Jaguars Mailbag: Which Competitions Should Heat Up This Offseason
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.
With the draft taking place in just a few hours, we take questions on which competitions will be the most important this offseason, which rookies have stood out and more.
Q: What are the most interesting position battles we can expect after the draft?
A: I think the two most obvious ones are at left guard and kicker. The Jaguars appear to have Ben Bartch as the leader in the sweepstakes to start at left guard, though head coach Doug Pederson was quick to say this week that there is a long way to go and other players like K.C. McDermott and Coy Cronk have gotten looks there as well. It appears the Jaguars will be using a similar strategy to the Philadelphia Eagles over the years, where they have a true backup for each position instead of one player serving as backup in multiple. If this is the case, then Will Richardson Jr. looks like the backup at right guard as opposed to an option to start at left guard.
Kicker is going to be a fascinating battle between Ryan Santoso and undrafted free agent addition Andrew Mevis. Santoso, 26, signed with the team this offseason and has appeared in seven games throughout his career with the Titans, Panthers and Lions. During that time, Santoso has made 4-of-5 field goals and 6-of-8 extra point attempts. Meanwhile, Mevis was 32-of-32 on extra-point attempts for Iowa State last year and made 20-of-23 field goals. The Jaguars waived Matthew Wright in order to enter the next phase of the offseason with just two kickers, and it appears it will come down to two unproven options to win the job.
Other battles I think will be interesting to watch during the next phase of the offseason include wide receiver (Where does Laviska Shenault factor in? Does Kevin Austin make the cut?) and cornerback (Who is the No. 4 cornerback? Do both draft picks make the team?).
Q: Which rookies stood out in minicamp?
A: I think it is hard for rookies to not look at least solid in rookie minicamps considering the controlled environment and toned-down pace and intensity. With that said, Chad Muma, Devin Lloyd and Travon Walker were all impossible to miss on the field. Each has a level of athleticism, explosion and fluidity to their movements that make it easy to see why the Jaguars deemed them three of their highest-priority rookies. I also think Snoop Conner showed impressive quickness, while Kevin Austin showed the ability to make tough catches. It is just rookie minicamp, but more than a few players made plays.
Q: Why is Chad Muma the money backer and not Foyesade Oluokun or Devin Lloyd?
A: Because Devin Lloyd and Foyesade Oluokun are probably going to be the starting inside linebackers. Just because of their coverage ability and safety experience doesn't mean either will be put in a sub-package role by the Jaguars. A "money backer" is really just a dime package linebacker and a way to get Muma on the field on passing downs and against spread formations. He has the coverage ability to thrive in that role, but he is only slotted for it because he looks to be their No. 3 linebacker.
Q: If you knew we were going to end up with the seven pick positions we had, are there any picks you would change and why?
A: It is early to say. I wouldn't have changed the players taken in the first three picks, even if I have dinged the Jaguars for their process in the Lloyd selection. They are all good players. Chad Muma would maybe be the only pick I would change because there were three to four really solid offensive skill prospects on the board, but Muma was a higher-graded prospect than any of them and ultimately should have been drafted before them all.
Q: How does this year's offensive line compare talent-wise to the prior years? Is the loss of Linder & Norwell enough to offset the acquisition of Scherff?
A: Good question. I think the Jaguars are better at right guard, potentially better at right tackle, worse at center, and are a wash at left guard. Andrew Norwell was solid for the Jaguars but was far from a replaceable player and it isn't hard to see Ben Bartch giving them more production if he takes a step forward in his development. Scherff is much better than A.J. Cann, while Tyler Shatley and Luke Fortner is a step down from Brandon Linder. If Walker Little can beat Jawaan Taylor out at right tackle, there could be great potential for an upgrade there. In short, the line looks to be improved, but not by leaps and bounds.
Q: What's our roster's biggest remaining weakness and how would you address it?
A: I think the biggest weakness is still speed and playmaking ability on offense. The Jaguars hoped to partially solve that with Christian Kirk and Evan Engram this offseason while Travis Etienne will be returning to the field, but the Jaguars still lag behind most other top offenses in terms of skill player depth and ultimate play-making ability. I think signing Will Fuller in free agency is a move that makes a lot of sense as a low-cost and low-risk option who could provide a spark to the offense.
Q: How do you feel about the depth on the interior of the offensive line? Seems scary if Scherff or Shatley go down for any significant period of time.
A: I think Will Richardson Jr. is a solid backup and Luke Fortner gives the Jaguars a ton of insurance at both center and guard. In a way, I almost like the depth of this year's offensive line more than last year's when you consider the flexibility and versatility of several of the top back-ups. Any offensive line is likely in trouble with injuries, but the Jaguars don't look to be in considerable harm's way.
Q: How will Doug scheme the offense to fit Trevor's skillset?
A: I think we will see some of the staples of the West Coast offense Doug Pederson ran in Philadelphia and learned from Andy Reid. Quick throws, under-center play-action and some aggressiveness in terms of decision-making and attacking different levels of the field. I think we will see Pederson implement a lot of run-pass options, too, considering the rate he used them with the Eagles and Lawrence's success with them during his college years at Clemson.
Q: How good is the roster right now? Bottom 3? Bottom 5? Bottom 10? Better even that?
A: I wouldn't say it is bottom 3. I think there are a few rosters in the NFL that are clearly inferior. With that said, the Jaguars are banking on the development of Trevor Lawrence -- which at this point is a projection vs. reality until it actually happens. The Jaguars also lack the established blue-chip talent of most other rosters, even weaker ones throughout the NFL who at least call themselves home to one elite level player. The Jaguars roster is better than it was last year, but some guys need to prove themselves to make it take a step forward.
Q: Is Doug winning over the locker room yet?
A: The Jaguars are in the early stages of the offseason and have had veterans in the building for a few weeks now and have even conducted some on-field work, so new head coach Doug Pederson has had a chance to make an impression. And while there is clearly a long way
