Complete Jacksonville Jaguars Training-Camp Preview
Training camp is here. No, not in a month or a week, but right now. The Jacksonville Jaguars are ready to take on their next challenge of the offseason in training camp, but before that happens, we have to break down all the major aspects of camp.
It will see the Jaguars put on pads for the first time, which means the team and fans finally get to see the rookies and new signings in something close to the real deal. It also raises the intensity in the various position battles that'll be unfolding throughout camp.
As one of the last chances to prove themselves before the preseason, every player will be firing on all cylinders. Sometimes, training camp represents just the final adjustments for a team, but the Jaguars have a much more meaningful session this year.
A series of intense practices will help pare down the team in the roster department and establish who will be the starting 22 for the Jaguars this season. The 2015 season is starting to finally come into view.
Greg Olson and His New Offense
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New offensive coordinator Greg Olson is a big change from former OC Jedd Fisch, and that's probably for the best. He has extensive experience with young quarterbacks, and his plan to minimize quarterback Blake Bortles' importance is likely a smart move.
In training camp, the team will start to hone in on the offense's focus. The change in offense has been a process that has taken all offseason, but training camp will be the time where the Jaguars zone in and properly prepare for the new change.
Training camp includes a scrimmage at EverBank Field, which will be one of the best chances to see the new offense in action. The battle against the defense, which was arguably the better side of the ball last season, will be a good test of a new, revamped offense.
The other major hiring on the offensive staff, Doug Marrone, will look to show that the offensive line and its new gap-blocking scheme will be an improvement on the abysmal blocking setup last season.
The offense went through big changes this offseason, and this will be one of the first chances for Marrone and Olson to prove their pedigree. Both are respected offensive coaches in the NFL, but it's now time to show that they can bring offensive success to Jacksonville.
Speaking of the Offensive Line...
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While the offense as a whole is going through change, the offensive line is definitely the most hectic of the Jaguars' position groups. Three new additions, position changes and maturing youngsters will create a hotbed of action in training camp this year.
Stefen Wisniewski, Jermey Parnell and rookie A.J. Cann are all new to the scene in Jacksonville, and all three will either be starting or heavily competing for the job. Training camp is where they can secure a starting role, but, in the case of Wisniewski and Cann, it can also be where they find themselves on the bench.
Wisniewski is competing with second-year center Luke Bowanko, and Cann is competing with veteran and 2012 Pro Bowler Zane Beadles. Both will be close, grueling matchups, and their head-to-head battles will likely decide the starter.
Parnell doesn't necessarily have that issue, and understandably so. He sat on the bench behind great tackles such as Doug Free while with the Dallas Cowboys, but when he got his chance last year, he excelled and now will find himself nicely paid as a starter for the Jaguars.
Meanwhile, former starting tackle Austin Pasztor will show off his new role as a pulling guard. The word "hectic" was used for a reason, and the offensive line may produce enough news for all of training camp this year.
Does James Sample Get to Participate This Training Camp?
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It's obviously not preferable when a rookie suffers a freak injury like safety James Sample has, but the only thing you can ask for is a speedy recovery. Sample has been working to come back as quickly as possible, but it seems like he'll a good chunk of training camp.
He was placed on the PUP list on Wednesday, as stated by Jaguars.com, and while that doesn't mean he's out for the entirety of camp, he's likely not making it for the first week-and-a-half or so.
Sample, who was a fourth-round selection in the 2015 NFL draft, was looking to compete with free-agent signing Sergio Brown for the free safety position. However, Brown will get a big advantage with several more reps and chances to prove he should start this season.
However, it does seem like Sample will get back on the practice field, but it could be too late for the former Louisville safety. It doesn't mean he's out of the starting job, but missing a good chunk of training camp doesn't help his case either.
Sample's ball skills and promise have made him one of the more exciting rookies of this offseason, and his injury has been a real bummer. Hopefully, he can quickly and safely get back on the field and back to making plays in training camp.
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The Healthy Return of Marqise Lee
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After an injury-plagued rookie year and a similar offseason thanks to a nagging knee injury, it seems like wide receiver Marqise Lee is finally healthy and ready to come back into the Jaguars offense.
Lee, whose explosiveness was missed last season thanks to consistent injury issues, has made his recovery and will be looking to training camp as a chance for a strong first step toward success in 2015.
However, it won't be an easy training camp. Fellow wide receiver Allen Hurns is coming off a surprisingly impactful rookie year, and his ambitions aren't quelled. He'll be gunning for Lee's No.2 spot and could well usurp the former USC standout.
Hurns also brings speed and game-changing moves to the passing game, although his overall talent and potential are below Lee's. Well, at least on paper, it seems. What good is Lee if he's not on the field to prove his talent?
This isn't a shot at Lee for being injured, but it is a warning. Hurns is hungry for a starting job, and Lee can't waste time when he gets back on the training field. This tightly contested wideout battle will be one of the highlights of training camp.
Time for the New Defensive Additions to Make Their Mark
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Between free-agent signings Jared Odrick, Davon House, Dan Skuta and the aforementioned Brown, the Jaguars will likely shell out $22.6 million in paychecks. All four are expected to make big impacts this season, and that includes training camp.
Odrick, the highest-paid of the four, will look to bring some versatility to the defensive line. He can play across the line but will likely focus at the strong end spot. Training camp should be routine, but he needs to prove that he is a definitive starter and Tyson Alualu is the backup.
Jacksonville added House to bring more experience to the corner group, and his time at the Green Bay Packers will undoubtedly be a positive. He wasn't a top corner in Green Bay, and with Aaron Colvin, Demetrius McCray, Dwayne Gratz and Jeremy Harris also competing for positions, he'll need to deliver at training camp.
Skuta will take the strong-side linebacker job, but he can help destroy the notion that his 2014 season was a fluke. Tallying five sacks and three forced fumbles in 2014 was a huge step up from his previous contributions to the San Francisco 49ers, and a good training camp will erase some skepticism.
Finally, Brown will need to take advantage of Sample's absence and secure the starting free safety job. Once Sample comes back, he'll need to continue performing and make sure that he holds his own in head-to-head battles.
Can Blake Bortles Continue His Offseason Success?
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Bortles has had an impressive offseason so far, and if he can deliver a promising training camp, it'll be the icing on the cake. After a rough rookie year, he seems to be maturing and preparing for a step up in 2015.
As reported by NBC Sports, Bortles worked with quarterback guru Tom House in California, and that has seen his technical skills drastically improve. His work with House followed by consistent workouts and training with the Jaguars in OTAs seems to have polished him up quite a bit.
Bortles was going to be a work-in-progress when the Jaguars selected him in the first round in the 2014 NFL draft, and he's still progressing. There's no guarantee how good the final product will be, but he seems to be on the right track.
He likely won't have to prove all that much in training camp, but he needs to show that the progress and promise we saw in OTAs are still apparent.
Bortles' sophomore year is setting up to be much better than his rookie year. For that to properly get started, though, he'll need to deliver in training camp and carry any momentum into the preseason.
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