Top 5 Storylines for 2026 Jacksonville Jaguars
Heading into the 2026 campaign, expectations are just about as high as they have ever been for the Jacksonville Jaguars. Coming off a successful campaign last year, Jacksonville has a lot further to fall than it has in past seasons as Liam Coen and company look to uphold the impressive standard they set in year one.
As the Jaguars look to prove last season wasn’t a fluke, here are the top five storylines to keep an eye on.
How will important players follow up standout seasons?
The successful season was propelled by countless players who had elite or career-best years.
Out of all the players tasked with exceeding last year’s results, quarterback Trevor Lawrence certainly has the most eyes.
Lawrence was an MVP candidate last season, and the former No. 1 pick has long been the face of the organization. This year will be no different as he looks to repeat success from last season, when he posted 4,007 yards (sixth in the NFL) and 29 touchdowns (fifth in the NFL).
“I feel really healthy; I feel like I’m in great shape,” Lawrence said after the first day of training camp. “I think I’m throwing it as good as ever. I think the chemistry with the guys is really, really good.”
Another key player to last season’s playoff run is tight end Brenton Strange. Even while playing just 12 games – less than his two prior seasons – Strange still hit career highs in receptions (46), receiving yards (540) and touchdowns (3). In a starting role again this season, Strange will be asked to meet or exceed his production from last season.
Wide receiver Parker Washington looks to build on a standout year in his third go-around with the Jaguars. Washington more than doubled his receiving yards from 2024 (390 to 847 yards) and had what was undoubtedly his best year since hearing his name called in the sixth round of the 2023 draft.
Other key players like kicker Cam Little and defensive end Josh Hines-Allen have high expectations based on their impactful roles last season. Little emerged as one of the premier kickers in the league with his unmatched long-range capabilities, and Hines-Allen led Jacksonville’s defensive line in tackles (49) and recorded eight sacks and three passes defended.
How high is the ceiling of the wide receiver corps?
The Jaguars enter the season with a top-10 wide receiver unit, but the potential is even greater.
The offense has major talent at the position, with Washington emerging as the go-to option last season with 95 targets.
“The guy knows himself really well,” coach Liam Coen said July 29. “He knows his strengths and weaknesses and is really intentional about trying to work on those things.”
Meanwhile, Brian Thomas Jr. dipped last year after an elite rookie campaign, and in many ways, how good the unit can truly be depends on his production. After being a finalist for the AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year and the Pepsi Zero Sugar Rookie of the Year awards in his first year, Thomas posted 48 receptions for 707 yards in 14 games last season. This paled in comparison to his 87 receptions for 1,282 yards in 2024.
A crucial addition to supplement the loss of production last year was Jakobi Meyers, and the immediate impact he had gives even more confidence for the unit this season. In just nine games for the Jaguars since he was shipped from Las Vegas, he added 483 yards and three touchdowns on 42 receptions.
Travis Hunter also provides another elite option at wide receiver, although he has transitioned mainly to cornerback through this offseason. Hunter was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2025 draft, one the Jaguars worked hard to secure, and he immediately proved he was worth the effort. He saw limited action due to a knee injury, but across seven games as a receiver, he posted 28 receptions for 298 yards and a touchdown.
Now, he will bolster the cornerback room in a starting role, but he has also been taking offensive snaps throughout training camp, proving to be one of the most versatile pieces of the Jaguars’ roster.
Rookie contributors
While the Jaguars have established starters at most positions heading into the season, the door is wide open for many rookies to make an impact in their first season.
Behind Strange, second-round pick Nate Boerkircher has the most potential to see major playing time at tight end in his rookie campaign. Boerkircher falls just behind Strange on the Jaguars’ depth chart, and he will likely see the field this season, especially after a standout training camp. He comes off his most productive college season at Texas A&M, catching 19 passes for 198 yards and three touchdowns.
The Jaguars also picked up another tight end, fifth-rounder Tanner Koziol, who could come into play for the unit. He made the 53-man roster and was slotted into the TE4 spot following an impressive showing at training camp. He comes off an elite year at Houston, catching 74 passes for 727 yards and six touchdowns.
Third-round selection defensive tackle Albert Regis could see some major opportunities as a backup for DaVon Hamilton after logging 49 tackles, three passes defended and two sacks last season for the Aggies.
Third-rounder Emmanuel Pregnon snagged a starting role at left guard in his first season with the franchise. The former All-American at Oregon emerged throughout training camp to secure the slot ahead of veteran Daniel Faalele, who Jacksonville acquired Aug. 19.
Defensive back Jalen Huskey also made Jacksonville’s 53-man roster. He is deep in the Jaguars’ secondary, but his 72 total tackles and four interceptions last season for Maryland prove his ability to excel at a high level, though the NFL will be an escalation for him. He saw plenty of snaps throughout training camp and made good use of his time on the field, certainly making a case for his spot on the roster.
Sixth-round picks and wide receivers Josh Cameron and CJ Williams will act as depth pieces for the receiver corps, but with an elite group ahead of them, this season will likely be a developmental year for the duo. However, the two had an impressive outing in Jacksonville’s preseason game against the Carolina Panthers. Cameron grabbed two passes for 41 yards in the opening half, and Williams caught four for 22 yards.
Improving the pass rush
The Jaguars’ pass rush was a glaring weakness last season, one that appeared worse when compared to the team’s league-leading rush defense.
The Jaguars fell below the middle of the pack in the category, allowing 218.1 passing yards per game on average, and that number only worsened during the playoffs. Correcting this will clearly be a priority for Jacksonville’s front seven. The team also ranked sixth-worst in the league in sacks (32).
On the defensive line, edge rushers Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker are one of the most elite duos in the league, and mixed with veteran Arik Armstead and Hamilton, there is nothing to suggest the team isn’t capable of improving the metric. The line as a whole was ranked 23rd in the league by Pro Football Focus last season, but it recently ranked Hines-Allen as the No. 5 EDGE in the league as the group’s anchor.
“Getting out the ball faster or working my hands better on the top of the rush or if they get jump sets, being able to beat a blocker,” Hines-Allen said. “That’s kind of what I’m focusing on right now, and it’s a good start so far.”
Running back battle
With Travis Etienne Jr. out of Jacksonville, the running back battle is underway with a three-way competition for the starting role between newcomer Chris Rodriguez Jr. and returners Bhayshul Tuten and LeQuint Allen Jr. However, Tuten and Rodriguez have emerged as the frontrunners in training camp, with Tuten seeming to have the edge after a dominant joint practice with the Carolina Panthers. They were both listed as the starting running backs on the depth chart released Tuesday.
Allen is listed as a game-time decision after undergoing a soft-tissue hip injury.
Tuten saw decent action last season, playing in 15 games and logging 83 carries for 307 yards and five touchdowns in the span. Meanwhile, Rodriguez played just 13 contests with the Washington Commanders, but posted 112 carries for 500 rushing yards and six touchdowns.
“He’s one of those glass eaters,” Coen said of Rodriguez. “He’s going to run through a wall for his teammates, for his coaches, for this organization when the time comes…it was a frustrating time when you get here and get hurt on the first day. So I think he was just pleased to be able to get out here.”
Category: Feature Sports News, Jacksonville Jaguars, NFL
