The Jaguars offense has undergone a complete overhaul in both personnel and scheme. The pecking order of both the receiving options and rushing options is still unknown. But let’s dive in and take a look at some potential X-factors that could take this Jaguars offense to the next level.
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Brenton Strange TE
Strange is entering his third year in the NFL out of Penn State. Strange followed up a quiet rookie year with a solid sophomore campaign that saw him put up 411 yards and 2 touchdowns on 40 receptions. He displayed impressive hands – consistently catching passes far outside his frame. He was also a threat after the catch – showing his athleticism and physicality while evading and running through tackles. The new regime and offensive minds have sung Stranges’ praises often throughout the offseason. Coen -like his counterparts in the Sean Mcvay coaching tree- prefers to deploy a do-it-all tight end, who excels in both blocking and pass catching situations. Strange is a very strong blocker in the run game and also offers solid assistance when tasked with staying in and pass blocking. His blocking abilities paired with his continued ascension as a pass catcher, should slot Strange into the do-it-all role that Coen looks for. There is more on the table for Strange to attain than just that starting tight end role. Strange has the potential to be a true difference maker in the offense, as there is no established pecking order after the clear top two receiving options of Brian Thomas Jr. and Travis Hunter. If Strange can ascend and grow into a consistent third receiving option, that could truly take the offense to the next level. A reliable, chain-moving, big target would also do wonders for quarterback Trevor Lawrence’s continued development and make his transition into the new scheme easier.
Running Game
Coen Run Game Background
Liam Coen and the new leadership core have put an emphasis – and poured a lot of investments – into getting bigger and stronger along the offensive line. These investments were made to overhaul and improve both the run blocking and pass protection of the unit. Coen has openly discussed how important a good running game is to the offense. A successful run game sets up the pass and allows for big plays in the play action game. Beyond that, it is also incredibly important for the success and development of the quarterback. A poor running game puts an offense consistently behind the sticks, which in turn puts the quarterback in poor situations. Coen has experience overhauling a team’s running game as he just did so in a very successful manner with the Buccaneers. The Buccaneers bounced back from a bottom 5 rushing unit in 2023 to a top 5 rushing unit in 2024. The Jaguars, will enter this year with a new look offensive line -featuring at least two new starters. They also have two new running backs being entered into the mix, from the 4th and 7th round of the NFL draft respectfully. The Jaguars run game is set to look incredibly different from both a personnel and schematic perspective.
Who’s In The Backfield
The top rushing duo for the team is returning in Tank Bigsby and Travis Etienne. The latter of which has been disappointing over the last two years. In the 4th round, the Jaguars added an explosive playmaker in Bhaysul Tuten – who was one of the best running back prospects in the class. Tuten has experience and has produced impressive numbers running behind both gap and zone running schemes. He boasts the 2nd most yards after contact, and the 3rd most missed tackles forced per touch in this very strong running back class. Tuten also excels in creating chunk plays – having the 3rd highest 10+ yard rush rate in the class. With the new regime’s largest investment at the position being Tuten, expect him to be given an opportunity to earn a prominent role early.
The backfield added another rookie in 7th round pick, LeQuint Allen. Allen is a very upright runner and could benefit from time to develop from a true running standpoint, but he is fantastic in the pass game. He is a violent and intelligent pass protector, who also has a well developed route tree and reliable hands. Allen will have a chance to earn an immediate complimentary role in the backfield, primarily as the back in passing situations. Minicamp, Training Camp and Pre-season will be key in deciding and establishing how the rotation will shake out come week 1. While we aren’t sure what the rotation will look like quite yet, it is fair to assume the product will be much improved over last year. Just how good the unit can be may ultimately determine just how far this offense -and team- can go.
Offseason Dates
The Jaguars have the opportunity to hit the grass and see the pieces of the puzzle come together with their offseason programs continuing to evolve. The important dates are shown below:
Jaguars Offseason Dates
Rookie Minicamp: May 9th – May 11th
OTA’s: May 19th, May 21st – May 22nd, May 27th, May 29th – May 30th, June 2nd – June 5th
Mandatory minicamp: June 10th – June 12th
Outro
There is still much to be discovered about this new-look Jaguars offense. Truthfully, there will be no concrete answers until we see the group in action in meaningful games when September comes around. Until then, we will continue to try to project and make educated assumptions on what players can step in and be difference makers for this team.
Thank you for reading and stay tuned for plenty more to come!
Be sure to follow my coverage of all things Jaguars, and the NFL on X @JagsRealist.
