 when Ridley was healthy, he hauled in 90 receptions for 1,374 yards with nine touchdowns. He might not be able to reach that amount in 2023 but he and Kirk should have no trouble getting over 1,100 yards each.
You could make the case that the Jaguars have too many weapons for any of them to put up high statistical totals in 2023. Nevertheless, there should be enough targets to please all the playmakers on offense.
Josh Allen and Travon Walker will each have 10 sacks (or more) in 2023
Picking up outside linebacker Josh Allen's fifth-year option on his rookie deal last offseason was a no-brainer. It's true that he hasn't been able to log 10 sacks or more since his rookie campaign. However, the former Kentucky Wildcat is arguably Jacksonville's best pass rusher and a core contributor on defense, so he should stay for at least one more season.
Make no mistake, the Virginia native is a good player, one that is capable of playing at a Pro Bowl level. The issue is that he hasn't been able to do it on a consistent basis. On the other hand, it's worth noting that 2023 marks the second time in his career that he'll be in the same system. Having continuity should help him hit his stride and register more than 10 sacks in 2022.
Just like Allen, sophomore Travon Walker is poised to have a big season. After spending most of the draft process meeting with teams and preparing for interviews in 2022, the former Georgia Bulldog doesn't have to worry about anything but getting ready for next season.
Getting fully acclimated to rushing the quarterback from a standup position should also help Walker do a better job of racking up sacks. 10 doesn't seem like an unreasonable number, as defensive coordinator Mike Caldwell now knows how to maximize his skill set and put him in a position to succeed.
The Jacksonville Jaguars will have players earn an All-Pro selection in 2023
The Jags ended a streak of years without any Pro Bowlers in 2022 when Trevor Lawrence and Jamal Agnew earned the accolade. On the other hand, they haven't had a player make the First-Team All-Pro team since defensive end Calais Campbell and cornerback Jalen Ramsey got the nod in 2017.
However, the Jaguars will buck the trend in 2023 and besides sending a handful of players to the Pro Bowl, a few of them will get an All-Pro designation. There are a few worthy candidates but the first that comes to mind is right guard Brandon Scherff.
A first-round pick by the Washington Commanders in 2015, Scherff has made the Pro Bowl five times and got a First-Team All-Pro designation in 2020. The former Iowa Hawkeye managed to start all 17 games for the first time since 2016 and he'll be in his second season under offensive line coach Phil Rauscher. That kind of carryover should help him earn a First-Team All-Pro selection in 2023.
Another Jaguars that could make the First-Team All-Pro is wide receiver Calvin Ridley, who has been reinstated from a suspension for betting on NFL games near the end of 2021. Highly motivated to get back on the field, the former Alabama standout is fully healthy and probably the strongest he's been since 2020.
With Trevor Lawrence throwing passes at him, Ridley has a chance to return to the upper echelon of wide receivers and earn not only the first Pro Bowl nod of his career but also his first All-Pro designation ever.
The Jacksonville Jaguars will reach the AFC Championship in 2023
You could argue that were entering the unrealist portion of the list but these are bold predictions and reaching the Conference game might not be too farfetched for the Jaguars in 2023. For starters, they did a good job of turning things around in Doug Pederson's first year at the helm. It's true that Jacksonville went 2-6 early in the season but once they hit their stride, they were nearly unstoppable.
Trevor Lawrence put on display the kind of skills that made him the No. 1 overall pick in 2021 and he should be even better now that he's got a strong grasp of Pederson's scheme. On top of that, he's getting a true No. 1 receiver in Calvin Ridley, who can get deep and open things up for Christian Kirk, Zay Jones and Evan Engram.
On the defensive side of the ball, the team's brass didn't make a blockbuster acquisition but they added depth to all position groups, even those that didn't seemingly need a boost, such as safety.
Ridley is the only 'big change' in the Jaguars' lineup. Both their offense and defense will come back mostly intact in 2023 but precisely that kind of continuity should help them get over the bump.
It's true that the Jaguars will face off against powerhouses such as the Buffalo Bills, the Cincinnati Bengals, the Kansas City Chiefs, and the San Francisco 49ers. While it's hard to see them running the table, they're talented enough to go toe-to-toe with all of them and win at least half of those matchups. Once the Jags qualify for the playoffs -- not a bold prediction -- last year's experience should help them get over the hump and get to the AFC Championship.
Does it sound overly optimistic? Maybe but so did racking up nine wins in 2022 and look where the Jaguars are right now.