With 'Heavy Lifting' of Jaguars Offense Installed, Signs of Progression Now Needed

The Jaguars need a quick turnaround on offense this season, and that will largely hinge on how well the offense progresses after learning the ins and outs of the scheme.

The Jacksonville Jaguars have not been known for their offense for, well, quite a long time. In recent years. In fact, the team has more recently been known for its mangled offenses and occasionally comical miscues.

In 2019, however, the Jaguars were at least able to flash excitement at times. The Jaguars didn't field a good offense, as evidenced by their 26th ranked scoring offense and some of the worst red zone and first half efficiency stats available. But the team still had its moments of exciting offensive play, giving the Jaguars hope that the offensive turnaround wouldn't be quite as far away as once thought.

Fast forward a few months, and the Jaguars' offense looks quite different than it did at this point in 2019. They have changed offensive coordinators, with play-calling duties going from John DeFilippo to Jay Gruden. They've also added a few weapons in the form of rookie receiver Laviska Shenault and free agent additions Tyler Eifert and Chris Thompson.

None of this automatically means an improvement on offense, obviously, but Saturday's scrimmage should give us an idea of just where the offense is at in its progression.

Has it improved from last year's start and stop unit, or will it once again be bogged down by inconsistency? These are the questions facing Gruden, head coach Doug Marrone and quarterback Gardner Minshew before Week 1.

The Jaguars have been adapting to Gruden's scheme and philosophy over the last several weeks, and really months, to prepare them for hopeful improvement. But where do they think they are at now in their own eyes?

“We’re coming along good. I think, as a whole, offensively, we’ve got a lot in," Gruden said in a video conference on Friday.

"We’re trying to give these guys opportunities. One, to showcase their skills so we can evaluate them properly. And two, to put a system together that we can go out and play Indianapolis and have a chance to really go after them."

Gruden's offense and how the Jaguars' roster adjusts and meshes in it has maybe been the most important storyline of the team's training camp. Saturday will be a small, albeit limited, look into the group and any progress they've made.

But on Friday, Gruden seemed optimistic about his offense and what they are preparing to put on the field in two weeks vs. the Colts.

"So, we’re in a good spot right now, I feel really good about it. As far as what we have in, the ability for our players to retain information from one day and then add some new stuff and then also go back and do what we did the day, or three days or four days before, Gruden said.

"So, it’s been impressive. We’re where we want to be offensively. Obviously, we have room to grow and get better and put some more stuff in. But from an install standpoint, these guys are where I want them to be.”

The most important key to Jacksonville's offense is, of course, Minshew. The entire unit needs to be up to speed in Gruden's playbook and able to play instinctively without overthinking, but nobody needs to know the playbook more than Minshew.

How has Minshew progressed in Gruden's scheme during camp? As Gruden said, he has the "meat and potatoes" of the offense. Now, he has to learn how to not only be consistent in his role, but how to continue to be a playmaker.

Luckily for the Jaguars and Gruden, Minshew has given praise to the scheme throughout the offseason and training camp. There is certainly going to be a learning curve on Week 1 once Minshew sees a live defense, but he so far hasn't indicated that he isn't adapting well.

"Yeah, it’s been a great process learning the offense, getting into it with everybody. I think we’re at a point now where all of the heavy lifting is done," Minshew said Friday.

"Up to this point, it’s been a race trying to get a lot of reps. And now, it’s going to be more fine-tuned game planning and really just getting the finer points ready for Indianapolis. And I feel really good about it.”

Jacksonville needs a lot of things to go right in 2020 for them to start winning football games again. Minshew and Gruden getting offense humming early in the year may be what determines the ultimate direction of the team, however, making its progress vital.

On Saturday, the Jaguars can show some of that progress -- or lack thereof, in the event they struggle. And two weeks from Sunday, they will be able to show even more.