The Jacksonville Jaguars had a season not many expected, making a run to the Division Round of the playoffs. As they enter the offseason, the Jaguars must build upon their success and prepare for another deep postseason run.
Jacksonville went 9-8 during the regular season, winning the AFC South. The Jags then took down the Los Angeles Chargers in miraculous fashion in their playoff opener. While the feel to the Chiefs in the Division Round, the Jags put up a strong fight, losing just 27-20.
Quarterback Trevor Lawrence took a huge step forward, proving to be the quarterback Jacksonville hoped they were selected with the No. 1 overall pick in 2021. He finished the regular season throwing for 4,113 yards, 25 touchdowns and eight interceptions; all improvements over his rookie season.
But despite all their success, the Jaguars do have some needs on both side of the ball. Jacksonville does have some cap problems, currently $20 million over the limit.
However, the Jags know that with Lawrence, they can be a true contender in the AFC. If they want to continue reaching the postseason, these three free agents should be atop their offseason wish list.
James Bradberry – Cornerback
James Bradberry has been a stud for the Philadelphia Eagles this season. Largely considered the best cornerback in the free agent class, Bradberry will be looking to cash-in on his dominant performance. The Jaguars should be willing to comply.
Bradberry started all 17 games for Philadelphia this season, making 44 tackles, defending 17 passes and grabbing three interceptions. He continued his dominance into the playoffs, intercepting Giants' QB Daniel Jones in the Eagles' 38-7 Divisional Round win.
Beyond just the box score, Bradberry has been one of the hardest cornerbacks to throw at this season. Opposing quarterbacks had just a 44% completion percentage against him, fourth-highest in the league. He also forced 19 incompletetions, which was second-highest among cornerbacks. Pro Football Focus gave him a strong pass defense grade of 80.2.
The Jaguars seem to have found a gem in second-year cornerback Tyson Campbell. He started all 17 games for Jacksonville this season, making 70 tackles, defending 15 passes, forcing two fumbles and coming away with three interceptions. Campbell earned an impressive grade of 82.1 from PFF.
Still, for as good as Campbell is, the Jaguars desperately need a cornerback opposite him. Jacksonville ranked 28th in pass defense this season, allowing 238.5 yards per game.
Bradberry has proven he can compete with some of the best wide receivers in the NFL. He would give Jacksonville another lock-down corner next to Campbell. Assuming Campbell continues his ascent, signing Bradberry could give the Jaguars one of the best cornerback tandems in the NFL.
Daron Payne – Defensive Line
Alongside secondary, the Jaguars are in need of some help up front. Daron Payne has proven he can fill a pivotal role on the defensive line against both the pass and the run.
Payne, who is just 25-years-old, is coming off of a monster season for the Washington Commanders. Starting all 17 games, Payne made 64 tackles, 18 for a loss, 20 quarterback hits and 11.5 sacks. The sacks were both a career-high and tied for 12th most in the NFL. He was named as Aaron Donald's replacement for the Pro Bowl, marking his first nomination.
While he shined in the sack department this season, Payne has been phenomenal against the run throughout his career. From 2018-2020, Payne's 86 stops against the run were the most in the NFL, via PFF.
Jacksonville mustered up just 35 sacks this season, tied for 26th in the NFL. Josh Allen led the team in sacks with seven, but outside of Dawuane Smoot, no other Jag had more than five. While Jacksonville finished 12th in run defense – allowing 114.8 yards per game – adding Payne should only improve those numbers.
A player like Payne is a player the Jags can build their defense around. He is coming off of his first Pro Bowl season and has improved immensely in the pass rush. Adding Payne would add a bit more muscle to Jacksonville's defense and will bring added pressure to all of the Jags' opponents.
Evan Engram – Tight End
Re-signing Evan Engram wouldn't be as flashy as bringing in Bradberry or Payne, but the tight end should be considered a necessity for the Jaguars. Engram has flourished in Jacksonville and proven to have great chemistry with Lawrence.
Engram appeared in all 17 games for the Jags, starting 14. In that time he caught 73 passes for 766 yards and four touchdowns. His receptions and receiving yards are both career-highs while his four TD grabs are only second to Engram's rookie season, when he had six.
His rookie season was perhaps Engram's best year up until 2022. While he made the Pro Bowl in 2020, he had just 654 yards and one score. In Engram's first season with Jacksonville, the former Giant re-invented himself and became a pivotal part of the Jags' offense. He finished third on the team in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns.
There are other tight ends available this offseason, like Mike Gesicki of the Dolphins or Dalton Schultz of the Cowboys, but Engram makes the most sense for the Jags. He already knows Jacksonville's offense and has built a strong chemistry inside of it. He has clearly connected to his teammates and the Jags' coaching staff.
Jacksonville already has Christian Kirk and Zay Jones at wide receiver. They'll be adding Calvin Ridley at the start of next season. Bringing back Engram, who has completely turned his career around, could give the Jaguars one of the scarier passing attacks in the league.
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