Doug Pederson Breaks Down the Jaguars' Offensive Mismatch Options

Which players on offense give the Jaguars the ability to be mismatches against defenses week in and week out?

Football, in its simplest form, is all about mismatches. 

It was mismatches -- both schematically and through sheer talent -- that helped Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson lift the Lombardi Trophy a few years ago.

The hard part? Finding the gifted players whose rare and unique talents and skill sets give a team the ability to find those mismatches. 

This is the area the Jacksonville Jaguars have lagged behind in recent years, and one area they hope to change this year with new additions and the development of players already on the roster. 

But which players does Pederson see as his mismatch options in Jacksonville? The list starts with running back Travis Etienne, but it contains other names, too, including tight end Evan Engram, wide receiver Laviska Shenault, and wide receiver Christian Kirk.

"It is exciting to be able to have a couple of guys in your offense that you can [use in multiple positions]," Pederson said on Monday as OTAs come to a close. 

"Throw Christian Kirk in there, you could put him in that group, and guys that you can move around. [La]Viska [Shenault Jr.]’s another one you could probably throw in that group that you want to get touches for these guys. The only problem is you have one football, and you just try to do the best you can to get them all involved.”

Etienne is the most obvious mismatch on the Jaguars' roster. The former Clemson Tigers star and all-time ACC leading rusher was able to make an impact in college both as a rusher and pass-catcher and the Jaguars have envisioned him as a dual-threat star since drafting him at No. 25 overall last year. 

Etienne missed his entire rookie year due to a preseason Lisfranc injury that required surgery, but the second-year running back was cleared for complete activity ahead of the start of OTAs.

"Gosh, it’s just exciting to get him out here and get him on the grass this whole offseason and really work with him," Pederson said. "He’s doing a great job handling a lot of information we’re throwing at the guys and putting him in different spots. [We’re] just seeing what he can do right now.”

“It is fun. This is the time to do that stuff, to really experiment on both sides of the ball and just kind of see what the guys can do, and he’s one of those guys.”

The other players like Etienne include Shenault, Kirk and Engram, with the latter two being added in free agency this offseason. It is Engram especially who igves the Jaguars' offense mismatch potential considering his ability to run like a receiver at tight end size, giving him the ability to win against cornerbacks, safeties and linebackers.

Engram has always been a mismatch and a tweener type weapon, dating back to his Ole Miss days. The former first-round pick has a skill set that a coach like Pederson can tap into and use to the offense's advantage, something the Jaguars have rarely had at the tight end position.

“He’s another one that you can move around. You can create some matchups with him," Pederson said. "Again, we’re still in kind of those early stages as far as just learning and seeing where they are mentally with the offense, but he’s got such great speed and versatility. 

"He’s not a big guy, but he’s an athletic guy. He can run and create some separation and we’ve seen that here the last two weeks of OTAs. It’s something that, as coaches, obviously we’re excited to be able to game plan when we get down the road for someone like that.”

"He’s heavier than he looks though. I mean he’s probably, I don’t exactly how heavy he is, probably 240. He’s heavier than he looks, but just his speed. The first time throwing to him, I’m like, ‘Gosh, this guy can fly.’" Trevor Lawrence summed up after practice. 

"He runs like a receiver. Just having that matchup is going to be great for us, whoever that is, safety, linebacker. Whoever’s going to have to cover him, it’s going to be tough.”

Etienne and Engram are the two most obvious mismatches. The darkhorse is Shenault, who entered the NFL with a hybrid skill set and has been utilized as a running back, wide receiver and wild cat quarterback in the NFL. 

Shenault has stepped into new roles for the Jaguars this offseason. He is no longer guaranteed a starting role and has even gotten some looks at the returner spot, but he is still a name that comes to Pederson's mind when he thinks of mismatches at his disposal.

"I mean listen, he’s another player that wants to win and do what he can for the team," Pederson said. "For him to want to do that just shows, I think, maturity with him and where he is in the stage of his career. The more people that stand up and want to do more things, the better off we’re going to be.”

"When he gets a rep, it’s 100 percent and he’s done a good job of learning and picking up the information. But to me, that’s what’s really stood out with [La]Viska [Shenault Jr.] is just how he really prepares himself for games and obviously now with just practice."

"That’s a guy you have to get the ball in his hands just because he can make so many plays when he has it," Lawrence said. 

"But then for his sake, like I just said, the improvement he’s made on just being able to do everything, I think that’s going to help him a lot obviously and help the team a lot because when he’s in the game it’s not just we’re going to get him the ball on a screen or we’re going to throw him quick game, short route and let him run. It’s he can run the whole route tree and really make a defense [think], get them on their heels, so it helps a lot.”