JAGUARS TOP NEEDS POST FREE AGENCY

Jason Vinlove/USA TODAY Sports

Which areas of the Jaguars roster could still use a tune up moving forward?

BY JORDAN DE LUGO

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The Jaguars were BUSY during the first wave of free agency. General Manager Trent Baalke and head coach Doug Pederson went all-out on their first big spending spree together, landing a bevy of talented new players. But even after signing seven potential starters the Jaguars' quest to build a Super Bowl caliber roster is far from complete. 

Wide Receiver

Landing Christian Kirk in free agency was a step in the right direction. He has inside-outside versatility. Strong hands, crisp routes, and dynamic acceleration are hallmarks of Kirk's game. But who else on the Jaguars' roster inspires confidence as a starting receiver? Even though Kirk can align on the outside, he's not an alpha boundary receiver. Landing a big-bodied, athletic playmaker for Trevor Lawrence to feed is critical. A quick look at the top four teams from the 2021 NFL postseason illustrates the importance of having multiple high-impact receiving threats.  

EDGE

Deploying waves of pass rushers is no longer a luxury. No, it's a necessity in the modern NFL. 2019 first-round pick Josh Allen has proven to be a quality starting edge defender with Pro-Bowl upside. The next step for him is developing more consistency from week to week. He had some of the most impressive performances of any pass rusher in the NFL in 2021 but also disappeared at times. While Dawuane Smoot has earned the right to contribute as a pass rusher — he's been a consistent source of pressure over the last three years and has 17.5 sacks to show for it — he's best suited as a number three or four edge rusher in a rotation. As of this moment, he'd be one of the starters on the edge for the Jags. 2020 first-round pick K'Lavon Chaisson is not yet a lost cause, but betting on his ability to generate pressure in 2022 isn't a wise gamble. So, finding a number one or two pass rusher to pair with Josh Allen is essential for the Jaguars this offseason.   

Off-Ball Linebacker

Off-ball linebacker is one of the more undervalued positions in the league today. It looked like the Jags might be going all-in on their linebacker group when they signed Foye Oluokun in the first wave of free agency, but after the team released Myles Jack, the Jaguars still need another starting off-ball backer. Shaq Quarterman has shown development throughout his first two seasons with the Jaguars, but do they want to rely on him as a full-time starter with so little experience? I'd be keen on adding another quality linebacker to ensure the team has enough talent and depth. 

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Left Guard

If the Jaguars were to take the field today, Ben Bartch would likely slot in as the starting left guard. Bartch had his fair share of ups and downs after taking over for an injured AJ Cann at right guard in 2021. Switching to the left side shouldn't be a problem considering Bartch played left tackle back in his college days. While I feel confident Bartch will develop into a starter-level player, I'm not sure he should be relied upon in that role in 2022. Another possibility: 2021 second-round pick Walker Little could move inside from tackle to guard. While Little has never played guard before, he'll probably get a look this offseason. I'd prefer the Jaguars let Little focus on right tackle and winning that job from incumbent starter Jawaan Taylor. I don't think the Jaguars are in big trouble here, but adding a starting-caliber guard, or some more competition at the very least, wouldn't hurt. 

Safety

The Jaguars signed Rayshawn Jenkins to a four-year, $35 million contract in 2021. The team also drafted Andre Cisco with the top pick in the third round of last year's draft. The Big Cats picked Daniel Thomas in the fifth round of the 2020 NFL Draft. And Andrew Wingard has stuck around in Jacksonville despite going undrafted in 2019. Despite some reasonable investments at the position over the last several years, the Jaguars could still use an upgrade. Andre Cisco appears to be ready to take over as a full-time starter. He has a versatile skill set and excellent ball skills and instincts. But Rayshawn Jenkins was a huge disappointment during his first season in Jacksonville. His teammates picked him as a captain, and Jenkins was an unquestioned defensive leader heading into the season, but things quickly unraveled for Jenkins and the Jags. He came up with more bone-headed penalties than he did big plays for this defense. He suffered a season-ending broken ankle in Week 15. It's easy to blame the coaching staff or circumstances, but the bottom line is he racked up too many costly mental mistakes. He'll seemingly get another crack at the starting job next to Andre Cisco, but I'd still be contemplating an upgrade, especially considering there's a team out in Jenkins' contract after the 2022 season. I think there's a real chance Jenkins does improve with better coaching and talent around him, but I'm still not sure he's going to get you where you want to go as a full-time starting safety. 

The Jaguars appear to be in a better spot from an overall talent and coaching outlook heading into 2022 (thank you, Captain Obvious), but there's still a long way to go for a team that has won just four games in two seasons. 

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