After a four win season in 2024 by the Jacksonville Jaguars, there are a number of areas that can be improved upon.
However, among the biggest opportunities for this Jaguars team to take a step forward in 2025 comes along the offensive line, as new head coach Liam Coen highlighted in his introductory press conference on Monday,
“I think we would all agree that it needs to improve,” said Coen. “I think that when you look at, first and foremost, the offensive side of the ball, you want that unit and that group–it’s the first thing that when you break the huddle the defense sees. I want that to mean something. We want that to mean something and it will.
“That’s a mentality, that’s personnel, that’s scheme, that’s technique, that’s fundamentals, and that’s attitude. That’s something that we need to make sure we instill.”
According to ESPN’s pass-block win rate–which as it suggest, measures how often the offensive linemen are winning their matchups–the Jaguars ranked 19th as a collective unit.
In the run game, the Jaguars averaged 4.2 yards per carry as a team, which again, was just below league-average ranking 19th.
However, a more telling stat when it comes to the running games is that the Jaguars’ backs totaled the third-fewest yards before contact in the NFL. Meaning that they were often being hit by defenders very quickly and having to create on their own.
A lot of the improved play from the Jaguars’ offense as a whole is going to start with a more consistent ground game.
As Trevor Lawrence noted during his season-ending press conference, the Jaguars’ inconsistency on the ground contributed to some of the predictability that came with the offense, specifically from often being in obvious passing situations.
The run game played an important factor in Tampa Bay’s success under Coen. After two seasons as the worst rushing offense in football by yards per carry, the Bucs’ finished top five in rushing yards per game in 2024.
The trickle-down effect of that is staying ahead of the sticks, which opens up the playbook and the passing game for the offense.
“It takes all 11 to get better in the run game,” said Coen about the Bucs’ quick turnaround in the run game. “Mike Evans, Hall of Famer, digging out support on the front side of runs. Selflessness. The quarterback being involved.
“Everybody being involved and you started to show them examples of that, whether it’s in LA, Minnesota, Green Bay, a ton of different places run a similar system and have had similar success running the football, which now also helps the pass game, the defense, the special teams.”
Owner Shad Khan would note on Monday the importance of Coen being apart of the decision making process when it comes to building out the roster to help ensure that he has the right players for his system.
So one should expect the Jaguars, whether it be free agency, the draft, or both, to invest in the offensive line this offseason because when it comes to turning things around on offense, this unit will play a crucial factor in accomplishing that.
“That’s where it starts,” said Coen of the trenches. “To go win playoff games and to go and do it, you’ve got to be able to run the football and stop the run, first and foremost.”
