3 Observations on the Jaguars' Additions of Tyron Johnson, Duke Johnson and Jacob Hollister
The Jacksonville Jaguars have a trio of new faces on the offensive depth chart, with the team staying busy in terms of reshuffling the roster ahead of Week 1.
With signing speedy wideout Tyron Johnson and athletic tight end Jacob Hollister to the main roster, while also adding veteran pass-catching running back Duke Johnson to the practice squad on Monday, the Jaguars have increased their speed and overall talent on the offensive side of the ball.
Questions were risen about each of the three positions after initial cuts, but the Jaguars have given their answers with these additions. What does each move mean for the offense moving forward and why did the Jaguars make them? We examine each move below.
Tyron Johnson gives the Jaguars' a badly-needed deep threat alongside DJ Chark
Before the Jaguars claimed former Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Tyron Johnson, the team was missing speed on the outside badly in its receiver room. And while it remains to be seen exactly how many snaps Johnson plays in Jacksonville's offense early in the season, the addition of Johnson's 4.34 speed is a big boost to the depth chart.
Just looking at the initial compilation of receivers on the Jaguars' first 53-man roster, which featured 5-foot-8 Tavon Austin and 5-foot-10 Jamal Agnew, and Laviska Shenault and Marvin Jones, with neither receiver exactly being a burner in terms of vertical speed, the Jaguars were thin on options.
This left only DJ Chark, who missed several weeks of practice and the entire preseason as a result of a hand injury. Chark is a legit deep threat with a 4.34 40 time, but he was the Jaguars' lone explosive speed receiver who could play on the outside. Jacksonville would go on to sign Phillip Dorsett and Devin Smith to the practice squad, but neither is the quality of deep threat that Johnson is considering the 2020 season
Johnson may not be more than the Jaguars' No. 4 receiver and someone they design a few deep shots to a game, but he does give the offense more speed and, perhaps more importantly, gives Meyer more peace of mind.
Jacob Hollister won't save the TE room, but he has made it much more respectable
The reaction to the Jaguars signing Jacob Hollister has been overwhelmingly positive and for a good reason. The Jaguars' were thin at tight end, carrying only three into the regular-season with Chris Manhertz (12 career catches), James O'Shaughnessy (88 career catches), and fifth-round rookie Luke Farrell, who will make his NFL debut on Sunday. The Jaguars were so barren at tight end this preseason that the other three tight ends they invited to camp -- Tim Tebow, Ben Ellefson and Tyler Davis -- were released or waived from the roster and none are currently still with the team, with Ellefson claimed by the Vikings, Davis signing to the Colts' practice squad and Tebow signing to ESPN.
With that said, some context is required. Hollister is a terrific athlete for the position and has an ideal pass-catching skill set, but he is still a role player by nature. He has never caught a pass longer than 23 yards and isn't a high-volume target. He has been a good red-zone threat with six touchdowns over the last two years, but he finished No. 43 in yards per route run among tight ends with at least 20 targets last season at just 1.04, according to Pro Football Focus. He was still a productive player who can find a role, but he isn't a game-changer who will stop the Jaguars from still looking for tight end upgrades in the future.
Even with that context, though, Hollister is an addition worth giving credit to the Jaguars to. Had they signed Hollister in March, it would have been seen as a solid addition, so it is noteworthy to see them be able to grab him right before the start of the season. He gives the Jaguars' an athletic pass-catcher who can detach from the line of scrimmage, a player who is similar to incumbent starting tight end James O'Shaughnessy. Before Hollister, O'Shaughnessy was alone on the Jaguars' roster in that regard. Considering all of the above factors, along with Hollister producing under Brian Schottenheimer in Seattle the last two seasons, then it is hard to not be positive about the signing, even if some expectations should be tempered.
Duke Johnson should be on the game day roster sooner than later based on his skill set
Much like with Johnson and Hollister, it still isn't yet clear how large of a role in the team's offensive plans that Duke Johnson will play in 2021. While the Jaguars signed him to the practice squad on Monday, it wouldn't be surprising to see him spend significant time on the active roster, or at the very least a few game day rosters. The Jaguars' simply have needed a running back with Johnson's skill set in the worst way since Travis Etienne's season-ending injury, even with Johnson's days of being a top option in a backfield being over.
James Robinson should be expected to be the Jaguars' work horse back and logic would say he should play a heavy percantage of the Jaguars' third-down snaps due to his pass-blocking ability. Behind him, Carlos Hyde mostly serves as reinforcement to the ground and power game, while Dare Ogunbowale is more of a special teams asset than a offensive playmaker. None offer the same pass-catching skillset that Johnson does, even if Johnso isn't the same receiving threat he was a few years ago.
The Jaguars have a staff that is used to throwing the football to the running back, and the team had grand plans for Etienne's rookie year, especially in terms of contributing to the passing game. Johnson can serve as a partial solution to the loss of Etienne, even if only for a short time. The Jaguars are missing that kind of back on their current 53-man roster, so adding that kind of skill set to the offense can only help the team.
