Intriguing position battles for Jaguars in 2024 will shock some fans

The Jacksonville Jaguars added lots of talent in free agency and the NFL Draft. While some of the players they've acquired are expected to make an impact right out of the gate, others will need time to develop before they can contribute. Then, there are those who were brought in to compete for a job.

While most starting jobs are filled, many key backup roles haven't been sorted out. This means that the Jags will hold a handful of position battles in training camp, including the next five.

Starting center: Mitch Morse vs. Luke Fortner

The Jaguars' confidence in Luke Fortner has seemingly wavered. A third-round pick in 2022, Fortner has made 34 consecutive starts at center. He struggled at times in his rookie season but also showed promise. Unfortunately, he wasn't able to take a step forward in 2023 and instead regressed. That led the team's brass to ink Mitch Morse in free agency.

A second-round pick by the Kansas City Chiefs in 2014, Morse had previously played for head coach Doug Pederson. In fact, he cited his relationship with him as a reason for signing with the Jags. The veteran center spent the last five seasons in Buffalo and was still playing at a high level last year but he was released in a cap-saving move.

Morse is 32 but he hasn't shown signs of decline. Last year, he gave up just one sack and a reasonable 26 total pressures. On top of that, he posted a Pro Football Focus pass-blocking grade of 74.0. Meanwhile, Fortner had a 54.9 score and gave up four sacks and 28 total pressures. To make matters worse, he was a big reason the Jaguars couldn't pound the ball inside.

While Morse is the favorite to start at center for the Jaguars in the opener, this battle made the cut because he's expected to compete for the job. Barring something unexpected, he should have no trouble coming out on top.