3 Reasons the Jaguars' Roster Is More Talented Than the Narrative Suggests

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The Jacksonville Jaguars are coming off a 13-4 season, an AFC South title, and an MVP-like season from their franchise quarterback. But even with that success in mind, it is fair to say the national narrative has not been as kind as expected to the Jaguars' this offseason.

Much of that has had to do with the Jaguars losing some top names due to free agency such as running back Travis Etienne and linebacker Devin Lloyd. But as we are getting closer and closer to the 2026 season, more of the focus is on which teams are contenders and which hold the most talent.

There is no true way to evaluate and judge rosters outside of, well, winning the Lombardi. But that does not stop the exercise each offseason, and such exercises this season have mostly left the Jaguars to the wayside. In ESPN's polling of the best players at every position, the Jaguars had zero players ranked in the top-10 at any position.

Position	Jaguars Ranking
QB	No. 16 (Trevor Lawrence)
RB	N/A
OT	N/A
IOL	N/A
TE	No. 22 (Brenton Strange)
WR	No. 24 (Brian Thomas Jr.)
EDGE	No. 13 (Josh Hines-Allen) & No. 14 (Travon Walker)
IDL	N/A
LB	No. 18 (Foyesade Oluokun)
CB	No. 20 (Travis Hunter)
Safety	No. 27 (Antonio Johnson)

But why do we think the narrative on the Jaguars' roster is misplacd ahead of the 2026 season? We offer a few reasons below.

Liam Coen is a Multiplier

For the sake of comparing the Jaguars with their AFC South rivals in the Houston Texans, the Jaguars had zero top-10 players compared to Houston's six. This made Houston, by the numbers, one of the most talented teams in the entire NFL according to this poll. If the talent gap between the two teams is that significant, then it begs the question of why the Jaguars won the AFC South and split their season series with Houston. In fact, they never actually spent any time in regulation trailing the Texans.

If these numbers are to be taken at face value, then that would mean there must be some difference-maker that tips the scales in the Jaguars' favor. It can't simply be due to the fact that the Texans played a first-place schedule. If that were the case, then the most plausible answer would be none other than Jaguars head coach Liam Coen.

The Texans have a talented and respected head coach in their own right with DeMeco Ryans, but Coen had his team ready to go twice against the Texans last year. Coen and the Jaguars let a second-half lead slip away during their road loss to the Texans last year, but Coen was able to make this version of the Jaguars the toughest version the Ryans-era Texans have faced yet.

With Coen at the helm, there is no real reason to underrate the talent on the Jaguars' roster. A number of players had career-best seasons under Coen last season, and there is no reason to expect that to change moving forward. And what is talent if not production?

Follow the Money

travon walke — Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Travon Walker (44) enters the stadium before an NFL football game at EverBank Stadium, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Jacksonville, Fla. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union] | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Money is not everything in the NFL, but there are often moments where following the money can explain most decisions, gaps at key spots, and more. While there is no exact formula to correlate money and talent, there is a reason why the NFL's highest-paid players are, well, normally the best. When looking at the Jaguars' roster, the money says the best players are Trevor Lawrence, Josh Hines-Allen, and Travon Walker. Would anyone really argue with that?

The money says the Jaguars have several players in their ranks who should be ranked a good bit higher than they were, especially Lawrence and tight end Brenton Strange. Would the Jaguars have made Strange one of the top-paid tight ends in the NFL if he was truly the 22nd best tight end in football, or does he not get his due because of the context of his career and who he plays for? It is clear which one is more likely.

Could the Jaguars use more blue-chip players? Of course, but they do have several potential ones who were either ranked lower than their talent suggests (Travis Hunter) or were not ranked at all (Anton Harrison). But the money suggests the Jaguars are a better team talent-wise than this list has given them credit for, at least when compared to other teams across the league on the same playing field and with the same rules.

The Jaguars Focus

Simply put, this is more or less the tax that comes with being a part of the Jaguars. That is not a fair circumstance by any means, because the Jaguars had a number of players on this list who went horribly underrated. But because they play for Jacksonville and have not had a long history of recent success, they are normally going to fly under the radar.

This is not a new trend by any means, with Tony Boselli having to wait far too long for the Hall of Fame, Fred Taylor's Hall of Fame snubs and singular Pro Bowl nod, and on and on. But this list shows that, even when the Jaguars are trending upward, it is hard for them to get the same national respect as the NFL's top franchises and established stars. That does not make the Jaguars any less talented than the next team by any means, but chances are the Jaguars will be underrated yet again next season as well.

What could change this? Frankly, a Super Bowl run. Win a Super Bowl and people can not forget about you by any means. Do anything less, though, and even the best seasons will get lost to history and the fact that 31 teams did not finish the season the way they wanted. If the Jaguars can go on this kind of run and lift the Lombardi while under Coen, then you could probably expect to see the Jaguars get some fairer representation.

With that in mind, we have also yet to see the Jaguars have sustained success in recent years. They failed to carry their momentum after the 2017 and 2022 seasons, and that will have to be their top focus to avoid this time around if they hope to flip the narrative moving forward.

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