5 Jaguars players with a strong chance to make the Pro Bowl in 2023

The Jacskonville Jaguars went through a rough stretch early in the season but they've bounced back and won four games in a row. The defense has certainly been the talk of the town but the offense has also done their part to ensure the Jags are in a position to win week in and week out.

To coaching staff certainly deserves credit for Jacksonville's recent success but they wouldn't be where they are if they weren't for its players. After all, there's only so much a coach can do, it's up to the players to deliver and these five most definitely have. In fact, they should have a realistic shot at making the Pro Bowl.

No. 5 Jaguars player with a chance to make the Pro Bowl in 2023: Brandon Scherff, RG

Right guard Brandon Scherff is no stranger to the Pro Bowl, having earned a selection five times, along with a First-Team All-Pro designation during his seven-year stint with the Washington Commanders. He joined the Jags in 2022 in managed to play every game, a feat he hadn't achieved since 2016. However, he also dealt with an abdomen injury throughout most of the offseason that hindered his performance.

Scherff was healthy to start the 2023 and it showed in his performance. It's true that he struggled against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 2 but has otherwise played at a high level. In fact, he didn't allow a single pressure in Weeks 4 and 5. He's currently dealing with a knee injury but he still managed to play at a high level against the New Orleans Saints.

No. 4 Jaguars player with a chance to make the Pro Bowl in 2023: Andre Cisco, S

Safety is among the deepest position groups on the Jaguars' roster right now but that wasn't the case as recently as 2021. That year, it was one of their biggest weaknesses. One of the steps the team's brass took to address it was drafting Andre Cisco.

A ballhawk in college, Cisco entered the draft with injury concerns. He missed a couple games in 2019 with a lower-body injury and sat out most of the 2020 season with an ACL tear. The playmaking skills were there but teams were rightfully concerned about his ability to remain healthy. This made him slide to the third round, where the Jags took him with the 65th overall selection.

Cisco showed in training camp that he could stay healthy but the coaching staff chose to give Andrew Wingard the starting nod. He then spent most of his most his rookie year on the sidelines but flashed when he made a couple of starts late in the season.

Head coach Doug Pederson took over in 2022 and Cisco was installed in the starting lineup. The decision paid off, and he went on to become a key cog in the Jacksonville secondary. Heading into the 2023 season, the former Syracuse Orangeman was seen as a candidate to break out and boy, has he broken out.

Cisco has already registered three interceptions (tied for the most in the league) and four passes defensed this season. At this rate, he's an easy choice to make the Pro Bowl. And even though his name doesn't often pop off when discussing the top safeties in the NFL, it's a matter of time before it does.

No. 3 Jaguars player with a chance to make the Pro Bowl in 2023: Foyesade Oluokun, LB

The Jaguars have come a long way since the Urban Meyer debacle. While the controversial head coach was a big reason the team went 3-14 in 2021, the dearth of talent across the board had a role. For this reason, Jacksonville spared no expenses last year and made a significant investment in both offense and defense.

One of the Jags' biggest acquisitions last year was linebacker Foyesade Oluokun, who replaced longtime mainstay Myles Jack in the middle of the defense. Olukun, a sixth-round pick by the Atlanta Falcons in 2018, proved to be an upgrade right off the bat. He was named team captain and went on to lead the league in tackles.

Granted, Oluokun wasn't particularly great in coverage last year but his contributions to the team, especially in the running game and off the field, helped mask the weak points in his game.

This past offseason, Oluokun took his role as a leader to the next level. Veterans were dismissed from mandatory practice, so the coaching staff could focus on the younger players. However, the Yale product chose to remain in the building to help guide his younger teammates, one of the many reasons Jacksonville prioritized inking him in 2022.

Fast forward to the regular season and Oluokun is once again an important piece of the team's defensive puzzle and leads the NFL in tackles with 81 after Week 7. Moreover, he got the first pick-six of his career against the Saints and played a huge role in the 31-24 win.

No. 2 Jaguars player with a chance to make the Pro Bowl in 2023: Evan Engram, TE

The Jaguars got minimal results from the tight end position in the late 2010s. Things didn't change much in 2021 but the top brass bucked the trend last year when they brought in Evan Engram. Jacksonville wanted a long-term deal but Engram wanted to bet on himself. In retrospect, the decision benefited both parties.

A first-round pick in 2021 by the New York Giants, Engram often flashed his talent but wasn't able to put it all together. While he made the Pro Bowl in 2020, drops and mental mistakes marred his tenure with Big Blue. For this reason, he was available in free agency. The Jaguars didn't care about his past production though, and instead courted him because they believed he could reach his full potential in Jacksonville.

The early reviews weren't great though. Engram once again dealt with drops in his first offseason with the team. But then the regular season began and he became the player the Jaguars expected. Besides breaking several team records set by Kyle Brady, the former Ole Miss Rebel when to post career bests for receiving yards and catches. Rightfully, he wanted a raise. It took him and the team several months to find common ground but he ended up getting a three-year contract worth $44 million.

So far, Engram has shown this season he wasn't a one-year wonder. He had the most catches among tight ends in the NFL after Week 7. On top of that, he's become Trevor Lawrence's favorite target in 2023. That should be enough to help Engram get the second Pro Bowl of his career.

No. 1 Jaguars player with a chance to make the Pro Bowl: Josh Allen, OLB

Former Jaguars general manager Dave Caldwell made several questionable decisions throughout his stint but he got it right when he drafted Josh Allen seventh overall in 2019. Right off the bat, the former Kentucky Wildcat had an impact, racking up 10.5 sacks and making the Pro Bowl as a rookie.

However, Allen wasn't able to build on the success he had in 2019 for a myriad of reasons. In 2020, a knee injury hindered his impact and limited him to eight games and 2.5 sacks. He was supposed to bounce back in 2021 but the Urban Meyer debacle had a negative impact on him and the rest of the team.

Then again, Allen had flashes of dominance in 2021. His performances in the Week 9 upset against the Buffalo Bills and the season finale against the Indianapolis Colts stood out. But he also disappeared through stretches. The Virginia native was more consistent in 2022 but still wasn't the elite player the Jags thought he could become.

Vowing to be better, Allen has had a strong start to the 2023 season and has established himself as one of the top pass rushers in the league. He's already tallied one more sack than he had last year and has consistently wreaked havoc at the line of scrimmages.

It took Allen a while to find his groove again but he's at last become the difference-maker he was expected to be. A contract extension and a Pro Bowl berth seem likely, if not inevitable.

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