The 3 Biggest Questions Facing the Jaguars Entering the 2023 Offseason

From internal free agents to taking the next level, here are the biggest questions facing Doug Pederson and Trent Baalke this offseason.

The Jacksonville Jaguars are just like 29 other teams this Sunday, patiently awaiting for Super Bowl LVII to end so the book on the 2022 season can officially close.

While the Jaguars and the rest of the NFL prepare to see whether the Kansas City Chiefs or Philadelphia Eagles finish the year as champions, the 2023 offseason quickly approaches. 

After a successful first season of the Doug Pederson era, the Jaguars now have a few big challenges and questions awaiting responses. Where the Jaguars go from here will determine whether their playoff run in 2022 was a flash in the pan like their 2017 season, or whether it can be sustained success. 

So, what are the biggest questions facing the Jaguars as they enter the opening stages of the offseason? We break it down below. 

What will Calvin Ridley's onboarding process look like? 

To date, the Jacksonville Jaguars and Calvin Ridley have yet to start their working relationship. The Jaguars made an incentive-laden trade with the Atlanta Falcons during the final hours before the trade deadline, landing the former 1,000-yard receiver who has spent most of the last two seasons out of football; one season for personal reasons, and all of last season after being suspended for a season for gambling. 

Ridley is eligible to apply for reinstatement starting on Feb. 15, which is just days away. Once he is reinstated by the league, which he is the widely-held expectation, then the Jaguars can begin contact with him. What that contact looks like, how soon he gets in the building to start meeting the staff, getting a playbook, and everything else remains to be seen. 

If the Ridley move works out, the Jaguars have a potential top-10 receiver talent joining the roster who is hungry to play and produce after two years spent off the field. Getting the star receiver in the building and in the Jaguars' culture will be a critical piece of the offseason.

Can the Jaguars keep their 2022 talent intact? 

The Jaguars have some serious questions when it comes to retaining talent this spring. The Jaguars would obviously like to bring back as many key pieces from their 2022 run as possible, but that will be no easy task considering the fact that they are already over the cap by more than $20 million. Combine this with the fact the Jaguars have several players who have earned big pay days, and the Jaguars' ability to balance the cap and talent will be as pivotal as ever. 

In terms of pending free agents, the Jaguars have tight end Evan Engram who is fresh off a career year; right tackle Jawaan Taylor, a former second-round pick who has never missed a start, is 25, and is coming off his best season; and Arden Key, one of the NFL's most underrated rotational pass-rushers. Each of with these players did enough in 2022 to deserve a big contract this offseason, but how can the Jaguars manage bringing them back?

This doesn't even mention other pending free agents like Andrew Wingard, Tre Herndon and CJ Beathard. The Jaguars are also a year away from being able to start paying their 2021 draft class, too, so it would make sense for them to not want to go overboard on spending. But can they afford to do that if it means letting potential impact players walk?

Which Jaguars' contracts will have to be adjusted?

For the Jaguars to give themselves breathing room in terms of cap space this offseason, they will need to make a few changes to current deals, whether this means via restructures or releases. But after the Jaguars' run in 2022, there aren't many obvious moves to be made among players signed in 2021. 

Cornerback Shaquill Griffin seems like an obvious cut candidate with the Jaguars saving over $13 million with his release. Otherwise, though, the Jaguars have some highly-paid players who have at least earned the right to stay based on their play., such as Rayshawn Jenkins, Roy Robertson-Harris, and Jamal Agnew. All three looked like offseason cut candidates entering last season, but all three did enough on the field to earn a potential spot on the roster in 2023.

The Jaguars will obviously have to make moves after spending sprees over the last two offseasons, but the only obvious move as of today appears to be Griffin. How they attack the rest of their expensive veteran deals will be telling.