7 X Factors Who Will Help Determine Fate of Jaguars This Season

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The Jacksonville Jaguars took great strides a year ago, and it took the contributions of more or less their entire 53-man roster and coaching staff. But even with such a team effort, there were still X-Factors.

Trevor Lawrence, Liam Coen, Josh Hines-Allen and many others come to mind when thinking about the 2025 X-Factors. But without repeating any of those names, who are the Jaguars' biggest such factors in 2026? Whose performances could ultimately set the floor and the ceiling of this Jaguars squad?

With training camp just a few days away, we take a look at which 2026 Jaguars can officially be called X-Factors, and here they are.

Brian Thomas Jr.

Any number of Jaguars pass-catchers could go in this slot, whether it be Parker Washington in his first full season as a starter, Brenton Strange after his big pay-day, or Jakobi Meyers now that he has more time in the scheme under his belt. But ultimately, I am going with third-year wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr as the difference-maker when it comes to the Jaguars' skill group.

The former first-round pick has an elite vertical skill-set that could completely tip the scales for the Jaguars' offense in any given week, and he is healthy after an injury-filled 2025 season. The Jaguars understand him and his skill-set better now than they did a year ago, and there is reason to believe him and Trevor Lawrence can finally get back on the same page when it comes to pushing the ball downfield.

Anthony Campanile

cammpanil — Jacksonville Jaguars defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile coaches during the second day of minicamp at the Miller Electric Center, Wednesday, June 10, 2026, in Jacksonville. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union] | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

If all things go right for the Jaguars this season, this could easily be the last we see of Anthony Campanile on a Jacksonville sideline. He drew interest from several teams during the head coach hiring cycle last season after just one season as an NFL coordinator, and it is hard to believe he will not get even more interest in 2027 as long as the Jaguars put together another strong defensive unit and performance.

Campanile led the Jaguars to No. 1 run defense ranking a year ago, and he had some of the best gameplans of any Jaguars defensive coordinator in recent memory. There are still areas where Campanile's unit can improve, though, such as the pass-rush and coverage, which means Campanile's ability to elevate the Jaguars' defense in 2026 could decide how far they go.

Travis Hunter

Travis Hunter is almost back. The former No. 2 pick played in just seven games as a rookie due to a season-ending knee injury in practice after the bye week, but he was just hitting his stride when he got hurt. Now we are seeing a bigger and stronger Hunter set to hit the stage in a different role, albeit still a two-way one. Hunter will still have a role to play in Coen's offense, but it is his role on defense that could truly shift things in the Jaguars' favor.

Hunter is the most talented cornerback the Jaguars have had on their roster since Jalen Ramsey, and it is not hard to see a world where he is considered a top-10 cornerback by season's end. With several top wide receivers in the AFC South and on the Jaguars' regular-season schedule, it will be up to Hunter to determine whether the Jaguars' secondary takes the leap that the Jaguars' staff is expecting them to.

Hunter's timeline for his exact return is still to be determined, but it is clear that he is set to make a massive impact whenever he is officially back on the field ... no matter where that impact comes from.

Travon Walker

If there was any year when the Jaguars could use a dominant season from Travon Walker, it is this year. The Jaguars managed to put together a solid defense last year despite having only one reliable pass-rusher for a 17-game stretch in Josh Hines-Allen, largely due to injuries to Walker and defensive tackle Arik Armstead. Walker started the season on fire, but wrist and knee injuries lowered his sack numbers back to his 2022 rookie season levels, and now he will need them to rise again.

There are quite a few reasons to believe Walker can meet those lofty goals, and now it will be up to the former No. 1 pick to put it all together and show why he is one of the best defensive ends in football. Walker is one of the most important pieces the Jaguars have on their entire roster, and the fate of their pass-rush could easily rest in his hands entering training camp.

Brian Picucci

brian piccuc — Jaguars run game coordinator Brian Picucci runs drills with offensive lineman Jonah Monheim (60) during the Jaguars’ fourth OTA of the year, Monday June 1, 2026 at the Miller Electric Center in Jacksonville, Fla. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union] | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

If I had to say one singular addition the Jaguars made this offseason is the most overlooked right now, I would say it is the hiring of Brian Picucci. He has such a long relationship with Liam Coen that he actually served on the UMass staff when Coen was at quarterback for the program, and the two eventually reconnected when Coen was at Kentucky and then Tampa Bay.

The Jaguars tried to hire Piccuci last season, but the Buccaneers blocked the move after Coen's departure. Once his contract ran out this offseason, however, the Jaguars and Coen were free to add one of his most trusted offensive assistants to the Jaguars staff. Picucci is going to help oversee the Jaguars' running game, which was arguably the weakest aspect of their entire team during their 13-4 run a year ago.

According to NextGenStats, "the Jaguars recorded a 33.7% success rate on designed runs during their current eight-game winning streak dating back to Week 11, a mark higher than only the Raiders (27.0%). Notably, their ball-carriers averaged just 0.6 yards before contact per carry, the sixth-fewest in the NFL over that span."

Picucci has a mind wired to run the football, and he has spent the last few years working with some of the top offensive linemen in football. If the running game improves this year, it is hard to imagine a scenario where Picucci was not a significant reason why.

Bhayshul Tuten and/or Chris Rodriguez Jr.

I am cheating a bit on this one, but that is just because I think it is simply too early to know how the Jaguars are going to split their backfield between Bhayshul Tuten and Chris Rodriguez Jr. Tuten had an impressive offseason after limited snaps and touches behind Travis Etienne last year, while Rodriguez missed the offseason program with an injury. That means we still do not have any sample size, even a small one, on how the Jaguars view the pair together.

What we do know, however, is that the Jaguars have made their biggest offseason focus improving their running game. Their only notable free agent was a power running back, their top draft pick was a tight end who, at least for now, specializes as a blocker, and their second-highest pick was a mauling run-blocking guard with Emmanuel Pregnon. Liam Coen has called the running game the "stink" that the Jaguars' wins was able to cover a year ago, and it will be up to Tuten and Rodriguez to make it happen.

Tuten has impressive traits and it is clear he has made an impression on Coen and general manager James Gladstone. Meanwhile, Rodriguez has efficient rushing metrics and has a long history with Coen, and the Jaguars' contract for him suggests they see some real talent in his profile. Either as a duo or as a lead back and a change of pace option, Tuten and Rodriguez will largely determine whether the running game improves.

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