7 Bold Predictions for the Jaguars' 2026 Season: From Trevor Lawrence to Bhayshul Tuten

JACKSONVILLE Fla. -- The 2026 season is right around the corner, and the Jacksonville Jaguars have some high, high hopes.

Will the Jaguars reach their all-time high goals? Will they suffer early-season setbacks and have to finish strong like they did a year ago? With Week 1 against the Cleveland Browns just six days away, we deliver our final predictions on the Jaguars' 2026 season.

Trevor Lawrence Earns All-Pro Votes

I think everything is lining up for Trevor Lawrence to have the best year of his career, and the best way that can be represented is by him being considered one of the best quarterbacks in a stacked AFC group of signal-callers. I predict that Lawrence will set career highs across the board thanks to his bond with Liam Coen and the Jaguars' talent and depth at the skill positions, and that ultimately will earn him at least second-team All-Pro honors.

The Jaguars are not normally a team that gets much respect when it comes to Pro Bowls, All-Pros, so on and so forth. So for Lawrence to get that kind of nod in a talented AFC quarterback crop would truly signal that Lawrence has arrived, and he is not going anywhere anytime soon. We might just be entering the prime years of his career if all goes right in 2026, and I predictit will.

No Jaguars RB Hits 1k Yards Rushing

The pressure is on for Bhayshul Tuten and Chris Rodriguez Jr. to replace Travis Etienne in the Jaguars' backfield, but I believe the Jaguars will ultimately have such a balanced backfield throughout the season that neither running back emerges as the lead back and hits the 1,000-yard mark. I think both running backs are capable of hitting that number, with 17 running backs doing so a year ago, but there are only so many carries to go around.

Perhaps there is a chance one of Tuten or Rodriguez gets momentum entering the early parts of the season and never let up. And perhaps the Jaguars give each enough chances that they can break through and hit 1,000 yards despite sharing the load, like Kyren Williams did with Blake Corum a year ago. But considering the running back depth with LeQuint Allen and Ameer Abdullah, I think there is a more likely chance we see both running backs hit 750+ yards than one of them hit 1,000.

Travis Hunter Plays Twice as Many Snaps at CB Than WR

Travis Hunter's role is arguably the most-debated storyline the Jaguars' entire roster boasts entering 2026, and it is not hard to see why. His return from last year's knee injury will be a significant part of the Jaguars' season on both sides of the ball, but the question with Hunter will always be which side of the ball he will favor.

Hunter played twice as many snaps on offense than defense a year ago, and we believe that order gets flipped this year. Hunter was on pace for 1,180 snaps a year ago, and 786 of those snaps would have been on offense. I think that it will be a similar workload this year, but for the majority of snaps to be at cornerback. He might be the team's best corner, while the Jaguars have three receivers elsewhere on the roster who are capable of putting up 1,000-yard seasons.

Parker Washington Leads Jaguars in Receiving

Speaking of those receiver, I believe Parker Washington will finish the season as the Jaguars' leading receiver. I think he will get plenty of favorable matchups over the course of the season as defenses put their top corners on Brian Thomas Jr. and also devote matchups to Jakobi Meyers. There will be weeks like Week 1 vs. the Browns where Washington will be facing the clear third-best starting cornerback on a defense, and I think he and the Jaguars will take advantage of it.

Washington was terrific yet again this training camp, like he has been in most training camps in the past. This is not to say he is the most-talented Jaguars receiver because I truly think there is a case to be made for all four of Washington, Thomas, Meyers, and Travis Hunter in that regard. But I do think his role and connection with Trevor Lawrence will lead to some big numbers.

The Jaguars Trade a Starting Defender

james gladston — Jacksonville Jaguars Executive Vice President of Football Operations Tony Boselli, left, Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen, center and Jacksonville Jaguars General Manager James Gladstone walk off the field after an NFL Jaguars practice at the Miller Electric Center, Tuesday September 2, 2026 in Jacksonville, Fla. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union] | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Let's get weird. I do not think the Jaguars will make a move for a difference-maker at the trade deadline like they did with Jakobi Meyers last year, simply because there are fewer positions this year where you can project they would have that kind of need. With that in mind, I do think the Jaguars trust their depth at one of two defensive spots and trade away one of three defenders: Ventrell Miller, Foyesade Oluokun, or Arik Armstead. Two of them are in the final years of their deals and Oluokun is an expensive player on a position the Jaguars clearly do not value. Plus, they have guys like Branson Combs and Matt Dickerson who they could give more playing time to.

Jaguars Win the AFC South ...

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Parker Washington (11) puts on an AFC South Champions hat after the game of an NFL football matchup at EverBank Stadium, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Jacksonville, Fla. The Jaguars defeated the Titans 41-7, capturing the AFC North title. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union] | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

I think the Jaguars will need to be 13-4 at worst to win the AFC South again in 2026, but I do think they do it. The Houston Texans are bound to give the Jaguars a tough run for their money, but the Jaguars' have the skill players, quarterback, head coach, and pass-rushers/coverage players to make a run. I think they split their series with the Texans but ultimately see the Texans finish one game behind them.

... And Advance to AFC Championship Game

liam coe — Jacksonville Jaguars Executive Vice President of Football Operations Tony Boselli, left and Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen watch warm up before an NFL football AFC Wild Card playoff matchup, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in Jacksonville, Fla. Bills lead 10-7 at the half over the Jaguars. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union] | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

I am going to be brutally honest and break your hearts, but I am not going to pick the Jaguars to go to the Super Bowl this season. With that said, I think the Jaguars take yet another major step this year and set up their real Super Bowl window in 2027 when their cap situation and a first-round pick give them a bit more leverage for high-impact moves. I think the Jaguars make it as far as the AFC Championship Game, though, and enter next year right on the doorstep to becoming one of the AFC's next powerhouses.

Add us as a preferred source on Google