2023 State of the Franchise: Jaguars Offense

The Jaguars Offense Has The Foundation Laid To Be Elite, But More Should Be Done

Last March, the Jaguars were considered the clowns of the NFL with big deals going out to Christian Kirk, Zay Jones, and other key offensive players. Well, that take is pretty damn cold now. The Jaguars took a massive step forward on offense and ranked among the Top 10 in the league. This group featured a young breakout superstar at quarterback, an explosive backfield, and an abundance of veteran playmakers having their best career seasons.

Heading into the offseason, the Jaguars have at least two key players(depends on how you evaluate it) that are set to hit free agency on the offensive side. Those include Evan Engram and Jawaan Taylor. Both guys are clearly wanting to return to Jacksonville, but that will ultimately come down to the salary cap and how much they're willing to sacrifice to play here. With that all said, let's dive into the offense.

Quarterbacks

For the first time in a long freaking time, there's not a single question to have about the future of the quarterback position in Jacksonville. This season may have had some down moments early on and questions about Trevor's ability to play in big moments, but those have undoubtedly been answered. Lawrence put together and amazing season down the stretch and proved he's as clutch as anyone else in the league when it comes down to it. If not for a crucial fumble that was out of his control, the Jaguars could've advanced to the AFC Conference Championship thanks to his play. Mistakes happen though and what's done is done.

One thing I'll discuss though is the depth at this position. NFL teams really just need one backup for a game(barring the absolute worst circumstances), and I don't feel that Beathard has excelled when he needed to be played. He's given up turnovers when he's been put into the game and can be replaced by another quarterback. Ultimately this part of the roster would hopefully not matter, but I think they could look to improve.

Running Backs

Jacksonville's backfield underwent a big change this season. This went from a team that was led by undrafted star James Robinson to first-round draft pick Travis Etienne. Etienne had some big issues with fumbling, but he was still a huge positive for the offense. He excelled at yards per carry and his explosive play ability. Behind him, JaMycal Hasty was a pleasant surprise as a change-of-pace back and proved his value to Jacksonville moving forward.

The Jaguars should look to retain JaMycal Hasty this offseason when you consider how minimal the cap hit is. Hasty would get near the veteran minimum, so that's an easy decision to retain him. However, I think the Jaguars should heavily consider adding a receiving threat to their backfield in the draft. The most ideal target for the Jaguars would be a player like Kenny McIntosh from Georgia, but that will require a decent selection to obtain him. The other clear improvement that's need is run blocking, but I'll get into that more with those position group breakdowns.

Wide Receivers

Give credit where credit is due. Trent Baalke and Doug Pederson put forth a revelation at the wide receiver position. Christian Kirk and Zay Jones went from being considered some of the worst signings of the offseason to having their best career seasons respectively. Kirk put together his first 1,000 yard season at the position while Zay Jones surprisingly came close to doing the same.

Meanwhile, Marvin Jones took a heavy dip in production which was expected when going from WR1 to WR3, but he was still a big factor in key moments for the team. Jamal Agnew was primarily featured in the return game and saw a slight dip in receiving production. Tim Jones saw three receptions following a huge preseason and Kendric Pryor never saw the field for the Jaguars.

Heading into 2023, the starting group is already set barring a huge trade acquisition. Calvin Ridley will take over for Marvin Jones and is a huge x-factor in the success of this position. If he's what we're expecting, the Jaguars will feature one of the best receiving games in the NFL with the only clear flaw being dropped passes. However, that issue could go away with more time in Press Taylor's offensive system and this team should ascend quickly in the passing game.

The big decisions in the receiving corps will come with the depth on the team. Marvin Jones would best be suited going to a rebuilding team, but if he wants to stay in Jacksonville he could be resigned on a team-friendly deal. I would be heavily interested in that as the front office as it would provide a great safety valve at the position. He's arguably been the go-to guy for Lawrence throughout his career. Outside of that, the Jaguars should do their homework on some of the speed threats that could be available to them in the draft as that could add another dimension to the offense.

Tight Ends

Evan Engram solidified himself as one of the premier tight ends in the league. In my opinion, he should be the highest priority free agent for this front office. With Engram wanting to stay in Jacksonville and the complete exodus of players at the position, it's clear this team will find a way to retain him. Luke Farrell would be the only other player currently rostered in 2023 and is clearly a depth piece.

While Engram has been a great receiving threat, he's had clear issues with blocking not due to a lack of effort. With that said and Doug Pederson's ability to utilize two tight-end sets, don't be one bit shocked if the Jaguars look to invest in a tight end. With Engram being a clear receiving option, I think the Jaguars would be wise to invest in a balanced player who's capable in both blocking and receiving.

Signing a pure blocking tight end hurts the ability to disguise play calling since the personnel will give away the offensive plans for each play. Top options you should get familiar with would include Michael Mayer, Darnell Washington, and Luke Musgrave. Mayer would take a first round selection to obtain, so it may be wiser to target a physical freak like Washington if he's available early on the second day of the draft.

Tackles

Hindsight is always 20/20, and the Jaguars are probably regretting their huge extension of Cam Robinson last offseason. Robinson hasn't necessarily been bad for the Jaguars, but he hasn't lived up to his contract and the team has two other tackles that have dominated when playing together. Walker Little seemed like a potential lost cause after preseason, but he played great football against some of the best players in the league in the biggest games. Jawaan Taylor on the other hand was the best player on the offensive line for most of the season.

The question this offseason will come down to whether the Jaguars could find a way to retain Jawaan Taylor. With a tight cap situation and two clear starters on the roster, Taylor could hit free agency this offseason. However, there's an out in Cam Robinson's contract after next season and keeping a top-tier tackle around could be the best move if the team can make it work.

All three of these players are deserving of a starting role on the offense, so they could consider resigning Jawaan Taylor with the idea of moving on from Cam Robinson after 2023. They would undoubtedly need to sign a team-friendly deal that's backloaded, but if they were able to do that they would have good starters at tackle and be able to move either Robinson or Little to LG.

Interior Linemen

If there is one clear weakness on the offense, it would have to be the interior of the offensive line. Brandon Scherff was one of the biggest acquisitions of the offseason, but ended up having a clear falloff in play from his years with Washington. That said, we have to show some grace since this was his first season with a new team and he'll undoubtedly be here for a bare minimum of another season. He put up a solid season of play, but not to the value of his contract.

The other side of the interior was clearly a liability when facing elite interior defensive linemen. Chris Jones was able to have his way in both matchups against Jacksonville and was one of the biggest reasons why the offense never got going. Tyler Shatley has to be considered a depth piece at this point and Ben Bartch isn't good enough to be locked in as the starter once he recovers from injury. Left guard will be a position to upgrade if possible this offseason.

One bright spot on the offensive line was rookie center Luke Fortner. While some metrics have him ranked very low, he only allowed a single sack throughout the entire season and has received high praises from his teammates. With a season under his belt now, I believe he'll continue to grow and improve as a player.

Final Overview Of The Jaguars Offense Going Forward

When I look back at the Jaguars offense this past season, I see a ton of potential and promise in the way they played. There were so many drives where this team had defenses spinning on their heads but they were also shut down a multitude of times. Adding in a fantastic player like Calvin Ridley should be the catalyst to set this offense over the edge, but there's still a clear weakness this team will need to address.

The Jaguars having a great backfield for rushing the ball, but they must do more to pave rushing lanes for Etienne. Bringing back Jawaan Taylor or adding an offensive guard in the draft would be a vital move to truly add another dimension to this team. Not only does it improve your rushing game, but getting another great player could let this team hold up better against interior pass rushes and keep the offense more consistent. Throw in a balanced tight end to pair with Engram and this could be one of the premier offenses in the league.

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