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5 Jaguars players primed for a bounce-back season in 2024

• These 5 Jaguars underachived in 2023. They should have no trouble bouncing back next season.

By Carlos Sanchez

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) celebrates his pass for a touchdown score to
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) celebrates his pass for a touchdown score to / Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA
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The Jacksonville Jaguars restocked their roster in the offseason. Many of the players they acquired are expected to make an impact in 2024, but the Jags are also counting on a few familiar faces to step up.

The team expected a few players to contribute last year but injuries and other circumstances prevented them from doing so. With enough time to get back on track, though, these five Jaguars are poised to bounce back in 2024.

Jaguars LG Ezra Cleveland is a prime candidate to rebound in 2024

Left guard was one of the Jaguars' most glaring weaknesses for most of 2023. Even though Ben Bartch was recovering from a knee injury he suffered the year prior, the team's brass chose not to address the position. Once Bartch showed he wasn't 100 percent, the Jags plugged veteran Tyler Shatley into the starting lineup but he failed to provide a significant improvement.

The coaching staff then bumped left tackle Walker Little inside but things didn't get much better. Without no viable options, the Jags traded for Ezra Cleveland at the 2023 deadline. A second-round pick by the Minnesota Vikings in 2020, Cleveland had made 49 consecutive starts before a foot sprain ended his streak.

Cleveland was still recovering from the foot sprain when he landed in Jacksonville, so he didn't fully hit his stride. Compounding the issue is that he didn't have enough time to get acclimated. With the benefit of an offseason, the former Boise State Bronco should fare much better in 2024. General manager Trent Baalke certainly thinks he will. Otherwise, he wouldn't have given him a three-year extension worth $24 million to prevent him from hitting the open market.

Before getting hurt, Cleveland had given up just one sack and 10 total pressures in 2023. Having been reunited with offensive line coach Phil Rauscher (his position coach in Minnesota) and with a clean bill of health, he should have no trouble performing like he did in 2022. That year, he only gave up three sacks and 34 total pressures.

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