The Jacksonville Jaguars are set to open their 2022 NFL season, so that means it is time for some bold predictions. Will this upcoming season be any different from the last?

2021 is certainly a year that the Jaguars do not want to relive it again. On the field, the team had a league-worst 3-14 and finished at the bottom of the AFC South. Behind the scenes, the Jaguars had a lot of drama with former head coach Urban Meyer. He ended up coaching the team for just 13 games despite his massive contract.

Now, under Super Bowl-winning coach Doug Pederson, fans in Jacksonville hope things will only get better. For 2022, the Jaguars will have important additions with No. 1 pick Travon Walker and Travis Etienne, who missed all of 2021 with an injury. Because of that, it would be a surprise if the team is at the bottom of the standings once again by the end of the season.

With that being said, here are four bold predictions for the Jacksonville Jaguars' 2022 NFL season.

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4. Travis Etienne will have at least 1,200 all-purpose yards

After high expectations, fans had to wait a full year to see Travis Etienne in an NFL game. The running back suffered a Lisfranc injury in last year's preseason, sidelining him for the entire 2021 season.

Now, the 2021 first-round pick will finally have the chance to see the field as an NFL player. If he is anything like his former self, the Jaguars should be very excited for the future.

In four years at Clemson, Etienne had 686 rush attempts for a total of 4,952 yards and 70 touchdowns. He also had 102 receptions for 1,155 yards and eight scores. His performance earned him ACC Player of the Year and ACC Offensive Player of the Year in back-to-back seasons.

Although he is returning from injury, Etienne should still have a big first year on the field. His Clemson connection with quarterback Trevor Lawrence should be on display every week. Since Etienne should be hungry to prove his value after being named a backup to James Robinson, expect him to use his dual-threat abilities to impress the coaching staff. If fully recovered, he can get at least 1,200 all-purpose yards, with plenty coming on the ground.

3. Travon Walker will impress, but not as much asĀ Aidan Hutchinson

Jacksonville shocked the NFL world by selecting outside linebacker Travon Walker with the first pick of the 2022 NFL Draft. The decision came out as a surprise because Heisman Trophy runner-up Aidan Hutchinson seemed to be the clear frontrunner to be the top pick.

But Walker's abilities are still something to cheer for. In three seasons with the Georgia Bulldogs, he registered 65 total tackles, with 34 being solo. Most importantly, he had 13 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks. Those should be enough to give Jaguars fans some hope for the future.

The problem is that it is difficult to ignore the fact Jacksonville could have selected Hutchinson. The defensive end out of Michigan received multiple honors and looks like a player ready to contribute, while Walker is a bit more of a project.

Still, Walker could very well help the team's defense right away. Last season, Jacksonville ranked 20th in total defense, allowing 353.1 yards per game while finishing in the bottom five in points allowed per game with 26.9.

Expect Walker to receive some votes for Defensive Rookie of the Year, but ultimately lose to Hutchinson.

2. Trevor Lawrence will have a breakout year and show why he's Jaguars' franchise QB

Traditionally speaking, quarterback tend to struggle a bit in their rookie seasons. Peyton Manning finished his first year in the league with a 3-13 record and a league-high 28 interceptions. Troy Aikman went 0-11 and had a career-worst 18 picks in his debut season.

Things were not different for Trevor Lawrence. The 2021 No. 1 pick completed just 59.6% of his passes for 3,641 yards and 12 touchdowns. He also led the league with 17 interceptions.

But for 2022, there are a couple of reasons to expect it to be Lawrence's big breakout year. The team will finally have Travis Etienne, perhaps Lawrence's favorite target during their time in Clemson. The duo was a key piece of the Tigers' national title in the 2018 season.

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The Jaguars did lose some important pieces on the offensive line, including center Brandon Linder, who announced his retirement in following the 2021 season. Because of that, Lawrence might use some of his quality footwork and be more recognized as a dual-threat quarterback.

Lawrence should show why he is Jacksonville's franchise quarterback with major improvement in 2022.

1. Jaguars will win at least five games, finish third in division

The last couple of years have been rough in Jacksonville. In 2020, the Jaguars only won one out of 16 games. The following year, their record was 3-14.

Although saying they will win at least five games does not seem very exciting, it is still a big improvement compared to recent history. One thing that could help Jacksonville is its schedule.

FanDuel list the Jaguars' schedule as the third-easiest in the league for this upcoming season. The team will face the rebuilding Houston Texans twice, the New York Giants at home, and both the Detroit Lions and New York Jets on the road.

If there is one year that Jacksonville can take full advantage of its schedule, this is it. The Jaguars will face multiple teams that are somewhere close to them in terms of quality and phase in the organization. Because of that, Jacksonville has a real shot at the third spot in the AFC South, finishing ahead of the Texans.