JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Regardless of the disappointing method their 2023 season ended, the Jacksonville Jaguars imagine they are going to be again within the combine for an AFC South championship this season.
After shedding 5 of six video games to complete 9-8 and cede the division crown to the Houston Texans (10-7), the Jags knew huge modifications have been wanted. So head coach Doug Pederson employed a brand new defensive employees, whereas basic supervisor Trent Baalke focused veteran leaders from successful applications in free company to enhance the locker room’s capability to resist adversity. Then, the Jaguars handed out big-money extensions to a trio of their greatest gamers: quarterback Trevor Lawrence, go rusher Josh Hines-Allen and, most just lately, cornerback Tyson Campbell.
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In fact, the headliner was Lawrence’s five-year, $275 million contract that had been looming overhead for the previous yr. By taking good care of their franchise quarterback after his third season — when he first grew to become eligible for an extension — the Jaguars eradicated a possible distraction and allowed Lawrence to easily concentrate on the sphere.
“To know you’ve obtained that place locked up for the subsequent seven years is clearly necessary,” Baalke advised The Athletic just lately. “From that standpoint, it was superior.”
After a rocky rookie season underneath City Meyer, Lawrence solidified his worth in 2022 when the Jaguars completed with six wins in seven video games earlier than mounting an unimaginable 27-point comeback victory in opposition to the Los Angeles Chargers within the wild-card spherical. The Jaguars then hung with the eventual Tremendous Bowl champion Kansas Metropolis Chiefs within the subsequent spherical earlier than falling 27-20, whereas Lawrence completed seventh within the MVP voting and earned his first Professional Bowl nod.
Lawrence was enjoying properly once more through the Jags’ 8-3 begin to 2023 earlier than he was slowed by a barrage of accidents, together with a excessive ankle sprain, a concussion and an AC joint sprain in his proper shoulder.
“It affected him, and naturally, it affected us as a staff as a result of he couldn’t apply on a Wednesday or a Thursday,” Pederson advised The Athletic. “I’m an enormous believer that if you happen to don’t get these reps, particularly as a quarterback, it’s actually arduous to exit and carry out at a excessive stage on recreation day. I do know it affected him.”
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That’s why getting Lawrence wholesome — and preserving him that method — is No. 1 on the Jaguars’ record of issues to do to enhance this season. They know a wholesome Lawrence will go a good distance in preserving them within the warmth of the playoff race.
“He was in a extremely good place (earlier than the accidents),” Pederson stated. “The accidents did take a toll on him towards the again half of the season. He wasn’t the identical quarterback. (Within the first half), he was making good selections. He was taking good care of the soccer. We have been serving to him as an offense, too. All people was concerned. One man can’t do all of it, and we don’t ask him to do all of it.
“He’s simply obtained to maintain main the soccer staff. He’s executed a pleasant job for us the final couple of seasons. He’s being extra vocal, which we’ve requested him to do. Schematically with recreation planning, he’ll proceed to develop there.”
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The Jaguars predict to take an enormous step ahead on protection, as properly. After the season, Pederson fired defensive coordinator Mike Caldwell and several other members of his employees. He changed Caldwell with former Atlanta Falcons defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen, a fiery persona who led an aggressive go rush throughout his stints with the Falcons and New Orleans Saints.
The hope is to intensify the depth round Hines-Allen, edge rusher Travon Walker and key free-agent pickup, defensive sort out Arik Armstead.
“I like these guys who I let go,” Pederson stated. “I used to be the one who employed them right here again in 2022. However we’re in a greater place at this time. We’ll see how camp goes. We’ll see because the season unfolds the kind of protection and the offense we’re going to be and want to be. What I’ve seen thus far has been optimistic, and we’ve simply obtained to maintain that rolling.”
They’ve additionally obtained to be a lot much less charitable with the ball. The Jaguars’ 30 turnovers final season have been the fifth-most within the NFL. They misplaced the turnover battle 9 occasions, together with every of their final 4 losses, which stung much more contemplating they completed a recreation shy of Houston.
In order the team-building course of started, they zeroed in on gamers with confirmed reputations as leaders who’ve histories as winners. It led them to guys like Armstead (beforehand with the San Francisco 49ers), cornerback Darnell Savage (Inexperienced Bay Packers), middle Mitch Morse (Buffalo Payments) and broad receiver Gabe Davis (Payments).
“Enhance the locker room, the management, the presence, to construct a staff that trusts one another, that’s loyal to one another, that’s dedicated to one another,” Baalke stated. “Herald guys who’ve been there and executed it. We now have a younger staff, so … if we have been going to usher in guys from exterior the staff who weren’t drafted by us, we wished to get leaders who got here from good applications and have had success on this league at a excessive stage.”
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Keep in mind, the Jaguars have been 15-5, together with the playoffs, from Week 12 in 2022 to Week 12 in 2023. They imagine they’re nearer to that staff than the one which each actually and figuratively limped down the stretch.
If their offseason plan pans out, they need to be capable of show that.
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(Picture of Trevor Lawrence and Doug Pederson: Mike Carlson / Getty Photographs)