The Jacksonville Jaguars passed the floundering Houston Texans and no longer sit in last place in the NFL Network’s power rankings that were released on Tuesday. They made a flurry of offseason moves to improve their roster that includes adding a few key weapons and added protection for second-year quarterback Trevor Lawrence.
The Jags didn’t ignore the defense by adding a playmaker at linebacker and a run-stuffer at defensive tackle. Here is what they had to say in their justification.
Give the Jaguars credit for understanding their unique predicament. The disastrous nature of the Urban Meyer experiment set the franchise back in multiple ways; Jacksonville’s spending spree in the first week of free agency felt like a team playing catch-up. Guard Brandon Scherff, defensive tackle Folorunso Fatukasi, cornerback Darious Williams, linebacker Foyesade Oluokun, wide receivers Christian Kirk and Zay Jones and tight end Evan Engram were all signings that addressed areas of need and should give second-year passer Trevor Lawrence a fighting chance after his rookie season was submarined by forces beyond his control.
It definitely felt like the Jaguars were playing catch-up to start free agency after a disastrous season under Meyer. The best part about the Jags’ free agency haul is that they added several pieces to aid Lawrence’s development next season.
Their moves in free agency, in addition to hiring Doug Pederson, should ensure the Jaguars aren’t picking No. 1 in the 2023 NFL Draft. There is also April’s draft still left for them to bolster the roster, too, despite the skepticism surrounding general manager Trent Baalke.
