2024 Offseason: Which Options Could Jaguars Explore at Wide Receiver?
Recently, we took a look at some of the best interior linemen available as the off-season approaches.
Wide receiver is another position that could use some improvement, especially if Calvin Ridley does not resign with the team. Despite finishing among the top 10 in yards, the Jaguars offense still managed to finish among the league's lowest in receiving touchdowns. The Jaguars would benefit by adding a red-zone threat that they can rely on in critical situations.
Wide Receivers
1) Mike Evans
Evans will be entering his eleventh year in the league, but he is coming off one of the best statistical seasons of his career. This season, Evans tied for the league lead in touchdowns (13) while passing the 1,000-yard receiving mark for the tenth time in his career. Early in his career, Evans was knocked for struggling to gain separation from defensive backs. He still has among the lowest “separation rates” (#4) in the league, according to Player Profiler. However, he's proved that his unique combination of advanced coordination and strength make up for his struggles as a route-runner.
Despite spending a decade as the Buccaneers' leading receiver, Evans has managed to avoid any serious injuries throughout his career. The five-time Pro Bowler has proven to be quite reliable, he has never missed more than three games in a season. Although throughout his career he has battled hamstring issues, they have never caused him to miss more than 2 consecutive games.
Evans has proven to be a reliable red zone target throughout his career, but only five of his touchdowns this season came from inside the 20-yard line. That might be because the Texas A&M product led the league in “deep targets” above twenty yards. Meanwhile, the Jaguars finished top 5 in total air yards on all pass attempts. The Jaguars' tendency to throw the ball deep, paired with Evans' size, at 6-foot-5 and 231 pounds, would give the Jaguars the true No.1 receiver that they have been missing.
2) Michael Pittman
This season, Jaguars receivers struggled to be productive with the ball in their hands. The team finished in the bottom-five for yards after the catch. Insert Michael Pittman Jr. This season, he had the tenth most yards after the catch out of all receivers in the NFL. When the USC product has the ball in his hands, he doesn't do a lot of unnecessary dancing. Instead, he uses every bit of his 6’4 223 pound frame to push vertically, often brushing off the first defender that attempts to bring him down.
Although Pittman is a larger receiver, he is light on his feet. His polished footwork may explain why many defensive backs opt to utilize a “soft-press” technique when facing him in man coverage situations. With the extra yard or two of space, Pittman is able to capitalize on quick routes like slants, outs and even screen passes.
Pittman has steadily improved since entering the league. Since entering the league as a 2nd round pick in 2020, he has passed the 1000-yard mark in a season twice, and has had three straight seasons with over 85 receptions. With no storied injury history, Pittman has shown no signs of slowing down anytime soon..
3) Curtis Samuel
When mentioning the Jaguars struggles with yards after the catch, Curtis Samuel immediately comes to mind. As a national champion and first-team All-American at Ohio State, Samuel is the only player in Buckeye history with over 1,000 receiving and rushing yards.
Since entering the league as a 2nd round pick, Samuel has served a variety of roles. Early on with the Carolina Panthers, Samuel was used almost exclusively as an outside receiver, lining up in the slot for just 22% of his snaps. But in 2020, Samuel became the Panthers swiss army knife. He finished with 77 catches for 851 yards while lining up in the slot 53% of the time. Samuel also carried the ball 40 times, averaging 4.9 yards per carry. Samuel’s 4.31 40-yard dash makes him among the league's fastest players, and his 5-foot-10 and nearly 200-pound build makes him a bit more stout than the league’s top speedsters.
Samuel previously served a similar role in Washington, he ran the ball 38 times in 2022 while hauling in 64 passes. With the continued development of Terry McLaurin and Brian Robinson Jr, Samuel was no longer the focal point of Washington’s offense. Although his rushing totals diminished, he still put together a modest receiving season (62 catches for 613 yards). At 27 years old, Samuel is a solid fit for an offense in need of an explosive playmaker.
