The Jacksonville Jaguars wrapped up the preseason with a 28-12 loss to the Atlanta Falcons, going winless in four meaningless exhibition games. The Doug Pederson era is officially here and the team will look to start the season with a win against the Washington Commanders. Who will be the 53 players to make that trip? I’m going to make my best educated prediction for the final Jacksonville Jaguars roster and give some overall thoughts on the team.
Jacksonville Jaguars Roster Prediction: Offense (25)
Quarterbacks:
Trevor Lawrence, CJ Beathard. Everyone is looking forward to seeing Trevor Lawrence play in a real offense. Expect him to put himself firmly in the conversation of best young quarterbacks in the NFL.
Running Backs:
James Robinson, Travis Etienne, Snoop Connor, Mekhi Sargent. For at least a few weeks, it would be wise to roster a fourth back. The top two options are both fresh off devastating injuries and Snoop Connor is a rookie.
Wide Receivers:
Christian Kirk, Zay Jones, Marvin Jones Jr., Jamal Agnew, Laquan Treadwell, Tim Jones. The Jacksonville Jaguars have a tough choice here. Tim Jones pushed Laquan Treadwell for his spot last offseason and likely wouldn’t clear waivers, if released. The team has Travis Etienne, Jamal Agnew and to a lesser extent, Evan Engram, to fill the role of Laviska Shenault. Jones and Treadwell help the receiver room more than the former second round pick.
Tight Ends:
Evan Engram, Chris Manhertz, Dan Arnold, Luke Farrell. Doug Pederson loves his tight ends. The team has four capable players headed into the regular season.
Offensive Line:
Cam Robinson, Ben Bartch, Luke Fortner, Brandon Scherff, Jawaan Taylor, Walker Little, Tyler Shatley, Cole Van Lanen, Will Richardson Jr. The offensive line should be much improved this season, but there are some red flags with how the unit fared in the run game this preseason.
The Jacksonville Jaguars are not going to be the “Greatest Show on Turf.” However, an offense that was atrocious last season should be much improved. Christian Kirk has a chance to be a star in this offense. Evan Engram has a chance for a career year. Doug Pederson’s fingerprints will be all over the unit, and that is a good thing.
Jacksonville Jaguars Roster Prediction: Defense (25)
Defensive Line:
Foley Fatukasi, DaVon Hamilton, Adam Gotsis, Jay Tufele, Dawuane Smoot, Roy Robertson-Harris, Arden Key. The defensive line is perhaps the deepest position group on the roster, evidenced by the Jaguars releasing Malcolm Brown. Arden Key might end up the best defensive addition since Calais Campbell.
Linebackers:
Josh Allen, Travon Walker, Devin Lloyd, Foyesade Oluokun, Chad Muma, Jamir Jones, K’Lavon Chaisson, Shaquille Quarterman. The Jacksonville Jaguars made former Georgia star Travon Walker the number one overall pick in April, and both he and Josh Allen will flourish in this defense. Jamir Jones earned his roster spot with a stellar camp.
Cornerbacks:
Shaquill Griffin, Tyson Campbell, Darious Williams, Tre Herndon, Montaric Brown, Xavier Crawford. There are some tough cuts to be made at corner. Xavier Crawford deserves a roster spot.
Safety:
Rayshawn Jenkins, Andre Cisco, Andrew Wingard, Daniel Thomas. The team could opt to carry a fifth safety on the roster, but Daniel Thomas outplayed Rudy Ford and keeping an extra corner means Ford won’t be relied on in the slot this season.
Duval will be proud of the defense this season. The pass rush looks much better, and the overall athleticism of the unit and scheme should provide plenty of turnover opportunities. The run defense and the team’s ability to defend screens and athletic tight ends is a question mark until it isn’t. The Jacksonville Jaguars roster has improved dramatically in terms of talent and athleticism.
Jacksonville Jaguars Roster Prediction: Special Teams (3)
Kicker:
James McCourt. The Irish native likely secured his roster spot as soon as he connected on his 54-yard attempt against the Atlanta Falcons. He also produced touchbacks on all the kickoff opportunities. Hey, it worked out well for the Jaguars the last time they claimed a kicker released by the Chargers.
Punter:
Logan Cooke. Logan Cooke might be the best player at his position on the Jaguars roster. He is one of the best punters in the NFL.
Long Snapper:
Ross Matiscik. Ross Matiscik has been unchallenged since he became the team’s long snapper.
The kicking game was catastrophic for the Jaguars a season ago. McCourt hasn’t missed a kick since being claimed, but he will need to be consistent when it matters to keep his job. Kickoff coverage should look much better with more touchbacks.
Predicting how cut down day will go is always tricky. Surprise cuts, trades, and the waiver wire mean it’s a volatile situation. Plenty of players across the league will make the “final cut”, only for the team to find an upgrade as better teams purge their rosters.
The Jacksonville Jaguars roster appears to be much improved from a season ago. Time will tell if it is enough to climb out of the league’s cellar in terms of wins and losses.