Jaguars Training Camp Preview: Special Teams

Who are the special teams contributors to look out for that can play a big role for the Jaguars this fall?

Brett Hawn | Jul 11, 2022

The Jacksonville Jaguars are a couple of weeks away from kicking off Doug Pederson’s first training camp at the helm, giving us plenty of time to take a look at each of the team’s position groups before the 2022 season.

Jacksonville wasn’t afraid to make a number of big moves on both sides of the ball this offseason, both via free agency and the draft. Now, they have a new-look roster that contrasts in a big way from the roster we saw the team field in Week 1 of 2021.

Next up: special teams. What does it look like today, what changes did the Jaguars make, and what needs to be addressed ahead of camp?

The depth chart

P: Logan Cooke

Age/Experience: 26/fifth season

2021 stats:

26 fair catches
44.3 net average
47.3 yards per punt
42.9% touchback percentage

Logan Cooke had an amazing 2021 season. His 44.3 net average trailed only Bryan Anger of the Dallas Cowboys and he registered a career-low 42.9% touchback rate, including 28 punts inside the 20-yard line. Cooke was the only Jaguars player to earn All-Pro votes in 2021 and was fourth in the league for the punter position despite the Jaguars lack of team success. Cooke is set to enter training camp as the only punter on the roster, and the starting spot is his to lose.

K: Ryan Santoso

Age/Experience: 26/second season

2021 stats:

4-5 on field goals (80%)
6-8 on extra-point opportunities (75%)
64.3 kickoff yard average
12 touchbacks

Santoso spent the 2021 season rotating between teams, starting with the New York Giants, who had him on their practice squad for the 2020 season. He was then traded to the Carolina Panthers in August, appearing in one game for the club where he went 2-2 on field-goal attempts and hit 1-2 extra point opportunities. Santoso was waved in September and the Tennessee Titans claimed him for their practice squad. The Detroit Lions quickly snatched him up in their quest to find an answer at the position, but Santoso only appeared in 3 games where he converted on 2 of 3 field-goal attempts and 5 of 6 extra point opportunities. After his brief stint in Detroit, Santoso finished the 2021 season on the Los Angeles Rams practice squad before Jacksonville signed him to a one-year contract. Santoso projects to compete with 2022 undrafted free agent Andrew Mevis for the starting kicker job entering training camp.

K Andrew Mevis

Age/Experience: 22/first season

2021 stats (college):

100% on extra point opportunities (32-32)
20-23 field goals made (87%)
25 punts (40.6 yards per punt)

A 2021 Third Team All-American and Honorable Mention All-Big 12, Andrew Mevis put a stamp on what was a memorable college career. His 2021 season at Iowa State saw him tie the most field goals made in a season in Cyclones history (20) and consecutive field goals made (15). Mevis was also the first Cyclones player since 2001 to handle all of the kicking duties, as he was the team's primary punter as well, averaging 40.6 yards per punt on 25 attempts. Mevis projects to compete for the starting kicker job with journeyman Ryan Santoso entering training camp.

KR/PR Jamal Agnew

Age/Experience: 27/sixth season

2021 stats (special teams):

11 punt returns for 74 yards (6.7 avg)
22 kick returns for 525 yards (23.9 avg)
1 kickoff return touchdown

Jamal Agnew is absolutely electric as a return man. The speedy wideout put together some of the finest moments of the 2021 season for the Jaguars, when he took a kickoff return 102 yards to the house against the Denver Broncos and another return touchdown off a missed field goal attempt against the Cardinals for a whopping 109 yards. Agnew projects to maintain a good chunk of the snaps from those positions heading into the fall. Chris Claybrooks is a name to keep an eye on to return kicks as well, but the majority of the opportunities are going Agnew’s way barring injury or a steep drop-off in play. Leviska Shenault is another name to keep an eye on for snaps at punt returner.

KR/PR Chris Claybrooks

Age/Experience: 24/third season

2021 stats (special teams):

5 kickoff returns for 88 yards (17.6 average)
2 returns of 20+ yards

A valuable special teams contributor and backup cornerback, Chris Claybrooks appeared in 16 games last season, recording 5 kickoff returns with two of those going for 20+ yards. The 2020 seventh-rounder was a gunner on the punting unit at Memphis and served as their primary kickoff return man. Expect Claybrooks to once again compete for a spot on special teams heading into training camp, and for him to potentially relieve Agnew for spurts as the kickoff returner.

LS Ross Matiscik

Age/Experience: 25/third season

2021 stats:

2 combined tackles on defense
Appeared in all 17 games

Ross Matiscik, a 2020 UDFA out of Baylor University, appeared in all 17 games last season for the Jags as the primary long snapper. Given that the Jags haven’t elected to bring in any competition at the position this offseason, it appears that Matiscik’s job is safe heading into training camp. Finding a reliable long snapper is a difficult task, but the Jags found a good one in Matiscik.

How the room changed this offseason

Despite all the offseason signings and drastic changes in personnel, the special teams unit retained some core pieces from last season’s squad. Agnew, Matiscik, and Cooke all are expected to reprise their roles, with the only change coming to the kicker position. As a unit last season, the Jags finished 24th and struggled in special teams coverage, allowing three return touchdowns per Tyler Nettuno of Jags Wire. This unit is in desperate need of improvement and felt like it lacked an identity last season under the guise of Urban Meyer. All eyes will be on them heading into training camp, and the plans that new head coach Doug Pederson has to get the most out of the unit in the 2022 campaign.

The biggest storyline surrounding the group following the offseason

Who will win the kicker battle? There is no question that the Jaguars have one of the better punters in the league with Logan Cooke and a dynamic return man in Jamal Agnew, but the kicking situation last season left a lot to be desired. Veteran Josh Lambo was the primary option at the beginning of the 2021 campaign, but he quickly fizzled out after missing three early field goals and two extra points. The Jags then signed Matthew Wright, who was serviceable but also missed three kicks and two extra points of his own.

Wright had a strong finish to the season, but never showed signs that he was the future of the position. As training camp looms over the horizon, journeyman Ryan Santoso and rookie Andrew Mevis are slated to battle for the open spot. Are they the long-term answer? Will the Jags add another veteran to the competitive fold? The kicking situation in Duval County remains uncertain and training camp will be the first true test to see if Santoso and Mevis are the guys who will elevate the performance of the kicking unit heading into the 2022 season.

Published Jul 11, 2022