There was a lot expected of the Jacksonville Jaguars last season after head coach Doug Pederson took the team to playoffs in his first season in Florida. Unfortunately, an underwhelming 9-8 season saw them finish second in the AFC South behind the Houston Texans and miss out on the playoffs. Pederson is confident this year this will be different.
“We play football. It’s a physical sport. It’s how we teach our players. Maybe you can help them be more physical, just like you can help a quarterback be more accurate with his throws. It’s a matter of just doing it. No. 1, we have gotten bigger, just physically bigger, with some of the draft picks and undrafted guys, and even some of our players coming back. We have gotten bigger there. I think we got a tick faster,” said Pederson via the team’s official website.
Highly rated fourth year quarterback Trevor Lawrence will return next year along with many of the team’s starters from 2023. New wide receivers Gabe Davis and first round pick Brian Thomas Jr. should provide some weapons for the talented quarterback. Center Mitch Morse and Missouri’s Javon Foster should help fortify the offensive line for Lawrence.
On the defensive front, defensive tackle Arik Armstead signed a three-year $51 million contract with the organization. The Jaguars also added some young prospects that could make an impact next year with tackle Maason Smith, cornerback Jarrian Jones and Jordan Jefferson all selected in the 2024 Draft.
Overall, there is a lot to be excited about for Jaguars fans going into 2024. The AFC South will be one of the more competitive divisions nest season with the Texans, Tennessee Titans and Indianapolis Colts all adding some key pieces. Hopefully for Pederson, his bigger, stronger and faster team can edge out the competition as they look to return to the playoffs.
