Jaguars Rank No. 20 in Pre-Camp Power Rankings

Why does Mike Florio have the Jaguars at No. 20 overall? A lot of it draws back to last season.

Nov 26, 2023; Houston, Texas, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson reacts after a play during the third quarter against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports / Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

If this offseason has proved one thing, it is the Jacksonville Jaguars have to earn the trust back of the national media after their debacle end of the season a year ago.

This makes complete sense, of course. The Jaguars finished 1-5 after an 8-3 start, missing the playoffs altogether after vying for a No. 1 seed in the AFC in November. The Jaguars were lauded as potential Super Bowl contenders, but they fell flat on their faces during the most important stretch of the season.

As a result, it should be no surprise to see the Jaguars hovering around the middle-of-the-pack in most power rankings ahead of Week 1. The lasting impression most have of the Jaguars is of their final six games and not their first 11, which is natural considering the level and extent of the Jaguars' collapse.

And that is exactly where the Jaguars land in Mike Florio's pre-training camp power rankings at ProFootballTalk. Florio has the Jaguars at No. 20, which is 10 spots behind the Houston Texans and two spots behind the Indianapolis Colts.

"20. Jaguars: They fell apart down the stretch last year. They need to prove that it was a fluke."

- Mike Florio, Pro Football Talk

For the Jaguars to rise in rankings once Week 1 begins, they will need to prove it on the field. Namely in contests vs. their AFC South foes who have picked up more fans on the offseason bandwagon than the Jaguars have in 2024.

It goes far beyond the start of the season, however. Truthfully, the only thing that matters is how the Jaguars are playing in January. They could start hot and rise in the rankings just like they did last year, or they could pick up steam late in the year like they did in 2022.

The expectations are raised in Jacksonville, even with the downfall of the 2023 squad. With major investments made on and off the field over the last two seasons, Jaguars owner Shad Khan made it clear on Wednesday what he expects moving forward.

"We're sitting in a state-of-the-art facility right here. We're going to have a state-of-the-art stadium. I mean, there's absolutely no fricking reason we shouldn't be competitive every game we go out. We expect to win," Khan said.

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