Assessing the Most Pressing Needs Facing the 2021 Jaguars: Safety Requires Addressing
The Jacksonville Jaguars and the NFL are now sitting at the foot of a new offseason. Another cycle of player movement, stars and rosters being reshuffled, big contracts being signed, and high draft picks is upon us.
Maybe no team is poised to have a more important offseason for their short- and long-term future than the Jaguars entering 2021. The team has a new head coach in Urban Meyer, a new general manager in Trent Baalke, and eventually a new quarterback to lead the franchise.
But the Jaguars are fresh off a 1-15 season and have a lot of work ahead of them if they want to get back to being a competitive team. A 12-36 record over the last three seasons summarizes just how much the Jaguars' roster has deteriorated in recent years.
But which of the team's many needs are the most pressing? Which positions deserve the most attention and thought as the Jaguars navigate the offseason? We will go through what we see as the team's eight largest needs in a series of articles that examines two needs at a time.
The two most pressing needs are at quarterback and left tackle. The third was interior defensive line, while the fourth was cornerback. Finally, the fifth was each slot position (offense and defense) while the sixth was tight end.
But what about the final two? We weigh in here.
No. 7: Safety
This isn't as dire of a need as the previous six positions. It is still a position that needs to be addressed, but if there are tiers in terms of priority, then safety likely comes below the first six needs.
With that said, the Jaguars still need to look for a playmaking safety during the 2021 offseason, especially with Joe Cullen as defensive coordinator. Cullen, who spent five years with the Baltimore Ravens as the defensive line coach, is expected to bring a lot of Baltimore's philosophies and schemes over.
Few teams relied on their safeties and defensive backs more than the Ravens over the past several seasons, with the Ravens playing a high amount of dime defense that saw six defensive backs on the field at one time. While many think a team needs just two safeties that are capable of taking on a large amount of playing time, most teams need three. In the cases of teams like the Ravens and Jaguars, the argument could be made that four are needed.
If this is the case, the Jaguars will need to address safety one way or another. Jarrod Wilson is a solid and reliable starter, but Josh Jones struggled mightily at strong safety beside him. Jones was one of the league's worst safeties in coverage last season, allowing four touchdowns, an 86.8% completion rate, and a 138.9 passer rating when targeted.
2020 fifth-round pick Daniel Thomas took some time before he was able to see the field on defense as a rookie, but he left an impression when he did. He recorded an interception, two pass deflections, and a blocked punt for a touchdown in just 10 games, while playing only 14% of the defensive snaps. Thomas flashed the talent needed to make an impact, but a bigger sample size is likely needed.
All in all, the Jaguars have a serviceable nucleus at safety with Wilson, Thomas, and Andrew Wingard, but they still need a spark plug at the position. An alpha dog who can create game-changing moments and shift the tide of contests on a regular basis.
Who are some options to fill this void? Luckily for the Jaguars, the market at this position is expected to be one of the deepest in terms of both free agency and the draft.
When looking at free agents, there are numerous players who fit the bill. Anthony Harris, Justin Simmons, Marcus Williams, John Johnson III, and Malik Hooker are a few who could all feasibly play in this system. When the draft rolls around, keep an eye out for Richie Grant, Andre Cisco, Ar'Darius Washington, and Trevon Moehrig.
No. 8: Backup running back
There is zero question about who the Jaguars should center their rushing attack around next season; James Robinson's terrific rookie season locks him up in the team's No. 1 running back spot. But that doesn't mean the Jaguars don't need to add someone behind him.
For as talented as Robinson is, no running back should take on the massive undertaking of a team's touches at the position that Robinson did last year. If the Jaguars are going to preserve Robinson
Among non-quarterbacks, Robinson had 80.27% of the team's carries (240 of 299). He did this while missing the final two games, too. Only one running back on the team aside from Robinson had more than seven carries. Robinson was phenomenal, but the Jaguars put too much on his plate. Moving forward, this should change for his sake.
Ideally, the Jaguars would target a speed back behind Robinson. Robinson is explosive but the Jaguars don't have a true scat back type player on the roster. Adding one who can spell Robinson on both running and passing downs throughout the game while also changing the pace of the offense could be immensely valuable to the Jaguars.
The Jaguars shouldn't use pour a heavy investment into Robinson's backup. A big deal in free agency or a top-100 pick would likely be a mistake. A bargain in free agency or a talented mid-round back could be exactly what the Jaguars' offense needs, however. Marlon Mack could make a ton of sense for the Jaguars if his market is smaller due to his ACL injury, for example.
