Insider Tabs Jaguars Among NFL’s ‘Least Improved Teams’

The Jacksonville Jaguars were one of this offseason’s busiest teams, adding multiple big names on each side of the ball via free agency and April’s NFL Draft.

But did the Jaguars do enough to improve their roster from last season’s 9-8 version? Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer is skeptical, with Breer naming the Jaguars as his least improved team of the offseason.

“I was bullish on the Jags as a Super Bowl darkhorse last year, and that didn’t work out. And I think, on a few fronts, they spun their wheels this offseason preparing to open the vault for Trevor Lawrence.

They swapped out Calvin Ridley and Zay Jones for Brian Thomas Jr. and Gabe Davis. They signed Darnell Savage, who Green Bay replaced with Xavier McKinney, to take Rayshawn Jenkins’s spot. I like Arik Armstead on the defensive line, and Mitch Morse and Ezra Cleveland on the offensive line, but I’m not sure, especially given the age of Armstead and Morse, how much those additions move the needle.

What makes Jacksonville’s offseason worse is how aggressive the other teams in the AFC South were in building around their young quarterbacks. That, of course, all puts a little more on Lawrence to make up the difference. I think he’s capable of elevating to the next level. But it’s tough being in a position where you need that to happen.”

– Albert Breer, Sports Illustrated

Other teams ranked among the least improved teams consist of the Dallas Cowboys, Minnesota Vikings and the Denver Broncos.

The Jaguars swapped out several 2023 starters for new faces, replacing Calvin Ridley and Zay Jones with Gabe Davis and Brian Thomas Jr; Luke Fortner with Mitch Morse; Rayshawn Jenkins with Darnell Savage; and Darious Williams with veteran cornerback Ronald Darby.

“I just think one, it gives you I think depth, right? It gives you depth at those positions,” Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson said during OTAs about the Jaguars’ veteran additions. “It gives you flexibility, especially in the D-line, to move some pieces around, first, second down, third down, right, and where Arik can plug in. He can plug in on end, three-tech. Travon [OLB Travon Walker] can be an end, a three-tech. So it’ll be really nice once we get them all out there together to see how all that plays a part.

“Same way in the secondary. With Ronald, a veteran guy, he comes in here competing for that spot and just really embracing the opportunity. But the same time, being able to lead because we got some young guys at the corner position. Being able to I think show them how to practice, how to study, how to prepare, are all things that guys like that really bring to us.”