Quarterback

The Jaguars started the 2025 season 4-1, but they had a league leading +10 turnover margin in those games, which is very unpredictive on a week-to-week basis, so their hot start looked like a fluke. Sure enough, the Jaguars saw their turnover luck stop and had a +0 turnover margin in their next four games, in which they went 1-3, with their only win coming by one point in overtime to the league worst Raiders, making their early season hot start look like the fluke that their early turnover luck suggested it was. However, the Jaguars then won their final eight games of the season from that point on and, more importantly, they did that despite only a +3 turnover margin in those games.

The reasons for the Jaguars second half turnaround are complex, but there were some obvious culprits. For one, they got linebacker Devin Lloyd and tight end Brenton Strange back from injury. Strange missed five games in the middle of the season, including all four games in their mid-season 1-3 stretch. In fact, the Jaguars went 11-1 in games in which Strange played last season. Likewise, Lloyd missed two of the four games during the Jaguars’ mid-season 1-3 stretch and the Jaguars were 12-3 when he played last season.

The Jaguars also discovered hidden gems on their roster down the stretch. On defense, safety Antonio Johnson played 583 snaps in the Jaguars’ final eleven games of the season, as opposed to 77 snaps in the first six games of the season, while cornerback Jarrian Jones played 440 snaps in the Jaguars’ final ten games, as opposed to 77 in their first seven games. Those ended up being their two best defensive backs last season

On offense, Cole Van Lanen started the final eleven games of the season and was solid, after playing just 25 snaps in the first six games of the season. Parker Washington was the Jaguars’ leading receiver and he played 490 snaps in the final eleven games of the season, as opposed to 182 in the first six games. Additionally, the Jaguars traded for wide receiver Jakobi Meyers at the trade deadline and proceeded to go 8-1 after acquiring him. Between Johnson, Jones, Van Lanen, Washington, Meyers, Strange, and Lloyd, seven of the Jaguars’ most important players in the second half of the season all either missed time with injury, weren’t on the roster, or were reserves in the first half of the season.

On top of all of this, the Jaguars whole roster just seemed to play better down the stretch in the first year of a new, young, but talented coaching staff under Liam Coen. Quarterback Trevor Lawrence exemplified this, going from a 79.8 QB rating in the first eleven games of the season to a 110.7 QB rating and in the final six games of the season. Lawrence benefitted from an improved supporting cast, but he also elevated his own level of play significantly down the stretch. The Jaguars fell just short in the first round of the post-season to the Buffalo Bills in a game that could have gone either way, but that doesn’t really take away from their strong finish to the season because even being close with the Bills in the playoffs seemed improbable halfway through the season.

All of that would seem to point to the Jaguars continuing their impressive play from the second half of last season into this season, but there are reasons for concern. For one, the Jaguars lost top linebacker Devin Lloyd and top running back Travis Etienne in free agency and didn’t really replace either of them. Making matters worse, they did not have their first round pick this year due to their trade up for Travis Hunter last year and then they proceeded to use their second round pick to reach for a blocking tight end in Nate Boerkircher who is unlikely to make a significant impact in year one.

On top of that, there is concern that at least some of the players who were surprisingly good last year could prove to be a fluke and regress. The most important player who needs to continue playing like he did down the stretch last season is quarterback Trevor Lawrence. A lot of people gave up on Trevor Lawrence after a down 2024 season, but his 2025 campaign didn’t come out of nowhere. Between the second half of the 2022 season and the first two thirds of the 2023 season before he got hurt, Lawrence a 21-game stretch across 2022 and 2023 where he completed 68.7% of his passes for an average of 7.47 YPA, 29 touchdowns, and 9 interceptions, while leading the Jaguars to a 15-6 record. 

Given that impressive stretch and the fact that he was the former #1 overall pick and that he was still young, it wasn’t surprising to see Lawrence have success in 2025, when he completed 60.9% of his passes for an average of 7.16 YPA, 29 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions, including 63.0% completion, 8.33 YPA, 15 touchdowns, and 1 interceptions in the final six games of the season. He doesn’t have the most consistent history, but the talent has always been there, he is still only going into his age 27 season, and he finally has a good coaching staff, so it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him have a similar year in 2026, perhaps an even better season if he continues improving and proves that his impressive play in a limited sample size down the stretch last season was not a fluke.

Lawrence will be backed up by Nick Mullens for the second straight year. In 20 career starts in eight seasons in the league, Mullens has completed 66.0% of his passes for an average of 7.98 YPA, which are both impressive numbers for backup quarterback, but he is also erratic with the ball, throwing 31 interceptions to 34 touchdowns, which is why he has never been looked at as a starting option, despite his ability to consistently pick up big gains through the air. Still, he’s overall a decent backup option, though obviously the Jaguars will be hoping he doesn’t have to see the field for an extended period of time this season.

Grade: B+

Running Backs

As I mentioned, the Jaguars lost running back Travis Etienne. As their feature back, Etienne rushed for 1,107 yards and 7 touchdowns on 260 carries (4.26 YPC) last season, while totaling a 36/292/6 slash line on 1.05 yards per route run. In his absence, the Jaguars will give a bigger role to 2025 4th round pick Bhayshul Tuten, who only averaged 3.70 yards per carry on 83 carries as a rookie, but who ranked 6th among running backs in carry success rate (57.8%) and 15th among running backs in elusive rating, averaging 3.22 yards per carry after contact and breaking tackles at a 21.7% rate. All three of those metrics were better than Etienne, who averaged 3.04 yards per carry after contact, broke tackles at a 17.7% rate, and had a 46.9% carry success rate. 

Tuten’s biggest issue is his longest run was 15 yards and he struggled as a receiver as well, averaging 0.90 yards per route run. He also is a projection to a larger role and, overall, I would expect him to be less effective than Etienne in an expanded role, but he does at least have upside. He will compete for carries with free agent addition Chris Rodriguez, who has a career 4.65 YPC average with 3.59 yards per carry after contact and 24.7% missed tackle rate. 

Rodriguez has only had 198 carries in three seasons in the league and does not contribute in passing situations, with a career 0.40 yards per route run average, but he at least has upside as an early down option. The Jaguars also have 2025 6th round pick LeQuint Allen, who played 259 snaps as a rookie, primarily in pass situations, but struggled with just 0.37 yards per route run. This is overall an underwhelming backfield, even if they do have some upside. They are likely to miss free agent departure Travis Etienne.

Grade: C+

Receiving Corps

As I mentioned, Parker Washington surprisingly led this team in receiving. He finished with a 58/847/5 slash line and was even more impressive than that suggests because he didn’t play much early in the season. He had a 41/640/4 slash line in his final nine games of the season, which extrapolates to a 77/1209/8 slash line across 17 games, and his 2.06 yards per route run average on the season ranked 17th among eligible wide receivers. That performance kind of came out of nowhere, as Washington averaged just 0.93 yards per route run across his first two seasons in the league in 2023 and 2024 and it’s not like he came into the league as a hyped prospect either, originally selected in the 6th round. 

Washington is still only going into his age 24 season and could easily have permanently turned a corner. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see his yards per route run average regress at least somewhat in 2026, but he could still be overall more productive because he figures to have a significant role in the offense from the start of the season this time around, instead of starting the year as the #4 receiver like he did last season.

The Jaguars’ top-2 receivers last season were supposed to be Brian Thomas, a 2024 1st round pick who impressed with a 87/1282/10 slash line and 2.45 yards per route run as a rookie, and Travis Hunter, who the Jaguars traded up to select #2 overall in the 2025 draft. However, Hunter was limited to a 28/298/1 slash line in 7 games by injury as a rookie (1.32 yards per route run), while Thomas also missed three games with injury and did not seem like himself even when on the field, dropping significantly to a 48/707/2 slash line in 14 games with a 1.50 yards per route run average. 

Instead, it was Parker Washington, tight end Brenton Strange, and mid-season trade acquisition Jakobi Meyers who were probably their most valuable pass catchers. Strange had just a 46/540/3 slash line, but that was mostly because he was limited to 12 games by injury. If extrapolated over 17 games, his slash line would have been 65/765/4 and his 1.70 yards per route run average ranked 10th among eligible tight ends. Strange, a 2nd round pick in 2023, also had a 29/275/2 slash line in 8 games as the primary receiving tight end in 2024 (62/584/4 over 17 games), so his 2025 performance didn’t come out of nowhere. Only in his age 26 season, Strange could easily have a career best year in 2026 if he can stay healthy.

Meyers, meanwhile, had a 42/483/3 slash line in 9 games with the Jaguars, which extrapolates to a 79/912/6 slash line over 17 games. That is largely in line with the 82/936/4 slash line per 17 games he has averaged over the past six seasons and his 1.71 yards per route run with the Jaguars last season was largely in line with his career average of 1.70 yards per route run. Meyers is heading into his age 30 season, which is a minor concern, but he hasn’t shown any signs of decline yet and, more likely than not, I would expect him to have a season in line with his career averages in 2026.

Travis Hunter is expected to primarily play cornerback this season and will likely only play wide receiver situationally, which makes sense because they have a bigger need at cornerback than wide receiver. However, Brian Thomas will still have a big role in the passing game and has obvious bounce back potential, based on how productive he was as a rookie and how talented the former first round pick is when he is at his best. 

The Jaguars reportedly had opportunities to trade Thomas for a big return this off-season, but did not take any of them, suggesting they still view him as a big part of this offense. He probably won’t match his rookie year production even if he is at his best, given how many other options the Jaguars have in the passing game now compared to 2024, but it wouldn’t be a surprise if Thomas ended up being the most productive of the bunch. 

Aside from Hunter, who I would expect to be the #4 receiver, the Jaguars depth options include second round rookie Nate Boerkircher, a blocking specialist who is unlikely to contribute significantly in the passing game even if Strange misses time, as well as Josh Cameron and CJ Williams, a pair of 6th round rookies at wide receiver. The Jaguars might not have a true #1 option in the passing game, but they have a talented top-4 of Brian Thomas, Parker Washington, Jakobi Meyers, and Brenton Strange and overall this is an above average group.

Grade: B+

Offensive Line

As I mentioned, the emergence of Cole Van Lanen was a big part of the reason why the Jaguars’ offense was significantly better down the stretch in 2025. Van Lanen entered last season with just 3 career starts in 4 seasons in the league since being selected in the 6th round in 2021. He first entered the Jaguars’ starting lineup at left guard in week 9 and he ended up making starts at both guard and both tackle spots. Regardless of where he lined up, he was the Jaguars’ best offensive lineman last season and a big boost for an offensive line that was otherwise underwhelming. 

Van Lanen is a complete one-year wonder though and could easily regress. He is also not locked into any one starting spot on the offensive line, though I would imagine, between how well he played last season and the fact that the Jaguars rewarded him with a 3-year, 51 million dollar extension, that Van Lanen will likely start somewhere on this offensive line in 2026, even if he is unlikely to be as good as he was a year ago. The most likely spot where Van Lanen will start is left tackle. If he doesn’t start at left tackle, the job will likely go to Walker Little who has been a capable, but unspectacular starter across 33 starts over the past three seasons, 28 of which came at left tackle and 5 of which came at guard. 

Whichever of Little or Van Lanen does not start at left tackle will be a candidate to start at guard, where Ezra Cleveland and Patrick Mekari were the primary starters last season. Cleveland is the better of the two, making 76 starts over the past five seasons and mostly being an average starter, while Mekari flashed potential as a versatile reserve earlier in his career, but has been underwhelming as a full-time starter over the past two seasons. The Jaguars also used a third round pick on guard Emmanuel Pregnon, although he seems like a long shot to start as a rookie, given the other options.

Right tackle Anton Harrison would be my pick to be the Jaguars’ best offensive lineman this season, given that Van Lanen is a one-year wonder. A first round pick in 2023, Harrison has improved in every season in the league and was an above average starter in 2025. Still only in his age 24 season, Harrison could improve even further in 2026 and, even if he doesn’t, he should remain an above average starter. He is almost definitely locked into a starting job at right tackle.

Center Robert Hainsey is also likely locked in as a starter, though that is due to the lack of another good option that can play center. A 3rd round pick in 2021, Hainsey made 34 starts for the Buccaneers in 2022 and 2023, but was a liability both seasons and subsequently lost his starting job. He showed flashes of improvement across 94 snaps in 2024 and the Jaguars decided that was enough to give him another shot as a starter as a free agent last off-season. He was better in 2025 than he was in 2022 and 2023, but he was still an underwhelming starter at best. He could be the weak link on an overall decent, but unspectacular offensive line.

Grade: B-

Interior Defenders

The Jaguars had a solid defense last season, ranking 11th in schedule adjusted efficiency, but the defensive tackle position was a big weakness of theirs and they didn’t do anything significant to improve this group this off-season. They used a 3rd round pick on Albert Regis, but he was a reach and is unlikely to contribute in a significant positive way in year one. Aside from that, the only move the Jaguars made at this position this off-season was trading Maason Smith, a bust of a 2024 2nd round pick, to the Falcons for Ruke Orhorhoro, also a bust of a 2024 2nd round pick. Orhorhoro still has upside, only going into his age 24 season, but he needs to take a big step forward to even be an average rotational player for the Jaguars.

It is possible the Jaguars will be even worse at the interior defender position this year than they were last season because their best player at the position a year ago, Arik Armstead, is going into his age 33 season and could easily decline further. His run defense has already declined significantly, to the point where he was a liability in that aspect in 2025. His pass rush was still what you’d expect from him, as his 10.5% pressure rate in 2025 was in line with his career rate of 10.8%, that aspect could also decline this season, given his age, which would hurt this defense.

DaVon Hamilton also remains as a rotational option. A 2020 3rd round pick Hamilton seemed to have a breakout year in his third season in the league in 2022, performing above average as run defender and a pass rusher (8.5% pressure rate), after struggling in his first two seasons, but that has proven to be a fluke, as he has just a 4.4% pressure rate while playing at a below average level against the run in three seasons since. He is likely to continue struggling in 2026 as part of an overall below average position group.

Grade: C

Edge Defenders

The Jaguars have one of the better edge defender duos in the league in Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker, but depth was a big problem for them last season. Hines-Allen finished last season with 8 sacks, 22 hits, and a 17.0% pressure rate, while playing at an above average level against the run as well. That is largely in line with how he has played throughout his prime, as he has a total of 40.5 sacks, 66 hits, and a 15.5% pressure rate in 67 games over the past four seasons, while consistently playing at an above average level against the run. Still only going into his age 29 season, Hines-Allen should remain in his prime and have another similar season in 2026.

Walker is not as good, but he still has 24 sacks, 27 hits, and a 11.3% pressure rate in 48 games over the past three seasons and the former #1 overall pick is still only going into his age 26 season. He is a good complement to Allen, but, unfortunately, the Jaguars’ top-2 reserve edge defenders last season were Emmanuel Ogbah (8.8% pressure rate) and Dawuane Smoot (5.6% pressure rate). Neither were retained this off-season, but the Jaguars didn’t really improve their depth, as their top reserves are likely to be 4th round rookie Wesley Williams, who could easily struggle in year one, and 2025 undrafted free agent Danny Striggow, who was underwhelming across 143 snaps as a rookie. The Jaguars’ lack of depth brings their overall grade for this position group down somewhat, but they at least have a good starting duo.

Grade: B+

Linebackers

The loss of linebacker Devin Lloyd figures to be a big blow to this defense, as he played at an All-Pro level in 2025. Foyesade Oluokun remains and he is a solid every down linebacker in his own right, but he is not on the same level as Lloyd and he is also going into his age 31 season, meaning he could easily regress in 2026, which would further hurt this defense. In Lloyd’s absence, Ventrell Miller figures to be the other every down starting linebacker. 

A 2023 4th round pick, Miller has only played 702 snaps in three seasons in the league and, while he has shown some promise as a run defender, his issues in coverage will hurt him in his new expanded role. The Jaguars also have Dennis Gardeck, a good blitzer and run defender, but a major liability in coverage who is heading into his age 32 season having never exceeded 510 snaps played in a season. He is likely to remain a situational third linebacker like he was last season, when he played 423 snaps. The Jaguars also have 2025 4th round pick Jack Kiser, who struggled across 43 snaps as a rookie, but could still be in the mix for a bigger role in year two. This position group is significantly worse without Devin Lloyd.

Grade: C+

Secondary

As I mentioned earlier, cornerback Jarrian Jones and Antonio Brown broke out as the Jaguars’ best defensive backs down the stretch last season after being reserves earlier in the year. Jones, a 2024 3rd round pick, was underwhelming across 699 snaps as a rookie, but he proved to be an above average slot cornerback last season when given a chance. Still only in his age 25 season, it is likely Jones will continue playing at least close to a similar level and could even take another step forward in 2026.

Johnson’s emergence as an above average starting safety was much more surprising and, because it was so unexpected, he is much more likely to prove to be a fluke. A 5th round pick in 2023, Johnson played just 172 snaps as a rookie and then struggled mightily across 685 snaps in the first significant action of his career in 2024, before improving significantly in 2025. It is possible that continues, but it is also possible he regresses at least somewhat to his old form. 

The good news for this secondary is they get Travis Hunter back from injury. Splitting time between offense and defense and missing 10 games with injury, Hunter only played 162 snaps as a defensive back last season, but he showed a lot of promise, more than he did on offense. Between the fact that he was better on defense than on offense and the fact that the Jaguars have more of a need for cornerbacks than wide receiver, it looks like Hunter will play more of a full-time role on defense this season, while playing much more sparingly and situationally on offense, which seems like the right move. He has the tools to develop into a long term #1 cornerback, something the Jaguars do not have on their roster right now.

The Jaguars also retained free agent cornerback Montaric Brown, who figures to start opposite Hunter. A 7th round pick in 2022, Brown took a couple years to develop, but he has been a decent, if unspectacular player across snap counts of 855 and 736 over the past two seasons. Hunter, Brown, and Jones figure to be the Jaguars top-3 cornerbacks, but Jourdan Lewis, a veteran hybrid slot cornerback/safety, will probably also have a role. Lewis was a solid starting slot cornerback in his prime, but he was limited to just 612 middling snaps last season and is now going into his age 31 season. He is still good depth to have though.

Fellow veteran Eric Murray figures to start at safety next to Antonio Johnson. Murray has started 26 of 29 games played over the past two seasons with the Jaguars and Texans, but he has been underwhelming and now is heading into his age 32 season. He could split snaps with Lewis at safety. The Jaguars also used a 3rd round pick in this year’s draft on Jalen Huskey, though he is unlikely to contribute in a significant way in year one. Additionally, cornerback Caleb Ransaw, a 3rd round pick in 2025, is set to return after missing his whole rookie year with injury. This is a pretty deep secondary, but they don’t have a lot of high end talent unless Travis Hunter can break out in a big way.

Grade: B-

Kickers

The Jaguars used a 6th round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft on kicker Cam Little and it paid off, as Little ranks 6th in the NFL with 12.47 points added above average since entering the league. His accuracy dropped a little bit in 2025, as he went from 93.1% on field goals to 88.2% and 100% on extra points to 98.0%, but he hit 8 times from 50+ yards, up from 5 in 2024, and set the NFL record by making a 68-yard field goal. Kickers are notoriously inconsistent, but Little looks likely to remain one of the best kickers in the league for years to come. 

Grade: A

Conclusion

The Jaguars were one of the best teams in the league in the second half of the season last year. However, they lost a pair of key players this off-season in Travis Etienne and Devin Lloyd, they didn’t get a lot of terms of short-term help in the draft, and they have several key players from a year ago who could prove to be a fluke. The Jaguars are still well coached and overall have a solid roster, so they should still be very much in the mix for the division or a wild card spot, but I wouldn’t expect them to match their 13-4 record from a year ago.

Prediction: 10-7, 2nd in AFC South