Your one-stop shop for Jacksonville Jaguars news, opinion, and analysis.
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Here is today’s roundup of the latest news, rumors, and analysis on your Jacksonville Jaguars.
Local chatter
Jaguars History: 2000 Season (Big Cat Country)
Last offseason, I asked on Twitter and Facebook what you consider the Jaguars’ best season. After reading your responses, I highlighted the 1995, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2007, and 2017 seasons. With the Jacksonville Jaguars entering their 30th season this year, I thought now would be a good time to revisit the rest of their seasons, last week we looked at the 1998 season, so let’s continue with the 2000 season.
Which AFC South team has had the best offseason? (Big Cat Country)
The Jaguars had arguably their best free agency class since 2021. However, in comparison to their AFC South peers’ classes, it would seem to be the 2nd to 3rd best free agency class. With the other AFC South counterparts seemingly loading up at receiver, the Jaguars have either treaded water or taken a small step back for 2024, with the loss of Calvin Ridley.
2024 NFL Schedule release: Rumors, predictions for the Jacksonville Jaguars (Times-Union)
The Jaguars are the only team to never play in a Thanksgiving Day game and this could be the season that streak ends.
Jacksonville is set to play a road game against the Lions, who are a mainstay for Thanksgiving Day games.
Former Jaguars WR Zay Jones Visits Dallas Cowboys (Jaguar Report)
The former Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver has now taken his third visit since being released last week. According to Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz, Jones’ next visit is coming with the Dallas Cowboys.
Report: Former Jaguars WR Zay Jones visiting Chiefs (Jags Wire)
Make it four visits in as many days, as former Jacksonville wide receiver Zay Jones is traveling to Kansas City to meet with the Chiefs on Thursday, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.
“I’m built Ford tough, you know?” he said. “I went through all the all the bad stuff, the highs, the lows, the in betweens, and I stood the test. I stood up in it and became a man, so I definitely felt like this was the time for me to go.”
NFL’s Biggest Roster Questions Entering 2024 Season (The 33rd Team)
The Jaguars heavily relied on big plays to make that kind of impact but were inconsistent from down to down. Many of those big plays were caused by the impact of the pass rush. With pressure, the Jaguars were sixth in EPA per play and fourth in success rate. On plays without pressure, Jacksonville dropped to 17th in EPA per play and 28th in success rate.
Without pressure, the secondary was under a lot of stress and could not hold up. It’s unclear if the secondary is any better heading into the 2024 season. There will be a better system with defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen in place, but that could be putting a lot of faith in the scheme to get the most out of the personnel.
Jacksonville Jaguars 2024 NFL Draft picks, analysis and rookie spotlight (PFF)
The Jaguars reached for PFF’s 140th-ranked player at a position of need. [Maason] Smith notched a career-high 23 quarterback pressures (seventh among SEC interior defenders) and a 9% pass rush win rate in 2023 (second). Smith is physically gifted, but he needs to improve his footwork and play recognition to be an impactful NFL player.
Jacksonville has a firm top-three receivers in Christian Kirk, newly acquired Gabe Davis and newly drafted Brian Thomas Jr. But after releasing Zay Jones, Jacksonville’s receiver room is filled with talented options but no unequivocal fourth through sixth receiver. Fellow undrafted free agent David White Jr. has a good chance as well, considering his special teams upside as a gunner and core-four player, but it’s Cephus who could quietly develop into the team’s fifth , if not fourth, receiver in time. The sure-handed, efficient route-separating Cephus will compete with Parker Washington for slot/Z-receiver snaps in camp, with Cephus having every opportunity to win the job.
National links
2024 NFL draft winners, losers: Players impacted by rookie picks (ESPN)
2024 NFL draft questions: Which teams made instant-impact picks? (ESPN)
2025 NFL Draft consensus Big Board: Will Campbell opens at No. 1, Carson Beck top QB (The Athletic)
Raiders drafted Brock Bowers … because of a coin flip? (Silver & Black Pride)
Ray Lewis was 1 pick away from being a Green Bay Packer (Acme Packing Co)
Editor’s pick
Already, there was a sense of exhilaration about the announcement of a deal and the renewed lease on life the Jaguars will have in Jacksonville as a result. But when the pomp fades away Deegan will confront an issue of enormous complexity and unprecedented scope that is unlike any a modern Jacksonville mayor has faced. Public subsidies for professional sports teams have grown ever larger but come under renewed scrutiny in recent years by economists and voters, and a portion of Deegan’s own base of support is skeptical of spending large sums on the stadium. “How can the city invest billions of dollars on a football stadium most residents can’t afford to enjoy or a new jail where too many will be held unnecessarily and too many will die, when the promises of consolidation over 55 years ago have STILL not been fulfilled,” asked Kelly Frazier, president of the Northside Coalition of Jacksonville, a well-known activist group.
Must-see media
“I know we gonna be the best d-line… in the league, I believe that”
– #Jaguars OLB Josh Allen with teammate Arik Armstead on the Third and Long podcast
Video courtesy of and Third and Long @tidalleague: pic.twitter.com/TOwx2K1FUZ
— Demetrius Harvey (@Demetrius82) May 8, 2024
Daily poll
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