Led by Trevor Lawrence, the Jacksonville Jaguars 2022 season defied expectations in nearly every way possible.
After getting off to a 3-7 start, many believed that the Jaguars season was all but over. But this young team had other plans.
Following their bye in Week 11, this Jaguars team returned to the field with a vengeance. Over their final seven games, they posted a 6-1 record. With this finish, they won the AFC South and earned a spot in the playoffs.
After earning a spot in the postseason, this team managed to make their presence felt. In the Wild Card round, they took down Justin Herbert and the Los Angeles Chargers in one of the biggest comebacks in league history. After trailing 27-0 heading into halftime, this team walked away with a 31-30 victory.
In the divisional round, the Jaguars were tasked with taking on Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs. This matchup is ultimately where their season ended as they fell by a final score of 27-20.
While the Lawerence-led Jaguars didn't make a Super Bowl run this season, they proved that they belonged. And with the core that they have assembled, they will remain competitive for the foreseeable future.
On offense, Lawrence seems headed on a path toward stardom. Following a lackluster rookie season, he appeared dominant in year two. He finished the regular season throwing for 4,113 passing yards, 25 touchdowns, and just eight interceptions. On the ground, he added 291 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns.
Outside of Lawrence, much of the Jaguars success this season came from players who did not take the field for them the year prior. In the backfield, second-year running back Travis Etienne showed legitimate potential. At wide receiver, Christian Kirk became the go-to target through the air. And at tight end, Evan Engram played one of the best football of his career.
On the defense, several players rose to the occasion, including linebacker Foyesade Oluokun and safety Rayshawn Jenkins.
But there is still work to do for this Jaguars team. If they hope to make a run next season and have Super Bowl aspirations, they will need to improve. Here are three moves they must make this offseason.
3. Re-sign Evan Engram
When looking back at the 2022 campaign, the Jaguars signing of Evan Engram may be one of the most underrated moves in the entire NFL. In his lone season in Jacksonville, he proved to be a key player in the offense.
While appearing in all 17 games, Engram was a quality addition to this offense. He finished the season recording 73 receptions for 766 receiving yards and four touchdowns while being targeted 98 times.
With his arrival, the Jaguars offense looked better than it did the year prior. And now this team must do whatever they can to bring him back for 2023.
This year's free agent class is loaded with depth at the tight end position. But Engram may be the best fit for this Jaguars team. With his skill set and familiarity with the offense, it only makes sense that he returns to this team next season.
If the Jaguars are looking to get the most production from Lawrence, they must surround him with talent. Bringing Engram back would be doing just that.
2. Depth at wide receiver
The Jaguars biggest move of last offseason came with the signing of Christian Kirk. In his first season with the team, he quickly became the leading charge of the Jaguars air attack.
Kirk finished the season with 84 receptions for 1,108 receiving yards and eight receiving touchdowns.
With the contract that Kirk signed, he is set to be in the Jaguars long-term plans. Along with Kirk, the Jaguars will have former Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Calvin Ridley, who they added at the trade deadline.
The duo of Kirk and Ridley will headline this wide receiver room. Zay Jones, who was elite at times this past season, will be their WR3. But outside of these three pass catchers, there is a lack of proven talent.
Either through the draft or in free agency, the Jaguars could look to add insurance at the wide receiver position. While they are loaded with talent at the top, they will need more proven talent in the room.
1. Improve the secondary
The Jaguars biggest focus heading into the offseason must be on improving the secondary. This defense finished the season allowing 4,055 receiving yards and 25 receiving touchdowns.
In recent years, this team has invested heavily in their defensive front. But now they must do the same for their secondary. With the 25th overall pick, the Jaguars could look to add a starter at either safety or cornerback. This year's draft class offers elite depth at the cornerback position, and they could potentially have their pick of multiple quality options.
In the 2021 NFL draft, the Jaguars added cornerback Tyson Campbell and safety Andre Cisco. Over two seasons, both have shown legitimate potential and could be starters heading into the future. But excluding these two, there is a lack of playmakers.
In an elite AFC full of high-powered offenses and game-changing quarterbacks, a quality secondary is crucial. If the Jaguars are looking to be even better next season, this will need to be their biggest move of the offseason.
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