2022 NFL Team Preview: Jacksonville Jaguars -

After finishing last place in the NFL for the second season in a row, the 2022 Team Preview for the Jacksonville Jaguars is about improvement.

Following a disastrous 2021 season that ended with a 3-14 record, the Jaguars will hope to bounce back. With a new head coach and some brand new weapons, 2022 is a fresh start for the team. Having a blank slate may be the best thing for a young quarterback after a forgettable rookie season. The success of the team will be tied to the development of their franchise quarterback. But football is more than one player so here is the Team Preview: Jacksonville Jaguars for the 2022 season.

Shout out to Brad Harvin, an FPC Jaguars contributor, for the additional information.

Coaching Change

It all starts at that top and the Head Coach is exactly where we shall begin this preview. The 2021 Jaguars season was an unmitigated disaster, due in large part to their coach Urban Meyer. Arguably the worst head coaching tenure in NFL history was marred by scandal, arrogance, and, the final straw that got him fired, violence against his players. All of the offputting off-field behavior aside, the in-game results were almost as bad. A 2-11 record in Jacksonville gives Meyer the distinction of worst winning percentage in NFL history (15.4%).

Fear, not Jaguars fans. Meyer has been fired and there is literally nowhere to go but up. And while Jacksonville had clearly the worst head coaching hire in 2021, they turned right around and got arguably the best coach among the 2022 group. Certainly the most accomplished as Doug Pederson has a Super Bowl ring on his resume. He knows what it takes to win, and win big, in the NFL. At the very least, Pederson will bring stability and professionalism to the team. The real question regarding Pederson is how he will develop Trevor Lawrence. The #1 overall pick of the 2021 NFL Draft was a highly touted prospect who failed to live up to expectations. Perhaps those expectations were set sky high, but it is difficult to characterize Lawrence’s rookie season as anything other than a massive disappointment. We shall see what year 2 has in store for Lawrence.

Biggest Question? Running Back

Arguably the biggest question mark on the roster is running back Travis Etienne. While technically not a rookie, Etienne has yet to play an NFL game due to an injury that he suffered before week 1 of 2021. So the question still remains, how will he contribute to an NFL offense? As a 1st-round pick in 2021, Etienne comes into the pros as a highly touted prospect, especially as a receiving back. Playing alongside his college quarterback, Etienne will need to showcase that chemistry in order to make an immediate impact in the passing game.

Elsewhere on the depth chart, there are also questions surrounding James Robinson. However, none of those questions involve his ability to produce in the NFL. As an undrafted free agent in 2020, Robinson stormed into the league with over 1,000 rushing yards and 10 total touchdowns. While his production dipped in 2021, Robinson also received 90 fewer opportunities (carries + targets) than he did as a rookie. Certainly no lack of talent here. The massive unknown about Robinson is simply health. Last last year, he tore his Achilles tendon. So we shall see when he returns to the field, and how close he can return to 100% pre-injury form.

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Recently Recruited Receivers

One of the best ways to help any quarterback is to provide them with weapons. While the Jaguars may not roster an elite pass-catcher, they have certainly made it a priority to invest in playmakers over the last couple of seasons. In 2022, the big monetary acquisition was Christian Kirk was signed a 4-year $72 millon contract in Jacksonville. That likely indicates that the team views him as the team’s top wide receiver. Kirk has yet to produce a 1,000-yard season. But he has also never hit 110 targets in a season. Are the Jaguars going to make him a true passing game alpha?

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The receiving investments didn’t stop there, as the Jaguars also signed Zay Jones as well as tight end Evan Engram. This goes along with acquisitions from last year such as Marvin Jones, Jamal Agnew, and Dan Arnold. Not to mention drafting running back Etienne in 2021. What Lawrence now has are experienced pass-catchers all across the field to target. The pieces are in place, now Lawrence has to take the next step in his development.

New Leadership on Defense

With a complete overhaul of the Jaguars coaching staff, enters a new defensive coordinator. This will actually be Mike Caldwell’s first shot at defensive coordinator in NFL. He has been around for several seasons and even played for 11 or 12 years. Before this promotion, Caldwell was previously with the Buccaneers as a linebackers coach. Specifically, this Jacksonville defense has tons of talent at the linebacker spot. Some are familiar faces, but others are new to both the team and the league.

In previous seasons, the lack of pass rush has consistently been a topic of discussion. Outside of a couple of “Sacksonville” seasons, getting after opposing quarterbacks has been a challenge. Was the addition of Travon Walker enough? Can the 1st overall pick of the 2022 NFL Draft make a difference on this Jaguars defense? How about Josh Allen? As one of the few bright spots on the Jacksonville defense last year, will the former top 10 pick continue to live up to the hype? The linebackers should be fast, but they are very young. 2022 is a great year for them to learn and prepare for the future. More than anything else, Caldwell is tasked with developing this young group.

2nd Season Secondary

Another focus for the Jaguars defense is the second-year players in the secondary. Primarily Andre Cisco and Tyson Campbell. Lots of expectations for these two. Fans were griping all 2021 that Cisco wasn’t on the field during the Meyer reign. Perhaps with a new coaching staff, Cisco can find new life in this Jacksonville secondary. Meanwhile, Campbell is a ball hawk and should be a solid piece for this defensive backfield during his sophomore season.

Thank you for reading Team Preview: Jacksonville Jaguars. Be sure to check out all of the great NFL content available on Full Press Coverage.

– Kyle Senra is the managing editor for the Full Press Fantasy Sports. He covers the NFL. Like and follow on Follow @SenraSays Follow @FPC_FantasyPod and Facebook.

– Brad Harvin is a writer for Full Press Coverage. He covers the NFL. Like and follow on Follow @ TheRundown_BH Follow @FPC_NFL and Facebook.