Good, Not So Good From Jaguars' First Month of Season: Trevor Lawrence, Brian Thomas Jr., and More

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The Jacksonville Jaguars made it through the first month of the NFL season mostly unscathed.

Jacksonville is sitting at 3-1 after the first four games of the season, are alone at the top of the AFC South, and have gotten off to an early three-game lead over the Houston Texans. Alll things considered, the Jaguars have been among the NFL's best teams.

But what ultimately were the highs and lows of the first season and how the Jaguars got to where they are? We break down The Good and Not So Good of the first month below.

The Good

Trevor Lawrence's Momentum

The Jaguars have certainly seen Trevor Lawrence take a step. He ranks top-eight in both EPA/Play and success rate amongst quarterbacks despite playing in an aggressive offense that doesn't often utilize checkdowns or screens like other quarterbacks who play in the AFC. According to NextGenStats, Lawrence has thrown downfield (10+ air yards) at the highest rate in the NFL this season (43.3%), completing 60.0% of such attempts (5th-highest) for 470 yards (12th-most) and six touchdowns (T-2nd-most). Lawrence is the engine that drives the offense, and I think his accuracy and decision-making are the best they have ever been in his career. Lawrence got hot at the end of last season, and he has only gotten better since.

Travis Hunter's Development

Travis Hunter's progress at the cornerback position has been nothing short of remarkable. After serving as part of the rotation for the first two weeks of the season, Hunter has been one of the best cornerbacks in football over the last two weeks and he has completely changed the Jaguars' secondary with the way he gets his hands on the football at such a high rate. The Jaguars have stuck to their guns by keeping Hunter mostly at the cornerback position instead of using him at wide receiver, and it has led to Hunter becoming a game-changer for the Jaguars' defense. Hunter has developed even quicker on defense than anticipated.

The Mutli-Tight End Shift

The Jaguars drafted Nate Boerkircher at No. 56 overall with hopes of him allowing the Jaguars to expand the position's role in the offense, and that has happened without a hitch. The Jaguars have played 12 and 13 personnel at higher rates than they did a year ago, and the selection of Boerkircher is the biggest reason why. The Jaguars have been more explosive out of 11 personnel, but the fact that they can actually turn to other formations when needed, depending on the matchup, is a very good sign.

The Running Game's Growth

The Jaguars had one of the NFL's most middling running games a year ago, and Liam Coen went out of his way this offseason to say fixing it was a priority. They Jaguars did that by adding an effecient power back in Chris Rodriguez Jr. and adding strong run blockers in the draft in Boerkircher, Emmanuel Pregnon, and Josh Cameron, but perhaps the biggest reason the running game has taken off is because of Bhayshul Tuten. According to NextGenStats, Tuten has reached 15+ mph on 19 of his 60 rushes this season, the most of any player. Nearly half of Tuten's rushing yards (49.9%) have come after a missed tackle this season, the highest share of any player (min. 25 rushes).

The Run Defense ... Again

The Jaguars' run defense has once again been elite. The only team that found some semi-success against the Jaguars on the ground were the Denver Broncos in Week 2; otherwise, the Jaguars have been able to suffocate running games and force offenses to air the ball out. That strategy has led to several turnovers for the Jaguars, and it is clear that their strong run defense from a year ago was not simply a one-year jump. The run defense is amongst the best in the entire NFL, if not the very best overall -- and it comes down to how they play.

The Not So Good

Brian Thomas Jr.'s Production

After a stellar offseason program and the best training camp of his career, things just not have panned out for Brian Thomas Jr. this season. Through four games, Thomas has nine catches for 105 yards and a touchdown, averaging just over 25 yards per game. Thomas is tied at No. 61 amongst all NFL receivers in catches, sharing production with names like Pop Douglas, Laquon Treadwell, Kayshon Boutte, and Isaac TeSlaa. Thomas is an important part of the Jaguars' offense due to his speed element, but he simply has not seen the ball thrown his direction very often.

Caleb Ransaw's Injury

It is tough to say things look good for Caleb Ransaw after Sunday's knee injury in the first quarter. After not appearing in any games as a rookie due to his training camp foot injury, Ransaw made it healthy through training camp this year and then played 59 snaps in the first 13 quarters of the season before his injury against the Bengals last week. Ransaw was placed on injured reserve on Tuesday as a result, and head coach Liam Coen declined to answer whether it would be a season-ending injury for the second-year safety. If it is indeed a long-term injury, then Ransaw could have just 59 real snaps in his first two seasons. That is not ideal considering the importance Ransaw played to their safety depth behind Antonio Johnson and Eric Murray.

Offensive Line's Inconsistency

The Jaguars' offensive line was facing plenty of changes entering the 2026 season, with Anton Harrison moving to left tackle, Ezra Cleveland moving to right guard, and a rookie starting at guard with Emmanuel Pregnon. That does earn them some grace, but it is perhaps worrisome that the line's two worst games by far, especially in pass-protection, came against the two best defensive lines they played. The line has had some good performances vs. the Cleveland Browns and New England Patriots, but their tough days in protection against talented pass-rushers from the Denver Broncos and Cincinnati Bengals is a potential red flag.

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