3 Most Important Jaguars vs. Panthers

Which Jacksonville Jaguars will be the most important when it comes to

Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen gets his team up during an NFL training camp second session at the Miller Electric Center, Thursday, July 24, 2025, in Jacksonville, Fla. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union] | Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Jacksonville Jaguars have a chance to start the 2025 season on the right foot this Sunday against the Carolina Panthers, but they will need some key performances to ensure the year gets off to a hot start.

So, which Jaguars will be the most important when it comes to finding a way to victory over the Panthers? We explain our three candidates for Week 1 below.

Trevor Lawrence

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) calls a play during the fourth quarter of an NFL football matchup Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024 at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. The Packers edged the Jaguars 30-27 on a last-second field goal. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union] | Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

This one is obvious, and the quarterback could be added to this list any week. But for the Jaguars to win Week 1 especially, they will need Trevor Lawrence to show that the improvement under Liam Coen is real and tangible. The Jaguars have the weapons to be explosive on offense, but they need their trigger man to be on point.

If Lawrence can get off to a quick start under Coen and keep the offensive explosive and on-schedule, he will take a lot of pressure off a defense that, right now, has more question marks than the offense.

Josh Hines-Allen

Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Josh Hines-Allen (41) takes a breather after warmups during the seventh organized team activity at the Miller Electric Center in Jacksonville, Fla. Monday, June 2, 2025. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union] | Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

For the Jaguars to pull off the win against the Panthers, they will need Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker to be as disruptive and physical as ever. The Jaguars have a genuine advantage in the trenches, and they need to make sure they take hold of the opportunity.

On top of getting pressure on Bryce Young, the Jaguars' will also need their edge rushers to ensure that Young does not beat them with his legs. He scrambles at a high rate, and Hines-Allen will be absolutely critical to ensuring the Jaguars can keep him from making plays out of structure.

Tyson Campbell

Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Tyson Campbell (3) warms up before an NFL football matchup Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024 at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union] | Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

With the Panthers set to start Tetairoa McMillan and Xavier Leggette at wide receiver, the onus will be on the Jaguars' outside cornerbacks to ensure they do not let the Panthers' big-bodied receivers take over the game before and after the catch -- and perhaps no cornerback will be more important than Tyson Campbell.

This feels like a week where Campbell will see plenty of McMillan, the talented rookie receiver who has genuine WR1 traits. Campbell has the best skill set on the Jaguars' roster to slow him down, and they will need him to do just that.

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