Sep 7, 2026 4:00 PM
Despite Liam Coen’s offensive innovation, questions linger about the Jaguars' offense, leading to a modest ranking that doesn't reflect its wealth of talent.
Coming off a season in which the Jacksonville Jaguars had one of the NFL's best offenses, there are plenty of reasons to believe Trevor Lawrence and Co. have barely scratched the surface of what they can accomplish.
Liam Coen is one of the league's brightest offensive minds and top play-callers. In his first year as a head coach, Coen's Jaguars had the sixth-highest-scoring offense in the NFL. He was able to turn Lawrence into the elite quarterback he was expected to be, something the 2021 top overall pick's three previous head coaches were unable to do.
Lawrence has admitted that learning Coen's system was "stressful mentally," and the offense took off as he and the others became more comfortable as the season progressed.
Now that the offense has a year of playing in Coen's offense under its belt, imagine how good it can be this season.
Also imagine what a rejuvenated Brian Thomas Jr., a healthy Travis Hunter, a full season of Jakobi Meyers, and Parker Washington's continuing ascent can add to the offense.
If Lawrence can take another step forward and running backs Bhayshul Tuten and Chris Rodriguez Jr. can excel in their newfound larger roles, Jacksonville's offense will be downright scary.
Are any of those things guaranteed? Of course not.
But I wouldn't bet against them.
However, Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz of USA Today still views the Jaguars' offense as full of question marks. In his article ranking all 32 teams' offenses, Middlehurst-Schwartz placed Jacksonville only 12th.
Concerns Over Running Game And O-Line
Middlehurst-Schwartz doesn't question the Jaguars' talent; he questions whether the running game and offensive line will prevent the offense from maximizing it.
"In Liam Coen's first year running the show, the Jaguars proved to be a tricky study over the course of the season. The passing game didn't click until around midseason, when the trade for receiver Jakobi Meyers helped Trevor Lawrence become efficient when working the middle of the field. Around that time, however, the once-promising rushing attack went into a tailspin. It's now up to Coen to find a way to bring the peaks of those two phases together. A clearer sense of fit for the various components of the receiving corps, which last year routinely let Lawrence down with its repeated drops, should help streamline the passing game. But a potential committee approach could create more uncertainty in the backfield, and things could get dicey if a suspect offensive line can't hold its own. Regression is possible, but the upside is considerable if Coen establishes some sort of cohesion."
Concerns about Jacksonville's run game have been persistent for months. Perhaps overwhelming is more accurate. Most analysts doubt whether the combination of Tuten and Rodriguez can adequately replace Travis Etienne, who left in free agency.
While it's true that neither has ever led an NFL backfield before, the Jaguars' rushing attack last year wasn't nearly as good as many have made it out to be.
Etienne had a resurgent season, but Jacksonville's run game only ranked 20th in the NFL at 115.1 yards per game while averaging a modest 4.0 yards per carry.
There is much more room for improvement than there is for regression.
As for the offensive line, it may have taken some reshuffling, but it looks like Jacksonville has its five best linemen set to be starters.
Anton Harrison and Cole Van Lanen may have switched sides, but they are still a quality pair of tackles. Right guard Patrick Mekari struggled last season, and his recent back surgery has forced the above-average Ezra Cleveland to move from his left guard spot to take over on the right side. Emmanuel Pregnon, the Jaguars' most-heralded rookie, will be the new starting LG. Robert Hainsey is an average center with "room to rise".
Both Wyatt Milum and Walker Little provide solid depth options. Mekari's eventual return will add another.
The line may experience growing pains due to a lack of continuity and players being moved around, but it should get better as the season progresses.
Final Thoughts
Being ranked as the NFL's 12th-best offense is way too low for the Jaguars. That seems more like a floor than what should actually be expected.
Jacksonville's offense has top-5 potential, and should still be top-10 even if it doesn't reach its ceiling, which is extremely high.
The Jaguars continue to fly under the radar more than any 13-win team possibly ever has.
The team should rally behind an underdog mentality as it looks to build on last year's breakout season.
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