Coming into the 2022 season, the Jacksonville Jaguars weren't looked at as a team that could make the playoffs, let alone win the AFC South. If anything, the Jaguars were though of as a team that could compete in a lot of games, showing improvement from a 2021 campaign that saw them win just three of those.
Low and behold, Jacksonville was able to catch fire down the stretch of the season, and they rode the wave to a division title, and it didn't stop there. The Jaguars would come back from a 27-0 deficit to defeat the Los Angeles Chargers in the NFL Wild Card round before bowing out to the eventual Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs in the Divisional round.
With quarterback Trevor Lawrence showing signs of being the man that was so highly regarded coming into the 2021 NFL Draft, combined with the steadying influence of head coach Doug Pederson, Jacksonville is knocking on the door of being a perennial contender for postseason success. Last year during the free agency period, the team wanted to get receivers to help aid in the development of Lawrence. So they brought in Christian Kirk and Zay Jones to solidify things, and the additions helped Lawrence throw for 4,113 yards and 25 touchdowns against eight interceptions (compared to 12 TDs and 17 INTs in 2021).
Now that the Jaguars have tasted playoff success in an unexpectedly quicker (to many) timeframe, there's a desire to capitalize on an opportunity to improve from there. Like many of the teams in the NFL, Jacksonville has spots on their roster that can use some improvement. With that said…
The biggest need the Jaguars need to address after the first week of NFL free agency is cornerback
Yes, the offense made strides in 2022, but complete teams are the ones who win championships. Therefore, the defense, particularly the cornerback position, has to be improved if the Jaguars don't want to be known as a one-hit wonder.
It's possible Jacksonville knew it was going to be a struggle stopping the pass going into last season, with youngsters Tyson Campbell and Darious Williams getting a sizable share of the time on the field. Even with that, the Jaguars were 27th in the NFL in passing yardage allowed per game, and 24th in yards allowed overall.
It doesn't take a statistician to see those numbers won't get it done, but if it means anything, Jacksonville's secondary did play better as the season went along, becoming a serviceable unit that could at least put a limit on the big plays.
In general, the Jaguars have a young roster, and most teams that win at a high level have a good mix of youth and experience. If Jacksonville wants to improve on the subpar performance against the pass, a veteran presence that can show the young corners the ropes could match up at the perfect time.
As we enter the second week of free agency, the Jaguars might say they're okay at the position, banking on the trial-by-fire method their corners went through paying off with a better performance in the upcoming season. While that could prove to be true, having someone the young guys can lean on would be a nice crutch.
So where can Jacksonville go to fill the need at free agency? Maybe Marcus Peters can fit the mold. Peters, last playing for the Baltimore Ravens, has been one of the best intercepters of the football in recent years, and a team can never have enough takeaways. Rock Ya-Sin, who was with the Las Vegas Raiders last season, is also on the market.
Peters or Ya-Sin could have the same effect on the secondary Pederson has on the team as a whole, except it's like having a coach on the field. There's nothing like having someone who can calm the waters when things inevitably become stormy.
In a perfect world, patience would be ideal for a team that had the first pick in the NFL Draft the last two occasions prior to 2022. We all know the world is far from perfect, and patience is not common these days, especially when we're talking about the ultra-competitive NFL.
The Jaguars went from being a team on a rebuild to becoming a division winner, and it almost happened overnight. Sure, the other teams in the AFC South faltered, but that shouldn't take away from the improvement the team showed during their journey. If they address the cornerback position, there's a good chance the ascension could continue, and maybe, the AFC Championship Game is in Jacksonville's future.
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