The Importance of Jamal Agnew, the Jaguars’ Not-So-Secret Special Teams Weapon
If there is one thing the Jacksonville Jaguars missed in 2020, it was big plays at big moments.
The Jaguars finished the season 1-15 and were on the losing end of numerous blowouts, but there were just as many occurrences of the Jaguars coming one unlucky bounce away from winning a close game against a competitive opponent.
While the 2020 version of the Jaguars had countless flaws throughout the roster, the biggest was that they lacked the required spark and firepower needed to match teams, going big play for big play.
Increasing the Jaguars' ability to generate explosive gains and flip field position has been a top talking point by new head coach Urban Meyer throughout his first offseason in charge of the Jaguars' franchise and roster.
The Jaguars and Meyer took several major steps this offseason toward fixing a team that ranked 21st in explosive offensive play percentage per Sharp Football Stats and 30th in points per game with just a 19.1 per game average. Chief among those is the first-round selections of quarterback Trevor Lawrence and running back/offensive weapon Travis Etienne.
But behind those two cornerstone rookies, the Jaguars made no bigger offseason big play addition than signing Jamal Agnew, their newest hope for finding a dynamic special teams ace.
A First-Team All-Pro return man in Detroit in 2017 after returning 29 punts for 447 yards (15.4 yards per return) and two touchdowns, Agnew's electric speed and ability to take any punt or kick return potentially to the end zone has made him one of the NFL's best returners.
The Jaguars made a notable investment in Agnew during the first wave of free agency, signing him to a three-year, $14.25 million contract with $4 million guaranteed. But it was an investment the Jaguars didn't balk at because they believe in what he can bring to a team that was too often stagnant when they needed someone to make a play in 2020.
"Oh he’s a special guy," Jaguars special teams coordinator Nick Sorensen said last week.
"I mean, he has speed, he’s got contact balance, he’s explosive, he’s tough. He’s everything you want in a returner. He’s secure with the ball and he can do a lot of things.”
Since 2017, Agnew has been a dynamic playmaker for a Lions team that frequently benefitted from his elite speed. The former cornerback is second in the NFL in punt return average among players with at least 15 punt returns since 2017 and third in kick and punt return yardage (trailing coincidentally Jaguars' free agent wide receiver addition Pharoh Cooper).
Agnew is also one of just four players in the last four seasons to return a punt and a kick for a touchdown and one of 11 active players overall to do so. His five return touchdowns also lead the NFL in the last four years. In that same span, the Jaguars have returned three as a team, including zero kick return touchdowns.
Agnew in 2020 generated 961 yards and one touchdown on 42 punt and kick returns last season (22.8 yards per return), while the Jaguars as a team returned 38 times for one touchdown and 819 yards (21.5 yards per return).
While the difference may seem minimal, that includes a 91-yard punt return from Keelan Cole against the Green Bay Packers. Take out Agnew's long return of 74 yards, and he still averaged 21.63 yards per return. Take out Cole's return, and the Jaguars averaged just 19.67 yards per return, showing Agnew's difference in terms of both consistency and playmaking ability.
"The guy is dynamic. He’s one of the best return men that I’ve seen, but people don’t understand how smart this guy is," Jaguars wide receiver and Agnew's former Lions teammate Marvin Jones said in March. "You’re talking about a guy who was on defense and made a change and seamlessly fit into our offense and what we had to do and provided us a big spark."
Agnew's impact as a return man throughout his career has been clear for every team that has faced him. There is no secret about who he is or what he brings to the table, and no secret about why the Jaguars invested in him this offseason.
Now, it is up to Agnew to prove them right.
