Gabe Davis gives Jacksonville Jaguars a Swiss Army Knife

The Jacksonville Jaguars locked up wide receiver Gabe Davis in free agency. So far, the signing hasn't gotten great reviews. However, head coach Doug Pederson says Davis will be a key piece on offense next year.

Pederson told the media at the NFL owners' meeting that Davis is the kind of receiver that can do it all, and that versatility will be huge for the Jags.

"Gabe Davis, to me, is like a Swiss army knife. He can run routes," Pederson said. "The guy ran around 81/82 targets a year for the last four years if you average them out. So he's a big part of the offense in Buffalo and I think he's gonna be another key piece to what we're doing. We can put them in positions to block, we can put them in positions to run. He's a good route runner, he's strong, he's big. He's local.

Pederson continued, "All things are positive with Gabe. I'm really looking forward to getting him in there, and seeing how he does fit with Christian [Kirk] and Zay [Jones], and even Devin DuVernay now, getting him in that mix, and obviously Parker Washington, Elijah Cooks, some of the young guys we have. It should be a really good exciting offseason to see just how we can make all these pieces work."

Davis, a Fernandina Beach native, got a three-year deal worth $39 million in free agency. A fourth-round pick by the Buffalo Bills in 2020, he's averaged 16.7 yards per reception and has shown a penchant for coming down with contested catches the past four years. He'll give the Jaguars a deep threat that can draw coverage away and give his teammates more favorable matchups.

Although drops have been an issue throughout his career, Davis had a manageable three last year. One reason to expect an improvement is that he'll reunite with wide receivers coach Chad Hall, his position coach in Buffalo.

Gabe Davis will be an important part of the Jaguars offensive identity

Losing Calvin Ridley in free agency hurts but the Jaguars seem to be prepared to overcome his absence. Gabe Davis is part of that plan. While he's not an outright replacement, his diverse skill set will allow offensive coordinator Press Taylor to be creative in how he uses him.

It will also help that the wide receiver corps should be healthier in 2024. Last year, Christian Kirk and Zay Jones missed significant time with core and PCL injuries, respectively. Doug Pederson thinks that having both of them back in the fold, alongside Davis, should help the Jaguars bounce back.

"We feel like we're a pretty good passing team. Overall, like we're right around the top 10 best. We can improve there. Injuries affected us late in the season when Christian missed five games. Zay wasn't healthy every week. You had Calvin and Evan out there playing, so we can definitely take better strides there."

Back in 2022, the Jags ranked 10th in the league in total yards and points scored. That was without Calvin Ridley, so there's a reason to think the Jaguars will be fine without him. Granted, the front office could still take a wide receiver early in the draft, but it seems they will be fine if they choose to prioritize other positions.

The bottom line is that the Jaguars must adjust to Calvin Ridley's departure. Having a versatile receiver such as Gabe Davis in the mix should most definitely help.

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