The Jacksonville Jaguars addressed one of their biggest remaining needs when they brought back defensive end Dawuane Smoot to bolster their pass rush. Having checked off a box on their to-do list, they can look for ways to fill other roster holes in training camp, which might have begun by the time you're reading this.
While there are many things coaching staff takes into account when assessing players, training camp carries a significant way in their evaluation. After all, how can teams expect them to deliver on game day if they aren't sharp in practice? This makes the upcoming weeks critical for players who are competing for a roster spot.
With this in mind, here's a pre-training camp glimpse at how the Jaguars' 53-man roster could potentially look next season.
Jaguars pre-training camp 53-man roster projection: Special Teams
Kicker Riley Patterson did well for the Jaguars last year but the team's brass didn't hesitate to make an upgrade at the position when Brandon McManus was available.
Even though Patterson came through in the clutch against the Los Angeles Chargers in Super Wild Card Weekend and had become a fan favorite, he had limited length strength, which probably played a role in Jacksonville going for it on fourth-and-1 one more than they would've liked last year. Meanwhile, McManus has the range to attempt field goals from beyond the 50-yard line.
Had McManus not been released by the Denver Broncos, Patterson might have held kicking duties again in 2023 but outside of that, the rest of the Jaguars' specialists didn't undergo any changes. In fact, you could make the case that it's one of the team's most consistent units year in and year out.
Specialists (3): Logan Cooke (P), Ross Matiscik (LS), Brandon McManus
Jaguars pre-training camp 53-man roster projection: Offense
The Jaguars didn't undergo many changes on offense in the offseason and that's a good thing. It's true that Jawaan Taylor, their starting right tackle in 2022, signed with the Kansas City Chiefs, and the front office selected Anton Harrison 27th overall in this year's draft to take his place.
Also, Walker Little will step in at left tackle during Cam Robinson's four-game suspension for violations to the PED policy to start the regular season. However, Little filled in for Robinson when he suffered a meniscus injury near the end of the year, so he isn't precisely entering uncharted territories.
Sophomore center Luke Fortner and right guard Brandon Scherff are returning too. The only potential question mark ahead of the season is left guard Ben Bartch, who's been placed on the Active/Physically Unable to Perform list ahead of training camp. The expectation is that he will return for the regular season but Tyler Shatley, who made 12 starts at left guard during his absence, can hold the fort.
The rest of the starting offense won't undergo many changes in 2023, and that's a good thing as they will be able to operate more efficiently in their second year under head coach Doug Pederson. The one addition Jacksonville made (and it happened last year) was trading for Calvin Ridley, who's slated to be their No. 1 receiver and should have a favorable chance to be the league's Comeback Player of the Year in 2023.
Also, Evan Engram's contract impasse is no longer an issue, as he and the Jaguars agreed to a three-year deal worth $42.5 million just one day before the deadline to get it done. Now, Evan can focus on getting ready for the 2023 season and pick up where he left off last year.
Quarterbacks (2): Trevor Lawrence, C.J. Beathard
Running backs (4): Travis Etienne, D'Ernest Johnson, JaMycal Hasty, Tank Bigsby
Wide receivers (5): Calvin Ridley, Christian Kirk, Zay Jones, Jamal Agnew, Parker Washington
Tight ends (4): Evan Engram: Brenton Strange, Luke Farrell, Sammis Reyes
Offensive linemen (8): Cam Robinson, Ben Bartch, Luke Fortner, Tyler Shatley, Walker Little, Brandon Scherff, Anton Harrison, Cooper Hodges
Jaguars pre-training camp 53-man roster projection: Defense
Most of the Jaguars' starting lineup on defense from last year is returning in 2023. That should help several players make a leap in Year 2 in coordinator Mike Caldwell's system. More specifically, outside linebacker Josh Allen is poised to have a breakout season.
Similarly, Travon Walker, the No. 1 pick in last year's draft, is poised to make strides in his sophomore campaign. Having Dawuane Smoot back gives Jacksonville a pass-rush rotation. It will be up to 2020 first-round pick K'Lavon Chaison and rookie Yasir Abdullah to lessen the departure of defensive end Arden Key, who signed with the Tennessee Titans in free agency.
On the other hand, their defensive backfield looks pretty good despite the fact that they ranked outside the top 20 in Pro Football Focus' latest secondary rankings ahead of the regular season. As a matter of fact, cornerback Tyson Campbell and safety Andre Cisco should get lots of attention in 2023. Last but not least is the linebacker corps. With Chad Muma or Devin Lloyd slated to start next to veteran Foyesade Oluokun, the group could be a strength next season.
Defensive linemen (7): Roy Robertson-Harris, Adam Gotsis, Dawuane Smoot, DaVon Hamilton, Folorunso Fatukasi, Michael Dogbe, and Tyler Lacy
Outside linebackers (4): Josh Allen, Travon Walker, Yasir Abdullah, K'Lavon Chaisson
Middle linebackers (5): Foyesade Oluokun, Devin Lloyd, Shaquille Quarterman, Chad Muma, Ventrell Miller
Cornerbacks (6): Darious Williams, Tre Herndon, Tyson Campbell, Montaric Brown, Christian Braswell, Gregory Junior,
Safeties (5): Andre Cisco, Rayshawn Jenkins, Andrew Wingard, Erick Hallet II, Antonio Johnson