2019 Record - 6-10-0
Head Coach - Doug Marrone
New Players in 2020 - Tyler Eifert (TE), Joe Schobert (LB), Rodney Gunter (DL), Cassius Marsh (DL), Chris Thompson (RB)
Players opting out for 2020 season (COVID-19) - Lerentee McCray (DL), Rashaan Melvin (DB), Al Woods (DL)
OFFENSE - Quarterback Gardner Minshew passed for 3,271 yards with 21 touchdowns and six interceptions in the 2019 season and also had 344 rushing yards. With Nick Foles now with the Bears, he will start again while either Mike Glennon, Joshua Dobbs or rookie Jake Luton (Oregon State) will be in reserve.
Running backs include Leonard Fournette (1,152 yards, 4.3 ypc average and five TD and also 76 receptions for 522 yards), Chris Thompson and Ryquell Armstead. The wide receivers are DJ Chalk, Jr. (73 receptions, 1,008 yards and eight TD), Dede Wetsbrook (66, 660, three TD) and Chris Conley, who made 47 receptions for 775 yards and five touchdowns. Keelan Cole (24, 361, three TD) and rookies Laviska Shenault, Jr. (Colorado) and Collin Johnson (Texas) provide depth.
Tight ends include James O'Shaughnessy (14, 153, two TD), Tyler Eifert (43, 436, three TD with Cincinnati) and Josh Oliver. The Jaguars ranked in the middle of the pack (20th) offensively last season, averaging 342 yards per game (107 rushing and 235 passing) while scoring 18.8 points per game.
DEFENSE - Yannick Ngakoue (eight QB sacks) and Josh Allen (10 1/2 sacks) and Dawaune Smoot (six sacks) are the ends along with tackles Abry Jones and either one of two free agents in Rodney Gunter (three sacks) or Cassius Marsh (2 1/2 sacks). First round draft pick K'Lavon Chaisson (LSU) will be ready when needed. Playing middle linebacker is Joe Schobert (four interceptions and two sacks with Cleveland) while Myles Jack and Leon Jacobs (two sacks) will be the outside backers.
The secondary features cornerbacks Tre Herndon (three interceptions) and most likely rookie CJ Henderson (first round pick from Florida) with Jarrod Wilson and Ronnie Harrison (two picks each last year) playing safety. Adding depth will be Daniel Thomas (rookie from Auburn), D.J. Hayden, Andrew Wingard and rookie Josiah Scott from Michigan State.
OUTLOOK FOR 2020 - Head Coach Doug Marrone is entering his fourth season with the Jaguars and would like to see the team get back to the form they displayed three years ago when they reached the playoffs and made a deep run to the AFC title game before losing.
If Minshew can duplicate the performances he had early on last season when took over for the injured (QB) Nick Foles, it would go a long way toward helping the Jags improve the offense, which was near the bottom of the league in scoring. With Leonard Fournette back in the fold after a big bounce back season from the lackluster one of 2018, the running game looks solid. There is also a plethora of talented wide receivers and perhaps tight end Tyler Eifert will stay healthy after coming over from the Bengals.
The defense, once one of the best in the NFL, needs to get back to form after falling to 24th overall (allowing 375 YPG in 2019) as they simply couldn't stop the run. The Jags allowed 139 rushing yards per game (28th) and gave up 24.8 points per game while also allowing 236 passing yards per game, which ranked 16th in the NFL. They did get 47 QB sacks and picked off ten passes last year.
Jacksonville will have their work cut out for them once again in the 2020 season as they play in the AFC South and have Tennessee, Houston and Indianapolis as competition. If they can get the offense humming and the defense can improve, perhaps they can get back to a .500 level team, but this season looks to be a building block as they aim for better times in the future.
TEAM SCHEDULE
Week One - vs. Indianapolis
Week Two at Tennessee
Week Three - vs. Miami
Week Four - at Cincinnati
Week Five - at Houston
Week Six - vs. Detroit
Week Seven - BYE
Week Eight - at L.A. Chargers
Week Nine - vs. Houston
Week Ten - at Green Bay
Week Eleven - vs. Pittsburgh
Week Twelve - vs. Cleveland
Week Thirteen - at Minnesota
Week Fourteen - vs. Tennessee
Week Fifteen - at Baltimore
Week Sixteen - vs. Chicago
Week Seventeen - at Indianapolis
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