Jaguars' floor in NFL Power Rankings is considerably higher for 2024 season

The Jacksonville Jaguars are rightly flying under the radar heading into Week 1 of the 2024 NFL season after failing to live up to expectations last year. But as underwhelming as they were, analysts across the league acknowledge in power rankings that the Jags have ample upside.

Just a few years ago, the Jaguars would find themselves near the cellar in most power rankings, but they've made strides since head coach Doug Pederson took over in 2022. Ahead of Week 1, Eric Edholm of NFL Media placed them at No. 17, pointing out that they'll get a more favorable spot if they are able to overcome a tough schedule to start the season.

Edholm also acknowledges Trevor Lawrence's regression was mostly the result of factors outside his control, "his admission that he was not 100 percent for parts of last season matched how he looked at times behind a shaky O-Line."

Marcus Mosher of The 33rd Team, on the other hand, gave the Jags the No. 15 spot in his ranking, noting that they may be one of the most underrated teams in the NFL right now.

"Are the Jacksonville Jaguars the most underrated team in the NFL right now? Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars were 8-3 before he got hurt, and the team never quite bounced back.

Lawrence is healthy now, and they’ve made some big additions on defense. Don’t assume the Texans will win the AFC South by multiple games; the Jaguars have talent on both sides of the ball."

Pete Prisco of CBS Sports, for his part, ranked Jacksonville at No. 12, citing Lawrence's health and the youth across their roster as the two reasons.

The Houston Texans won the AFC South and beat the Cleveland Browns in the playoffs last year. That's why it isn't surprising to see them be the highest-ranked team in the division ahead of the season opener. But as Mosher noted, the Jags shouldn't be taken lightly. After all, Lawrence is healthy, the team's brass made reinforcements to the offensive line and added several pieces to the defense.

While it's true that the Jags lost Calvin Ridley in free agency, they've found a more than capable replacement in Brian Thomas Jr., who's been everything the team expected and then some. Put everything together, and the pieces are there for Jacksonville to make noise in 2024.

The Jacksonville Jaguars are steadily leaving the cellar of the NFL

As underwhelming as the Jacksonville Jaguars were in 2023, not everything was doom and gloom. Travon Walker has made strides since he was selected first overall in 2022 and has formed a formidable pass-rush tandem alongside Josh Hines-Allen. Moreover, right tackle Anton Harrison and defensive back Antonio Johnson should keep getting better in Year 2.

Leaving aside the state of the roster, it's worth noting that Jacksonville dismissed defensive coordinator Mike Caldwell and replaced him with Ryan Nielsen, who's previously enjoyed success and will run a tighter ship than his predecessor.

Having shown what they're capable of doing the past two years, the Jaguars aren't necessarily an afterthought in 2024. Sure, they're currently ranked in the middle of the pack but that was mostly because they failed to execute last year.

Most analysts are rightly pointing out that the Jags have the pieces to reach the playoffs and maybe even make a deep run. Heck, owner Shad Khan certainly believes that this is the most talented Jaguars team ever, and he might be right.

Either way, the Jaguars are no longer landing in the bottom of power rankings. That's the result of posting back-to-back winning seasons, having a franchise quarterback in Trevor Lawrence and a grizzled head coach Doug Pederson at the helm. It's up to them to show they belong in the cream of the crop of the NFL next season.

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