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The Jacksonville Jaguars look to have a loaded offense this season.
The wide receiver room looks especially strong. Led by the trio of a rejuvenated Brian Thomas Jr., the group also boasts Parker Washington, who had a breakout 2025 season and looks like an emerging star, and Jakobi Meyers, who became one of Trevor Lawrence's favorite targets after coming over in a midseason trade with the Las Vegas Raiders.
Don't forget about second-year phenom Travis Hunter. Although Hunter is likely to play more cornerback than receiver this year, he is still expected to contribute on offense.
Jacksonville's group of tight ends is both young and talented. Headlined by the newly-extended Brenton Strange, who is just 25 years old, the Jaguars also drafted two rookies, Nate Boerkircher (second round) and Tanner Koziol (fifth).
With the team expected to use more tight-end-heavy sets in 2026, the Jaguars did well to add talent to the position.
Running back may be the Jags' biggest question mark on offense. After losing their top RB Travis Etienne in free agency, Jacksonville will be relying on the trio of two second-year players, Bhayshul Tuten and LeQuint Allen Jr., with free agent signing Chris Rodriguez Jr. expected to add power and physicality to the group.
Though each is unproven, they all bring valuable skill sets to the team. Tuten is the explosive home run threat. Rodriguez Jr. is the bruiser. Allen Jr. is the receiving threat who is a great pass-blocker.
From top to bottom, that looks like one of the best offenses in the league, especially with MVP-finalist Trevor Lawrence at quarterback.
Bill Barnwell of ESPN does not agree.
Barnwell ranked every team's offensive weapons (RBs, WRs, TEs) and has the Jaguars 18th of the 32 teams.
While Barnwell is a fan of Jacksonville's receivers, he does not believe they will all be able to play up to their potential. He is also not a fan of the Jags' RB room, and feels like it could be a major weakness.
"If the Jags just get the best version of their existing receivers, they'll be in great shape. Brian Thomas Jr. looked like a superstar in 2024. Jakobi Meyers got white-hot at midseason after being acquired from the Raiders. Parker Washington took over down the stretch and averaged just under 115 receiving yards per game over his final four contests. And Travis Hunter seemed to be hitting his stride as a wideout with a 101-yard game against the Rams before suffering his season-ending knee injury. If the Jaguars get those versions of those four wideouts in 2026, they'll be stacked.
"It seems at least a tad optimistic to count on all of those versions showing up, though. Thomas inspired concerns about his desire to catch balls in tight spaces and never seemed to get right in 2025 as he battled injuries. Meyers has been a solid pro for years, but after he cooled off down the stretch, his rate stats were right in line with where they had been for most of his time with the Patriots and Raiders. I've been a Washington fan for a while, but this same organization signed Dyami Brown to play ahead of him last offseason. And Hunter, who is expected to major in cornerback and minor at wide receiver this year, struggled to become a steady and reliable member of the passing attack in his first season, posting a 12-yard game the week before that big performance in England.
"I'm holding out hope of Thomas returning to form and the wideouts around him doing enough to impress, but running back is a clear weakness. Bhayshul Tuten showed little explosiveness as a rookie while averaging 3.7 yards per carry and fumbling twice on 93 touches. With Travis Etienne Jr. leaving, Tuten will be expected to assume a larger role. Chris Rodriguez Jr. is a useful runner, but he offers less as a receiver than any other regularly seen back in the NFL, and the former Commanders back is already battling a foot injury."
It is fair to wonder if Jacksonville did enough to replace Etienne this offseason. However, head coach Liam Coen and offensive coordinator Grant Udinski are confident that Tuten can step up as a lead back, which should count for something.
Rodriguez Jr., whom Coen also coached for a year at Kentucky, brings a power element that the Jags' backfield lacked in 2025. Once he is healthy, he should be able to form a true "thunder and lightning" duo with Tuten.
Barnwell isn't giving Jacksonville enough credit for how good its receivers can be. The quartet of BTJ, Meyers, Washington, and Hunter may be the best in the NFL.
Barnwell's ranking of the Jaguars' weapons seems too low, and the group should have ample opportunities to prove it this season.
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The wide receiver room looks especially strong. Led by the trio of a rejuvenated Brian Thomas Jr., the group also boasts Parker Washington, who had a breakout 2025 season and looks like an emerging star, and Jakobi Meyers, who became one of Trevor Lawrence's favorite targets after coming over in a midseason trade with the Las Vegas Raiders.
Don't forget about second-year phenom Travis Hunter. Although Hunter is likely to play more cornerback than receiver this year, he is still expected to contribute on offense.
Jacksonville's group of tight ends is both young and talented. Headlined by the newly-extended Brenton Strange, who is just 25 years old, the Jaguars also drafted two rookies, Nate Boerkircher (second round) and Tanner Koziol (fifth).
With the team expected to use more tight-end-heavy sets in 2026, the Jaguars did well to add talent to the position.
Running back may be the Jags' biggest question mark on offense. After losing their top RB Travis Etienne in free agency, Jacksonville will be relying on the trio of two second-year players, Bhayshul Tuten and LeQuint Allen Jr., with free agent signing Chris Rodriguez Jr. expected to add power and physicality to the group.
Though each is unproven, they all bring valuable skill sets to the team. Tuten is the explosive home run threat. Rodriguez Jr. is the bruiser. Allen Jr. is the receiving threat who is a great pass-blocker.
From top to bottom, that looks like one of the best offenses in the league, especially with MVP-finalist Trevor Lawrence at quarterback.
Bill Barnwell of ESPN does not agree.
Barnwell ranked every team's offensive weapons (RBs, WRs, TEs) and has the Jaguars 18th of the 32 teams.
Barnwell's Reasoning
While Barnwell is a fan of Jacksonville's receivers, he does not believe they will all be able to play up to their potential. He is also not a fan of the Jags' RB room, and feels like it could be a major weakness.
"If the Jags just get the best version of their existing receivers, they'll be in great shape. Brian Thomas Jr. looked like a superstar in 2024. Jakobi Meyers got white-hot at midseason after being acquired from the Raiders. Parker Washington took over down the stretch and averaged just under 115 receiving yards per game over his final four contests. And Travis Hunter seemed to be hitting his stride as a wideout with a 101-yard game against the Rams before suffering his season-ending knee injury. If the Jaguars get those versions of those four wideouts in 2026, they'll be stacked.
"It seems at least a tad optimistic to count on all of those versions showing up, though. Thomas inspired concerns about his desire to catch balls in tight spaces and never seemed to get right in 2025 as he battled injuries. Meyers has been a solid pro for years, but after he cooled off down the stretch, his rate stats were right in line with where they had been for most of his time with the Patriots and Raiders. I've been a Washington fan for a while, but this same organization signed Dyami Brown to play ahead of him last offseason. And Hunter, who is expected to major in cornerback and minor at wide receiver this year, struggled to become a steady and reliable member of the passing attack in his first season, posting a 12-yard game the week before that big performance in England.
"I'm holding out hope of Thomas returning to form and the wideouts around him doing enough to impress, but running back is a clear weakness. Bhayshul Tuten showed little explosiveness as a rookie while averaging 3.7 yards per carry and fumbling twice on 93 touches. With Travis Etienne Jr. leaving, Tuten will be expected to assume a larger role. Chris Rodriguez Jr. is a useful runner, but he offers less as a receiver than any other regularly seen back in the NFL, and the former Commanders back is already battling a foot injury."
Final Thoughts
It is fair to wonder if Jacksonville did enough to replace Etienne this offseason. However, head coach Liam Coen and offensive coordinator Grant Udinski are confident that Tuten can step up as a lead back, which should count for something.
Rodriguez Jr., whom Coen also coached for a year at Kentucky, brings a power element that the Jags' backfield lacked in 2025. Once he is healthy, he should be able to form a true "thunder and lightning" duo with Tuten.
Barnwell isn't giving Jacksonville enough credit for how good its receivers can be. The quartet of BTJ, Meyers, Washington, and Hunter may be the best in the NFL.
Barnwell's ranking of the Jaguars' weapons seems too low, and the group should have ample opportunities to prove it this season.
Join our ROUNDTABLE community! It's free to join. Share your thoughts, engage with our Roundtable writers, and chat with fellow members. Download the free Roundtable APP, and stay even more connected!
Continue reading...
