Jaguars 2015 Preview: Complete Jacksonville Guide for Preseason, Season
The Jacksonville Jaguars have a very exciting season ahead of them. The team has drastically changed over the past few years, and it's almost time to see if the latest edition of the Jaguars can improve over two extremely rough years.
The preseason will be the best way to gauge the team's overall improvement, but even the preseason can be deceiving. However, getting to see new rookies and free-agent signings take the field is enticing all the same.
We won't know exactly where the Jaguars are at as a squad until Week 1 finally comes around, but it does appear that the team is on the right track. There is significantly more talent on the roster than we've seen in the past few years, and the team has bought into head coach Gus Bradley's system.
The Jaguars fan base has been patient with the reconstruction of the team, and it's about to come to a head in this season. There is still work to do, but this season is the first one in years that the Jaguars are ready to start improving.
Projected Starters
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Offense
QB: Blake Bortles
RB: T.J. Yeldon
WR1: Allen Robinson
WR2: Allen Hurns
TE1: Julius Thomas
TE2: Marcedes Lewis
RT: Jermey Parnell
RG: Brandon Linder
C: Stefen Wisniewski
LG: Zane Beadles
LT: Luke Joeckel
Defense
DE: Chris Clemons
DT: Sen'Derrick Marks
DT: Roy Miller
DE: Jared Odrick
OLB: Telvin Smith
ILB: Paul Posluszny
OLB: Dan Skuta
LCB: Demetrius McCray
RCB: Davon House
NCB(Nickel): Aaron Colvin
FS: Sergio Brown
SS: Johnathan Cyprien
Special Teams
K: Josh Scobee
P: Bryan Anger
LS: Carson Tinker
PR/KR: Corey Grant, Denard Robinson, Tandon Doss, Marqise Lee
What to Look for in the Preseason
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The preseason will be the first time we get to see the latest edition of the Jaguars take the field against NFL opposition. While some dismiss the preseason, it's a proving ground for many teams, and there is a lot to take away from it.
First and foremost, it will be the first chance to see how Bortles does against NFL defenses. It may not be the full package you see in the regular season, but seeing if his offseason work translates to improvement in game situations will be vital.
Next, the preseason will host quite a number of positional battles. Some will be decided before training camp ends, but the preseason should be the definitive battleground to decide exactly who the Jaguars will start this season.
It will also be the chance for new offensive coordinator Greg Olson and new offensive line coach Doug Marrone to show how they will impact the Jaguars. There is a tactical overhaul going on with the Jaguars offense, and the preseason will be a sneak peek of that.
Finally, it'll be the last chance for drafted and undrafted rookies to earn their roster spots. The latter part of the various preseason games will be their time to shine, and they'll have to deliver if they want to be a part of the Jaguars after final cuts on September 5.
Important Games
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You can view the Jaguars' full schedule here, and it's hard to say that, in the Jaguars position, each game isn't of the same importance. They will be looking to win every game they can, but there are certain matchups that do standout, the earliest being the Week 3 battle against the New England Patriots in Foxborough.
Quarterback Tom Brady will be absent due to "Deflategate", and that means the Jaguars do have a better chance of snatching a rare win in Foxborough.
Week 7 sees the Jaguars take on the Buffalo Bills at Wembley Stadium in London, which should be the most winnable game the Jaguars have played in England. It should be a close contest, and it could be a momentum boost for the second half of the season should the Jaguars win.
The next standout game is the Thursday night game at Everbank Field against the Tennessee Titans in Week 11. It'll be the first of two times the Jaguars will face their divisional rivals, and the Thursday night atmosphere is typically one of excitement and intensity.
Finally, the Week 14 matchup against the Indianapolis Colts at Everbank will be an important battle to gauge where the team is compared to the best team in the AFC South. The season will be nearing its end, and seeing where the Jaguars are competitively at that point will be interesting.
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Key Additions
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While new additions are a big part of every NFL team's yearly agenda, the Jaguars have made some huge moves this offseason. A nucleus has been formed over the past two years, but these new additions should really help the Jaguars step up in 2015.
Of all the Jaguars' newest members, the most notable are:
- TE Julius Thomas
- DE Jared Odrick
- C Stefen Wisniewski
- S Sergio Brown
- T Jermey Parnell
- LB Dan Skuta
There are also the rookies, but we'll focus on them later. Of all the players listed, Thomas is obviously the biggest, and his time with the Denver Broncos made him into a marquee player. Bortles will look to gel with Thomas and develop a very fruitful relationship.
Wisniewski and Parnell add some much needed experience to the offensive line, and both should provide a significant impact this year. Wisniewski is familiar with Olson's offense, and Parnell is a talent that has been waiting to shine for years now.
On the other side of the ball, Odrick, Brown and Skuta will all look to join up with an exciting defense. All three are expected to start this season, and it'll be important to see how they mesh and interact with the defense in the preseason and at the beginning of the season.
The New Offense
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It stings to see former-QB Blaine Gabbert in the picture above, and that may make Olson's return to the Jaguars even more exciting. He's dealing with a new QB and has full control of the offense rather than the role of a QBs coach in his first stint.
This new offense has some exciting weapons at its disposal, most notably sophomore wide receiver Allen Robinson, rookie running back T.J. Yeldon and the aforementioned Thomas. If you think the fans are excited, imagine Olson.
The new offense will look to improve after a rough period under Jedd Fisch. Unlike Fisch, Olson has experience and is known for his work with QBs, which could translate to a promising season for Bortles.
Olson will be aided by Marrone, who will look to have the offensive line running as smoothly as possible. New talent and better depth should set up Marrone nicely, and the Jaguars' offensive success will likely start with the line's performance.
A much improved offense and a more experienced, genuinely better offensive staff should help the Jaguars improve on last year's woeful offense. It may not be the top attack in the NFL, but the Jaguars should be able to score enough points to win at least a few more games this year.
The Youth
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While the Jaguars are progressing, make no mistake: They are still very young. The team has focused more on the draft than on free agency, and that has made for a cohesive, albeit young team.
The Jaguars selected eight players in this year's 2015 NFL draft, most notably Yeldon, G A.J. Cann, S James Sample, WR Rashad Greene and DT Michael Bennett, as well as the injured first-round pick Dante Fowler Jr.
While Fowler's injury was hard to deal with, there is still exciting talent elsewhere. The "Leo" position will get by fine with its depth, but other positions like WR and G needed Greene and Cann.
And it's not just the rookies who make up the team's youth. Important players like Bortles, Robinson, Marqise Lee, Hurns, Linder and Smith will all look to have big sophomore years.
The team added experience, but youth is a signature characteristic of this team, and the possibility for 3-5 rookie starters this year confirms that. It may not be the most successful strategy in the short term, but it looks promising in a wider scale.
Projected Record
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It's almost unfair to predict a final record for a team like the Jaguars. The team could go a lot of different ways this season, both good and bad. However, it seems like the most likely result is somewhere around 6-10.
That's an improvement over last season's 3-13, and it should be enough to keep the Bradley regime going. The Jaguars realize it's unlikely they will contend for the AFC South title and for the playoffs, so what we should expect instead is improvement.
A 6-10 record with consistent competitiveness, especially at home, would be a satisfying season. The rebuild has been slow and painstaking, and it is still continuing. We all want to see the Jaguars reach the apex, but it just simply doesn't happen in a couple seasons.
But, as mentioned, this team could possibly hit its stride or hit a wall. There is improved talent and an improved staff, so that could mean a big season, but injury, lack of cohesion and strength of competition also have to be weighed.
The Jaguars have an exciting season in front of them, and there's no guarantee which way it will go. The team is making its strides, and this season should be a proper test for Bradley, GM Dave Caldwell and the entire Jaguars organization.
All stats were provided by ESPN.com unless otherwise stated.
Evan Reier is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report covering the Jacksonville Jaguars. Follow Evan on Twitter @evanreier.
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