Jaguars Ranked No. 4 Team in AFC Following Offseason Workouts

ProFootballTalk has the Jaguars in high esteem after OTAs and minicamp.

No other AFC South franchise has the expectations that the Jacksonville Jaguars have in 2023. 

While the Indianapolis Colts and Houston Texans are sed to be led by rookie quarterbacks and rookie head coaches and the Tennessee Titans are hoping for a rebounded season, the Jaguars are aiming to be repeat AFC South champions ... and maybe even more.

And to some -- like ProFootballTalk -- the Jaguars shouldn't expect to be anything but one of the AFC's top teams following offseason workouts. 

In a power ranking of the NFL's top teams after OTAs and minicamps, the Jaguars land at No. 6 in PFT's eyes -- and as the fourth-best team in the AFC.

Pro Football Talk ranked the TOP 10 teams in the AFC right now. #NFL

Thoughts on the list?! 👀 pic.twitter.com/FJ4JRmO2s7

— Sunday Night Football on NBC (@SNFonNBC) June 22, 2023

The reason for optimism around the Jaguars is clear, even if the Jaguars are barely removed from back-to-back No. 1 overall picks.

In the Jaguars' first season under new head coach Doug Pederson, Jacksonville finished 9-8 in the regular season, recovering from a 3-7 record and winning the AFC South in Week 18 before defeating the Los Angeles Chargers in the Wild Card Round.

“There’s a lot of things to point to, but I don’t think you point to anything greater than Doug’s influence as a leader," Jaguars general manager Trent Baalke after the season when asked why the Jaguars turned things around in 2022.

"When you have someone at the top that’s as steady as Doug is, as fearless as he is, and really as authentic. Those are three things I think of when I think of the way Doug’s led this organization and this football team that really stand out, and people get behind that. When you’re authentic, you’re the same guy every day, and you’re fearless as a leader, people—players, staff, fan bases—it’s encouraging, and it’s engaging.” 

The Jaguars increased their win total by six wins (from three to nine) last season, tying Detroit for the largest improvement in wins in 2022. Jacksonville’s six-win increase was the highest by any team with a new head coach.

Pederson is one of the primary reasons the Jaguars have reason to be excited in 2023. And for once, the Jaguars will be the hunted instead of the team playing catchup and hoping to earn respect.