Jaguars Mailbag: What Should the Expectations Be for the Defense?
Each week during this year's season, Jaguar Report will take Jacksonville Jaguars-related questions from our readers across social media and answer them in a question-and-answer format, giving readers a chance to have their voices heard.
You can submit your questions every week by tweeting them to the Jaguar Report Twitter handle or by submitting them here.
This week, we talk about the expectations for the defense, which free agent could surprise and more.
Q: What type of offensive scheme should we expect and who benefits most (perhaps West coast and outside zone?).
A: I think you hit the nail on the head. I would expect the Jaguars to incorporate most of the same things we saw Doug Pederson lean on during his time with the Eagles, which focused on primarily West Coast principles. Pederson was also a big-time advocate of incorporating RPOs into his scheme to make life easier for quarterback Carson Wentz, something we should expect to see in 2022 with Trevor Lawrence. I think a wide zone running scheme is what the Jaguars' will build their identity around, but I also think they are going to have a diverse running scheme that isn't asking for its offensive line to focus solely on zone or gap blocking.
Who benefits the most? I think Ben Bartch could benefit a great deal from the blocking scheme due to his power and explosiveness. He has the athletic ability to be a terror on zone runs and the tenacity to pick up highlight blocks. As for the skill players, I think Evan Engram will benefit the most because the nature of the offense and its concepts allows for the tight end to be heavily involved.
Q: Is the defense getting a little overhyped this offseason? One of the main additions Oluokun only had 4 TFL last year and there are rookies in two starting spots.
A: It depends on what your own expectations are for the defense. On one hand, there is only really one way for the defense to go after 2021, and that is up. Outside of a handful of individual performances last year, the Jaguars had one of the worst defenses in the NFL both from a talent and production standpoint. So it isn't hard to factor in some form of improvement considering the new faces added in free agency and the draft, along with the development of 2021 draft picks Tyson Campbell and Andre Cisco. The Jaguars got better at inside linebacker, cornerback, defensive line, and edge rusher this offseason, so some form of improvement has to be the standard.
With that said, anyone who is predicting the Jaguars are going to have a top-10 defense needs to slow down. They will have rookie starters in Travon Walker and Devin Lloyd who, while talented, will take some time to adjust to the NFL. And none of the free agent additions they made in Foyesade Oluokun, Foley Fatukasi and Darious Williams are clear-cut game-changers or blue-chip players. They are good players, but it isn't like the Jaguars added any elite players on the defensive side of the ball in free agency.
In short, the Jaguars defense should absolutely be expected to improve this season. But should they be expected to be a top defense? Probably not; at least not this year.
Q: What’s something that would have to happen during training camp to make you believe 9+ wins could be on the table this year?
A: I think just seeing Trevor Lawrence take a massive leap. The Jaguars -- and myself -- expect Lawrence to take a noticeable step forward this season, but taking a 3-14 Jaguars team to nine or more wins in 2022 would necessitate more than just a step forward. Lawrence's play is going to determine the floor and ceiling of the Jaguars' this year, so for them to reach nine wins it would mean he would have to ascend to top-15 quarterback status. That isn't to say this is impossible or unattainable, but we will have to see it first.
Q: How should we evaluate the Hall of Fame Game in terms of position battles? (And will it be weighed equally as a preseason game in the minds of the coaches?)
A: I don't think we should evaluate it like we would a normal preseason game. The game is only 13 days away, so the Jaguars will have fewer than two weeks of practice time before they take the field against the Raiders. That isn't exactly a lot of time for competitions to take place or for the Jaguars to begin forming opinions on how those battles are shaking out, so I would expect for this to be the least meaningful preseason game the Jaguars play in all of 2022.
Just last year, the Cowboys trotted out a number of third- and fourth-string players against the Steelers in the Hall of Fame Game, and that is what we should expect from the Jaguars, as well. It will obviously be a piece of evidence the Jaguars use to make their future decisions, but I wouldn't expect it to play a giant role.
Q: Are there any alternate helmet ideas you've seen that you'd like to see the Jaguars do?
A: Give me option No. 1 here. I love a good throwback look and think these 90s helmets would look slick in today's game.
Q: What is your guess for the starting offensive line against Washington?
A:
LT: Cam Robinson
LG: Ben Bartch
C: Tyler Shatley
RG: Brandon Scherff
RT: Walker Little.
I think we will see rookie center Luke Fortner start at some point this year, but I do not think we see it during Week 1. Instead, Tyler Shatley's experience and chemistry with Trevor Lawrence makes him the favorite at center. The only way Bartch doesn't start, to me, is if Fortner wins the center job and Shatley slides over to guard. Perhaps we see that later in the year, but I would be surprised to see it in Week 1.
Little, meanwhile, has a chance to show up Jawaan Taylor this fall. Taylor struggled with penalties and consistency in recent years, but Little has never made a college or NFL start at right tackle. Taylor's experience helps him, but it says a lot that he has to compete with a second-year tackle who has only ever played left tacke.
Q: Next Jaguar to make the Hall of Fame after Tony Boselli?
A: It should be Fred Taylor. He has all of the qualifications and we have seen less productive and impactful players at the same position be named to the Hall of Fame, while Taylor is the clear top running back left to still be inducted. There is a log jam at running back, though, and I am not sure Taylor gets the respect he deserves to take that step.
My guess? It will be Brandon Scherff or Jalen Ramsey. Scherff wasn't drafted by the Jaguars but I think it would be ideal for all sides if he finishes his career in Jacksonville, a career that already has the makings of a Hall of Fame Candidate. Ramsey, meanwhile, has the accolades and star power to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer when he retires ... but I am not so sure how enthusiastic he would be to claim the Jaguars, or how badly Jaguars fans would even want to claim him.
