Doug Pederson Reflects on Jaguars’ Revamped Depth: ‘I Think We’re in a Better Spot’

The Jaguars used the offseason to retool their depth chart, but what does it mean for their potential success in 2023?

The Jacksonville Jaguars’ regular season opener against the Indianapolis Colts is fast approaching and head coach Doug Pederson is pleased with how the roster is developing.

NFL coaches are sometimes given two or three years to build a roster and culture, but Pederson has moved that timeline up after an impressive late-season run to an AFC South title and a playoff win.

But to take the next step, the Jaguars need a roster that can rotate and compete at a high level on every snap. On Wednesday, Pederson said that the team’s depth is looking stronger than a year ago.

“I think we’re in a better spot. We’re encouraged by the young guys that we’ve brought onto the team. Even the young guys from last year, you look at Chad Muma [LB Chad Muma] as a young second-year linebacker who’s going to get plenty of time, not only preseason, but the regular season,” Pederson said. 

“You look at the young secondary guys who are going to get a lot of opportunities this training camp. That’s encouraging, and it gives you depth on special teams. There are some key roles there that we can fill. I think we’re in a better position than we were a year ago depth- wise, and it’ll be difficult at the end to make some challenging decisions.”

Muma being name-dropped is an interesting tidbit, as he does represent the type of player that needs to elevate his play in order for the Jags to hit a new level.

The former Wyoming standout played a minimized role in 2022 (just 26% of the Jacksonville defense’s snaps) but the Jaguars will expect more playing time and production in order to push and cover for fellow second-year LB Devin Lloyd.

Pederson was also asked about how this team compares to his best years with the Eagles. The Jaguars head coach thinks the rosters are “comparable,” but underlined the youth of the Jacksonville roster.

“I think it’s comparable, the difference here is that we’re a little bit younger starter-wise too,” Pederson explained. “That’s a benefit, to be a younger football team there. I do like where we are as a team, with the roster, the guys that are competing for just positions, roles, spots on this team. That’s what I encourage, that’s what I’ve tried to get out of training camp sometimes, to have those tough decisions to make at the end of camp.”

Those decisions are looming, but the process is different for Pederson and the Jaguars this year: the new process for roster cutting in the NFL features one massive release wave as teams will drop from 90 players to the final 53-man squad on Aug. 29, rather than the staggered setup with multiple deadlines for releasing players.

The new system gives players more chances to make a roster spot, but it also gives a coaching staff extra time to evaluate. How Pederson and the Jaguars coaching staff plan to adjust remains to be seen.