3 Things We Learned From the Jaguars 2023 Season

What did the 2023 season teach us about the Jaguars?

2023 didn't go as planned for the Jacksonville Jaguars, but there are lessons to learn.

What did we learn during the 9-8 campaign? What are the most important sticking points the Jaguars need to examine over the course of the offseason? Here are a few below.

The Jaguars aren't good enough in the trenches 

The Jaguars have spent plenty of resources along the offensive and defensive line in recent years, but it didn't turn into production in 2023 -- especially in the interior. According to Sports Info Solutions, the Jaguars' interior offensive line had the fourth-highest blown block rate on running downs, and according to PFF, the Jaguars only had one interior lineman rank in the top-65 in pass-rush win-rate.

"There are a lot of things we've got to do better honestly, but obviously the run game is a huge part of it. You've got to run the ball to win in this league," tight end Evan Engram said the day after the Jaguars' final game. 

"We as a unit, as a tight end that's a huge part of the run game, that's a huge addition and partner with the offensive line, the tight end position, we didn't well enough. I think there are a lot of things to look in the mirror at and attack the improvements of. Identify those things and attack the improvement. This feeling is great fuel for that for sure.”

The Jaguars were simply not enough in the trenches to win in 2023. Look at the best teams still playing today, and you will see teams that are getting production from their offensive and defensive lines. Look at the teams knocked out of the playoffs, and you will see similar holes as to what the Jaguars have.

The Jaguars have a turnover problem 

The Jaguars have had a turnover problem during the entirety of the Doug Pederson era, but it really reared its ugly head in 2023. After finishing with the eighth-highest % of drives ending in a turnover in 2022, that number increased to the sixth-highest % in 2023 as only four teams committed more than the Jaguars' 30 turnovers. A lot of the blame locally and nationally has been put on Trevor Lawrence, but it is clear that it is an offensive-wide problem. 

Throughout the 2023 season, the Jaguars had several players as the root cause of turnovers. Whether it was a breakdown in communication at wide receiver (Calvin Ridley, Zay Jones) leading to an interception, tipped passes ending up picked off (Evan Engram, Tank Bigsby) or self-inflicted fumbles at the worst time (Christian Kirk, Lawrence, Parker Washington), the entire offense suffered. The Jaguars can't simply put all of the turnover issues at Lawrence's feet.

Josh Allen is a blue-chip player

Entering the 2023 season, you likely would have gotten a variety of answers if you asked who the Jaguars' best player was. Names like Trevor Lawrence, Christian Kirk, Tyson Campbell, and Josh Allen all would have come up. But after what we witnessed over 17 games, it is clear the Jaguars' best player is Allen and by a wide margin. After years of being consistently good, Allen was legitimately great in 2023.

Allen finished as the No. 9 pass-rusher in all of football in win-rate in 2023, while also recording the fifth-most pressures. In addition, his win-rate against true pass-sets was No. 2 in the NFL, behind only Myles Garrett. He set franchise records and career highs at an incredible clip and pace, proving that he is the blue-chip player on the Jaguars' roster.