Projecting Jacksonville Jaguars' Most Heated Roster Battles This Offseason

It's become apparent over the past couple of months that this Jacksonville Jaguars squad is getting more competitive on the inside and out. The team is improving, upgrading and, most importantly, competing harder than ever for spots on the roster.

It's obvious that this team still has a ways to go, but the bar is being raised for this team, and that's causing it to get better as a whole and at all levels of depth. The faster and more intense this process is, the better Jacksonville will be.

The atmosphere in the Jaguars' locker room is likely upbeat, but it's got an edge to it, too. Nearly every position has two or more talented players gunning for it, and that should be causing an intense, healthy attitude among the players.

This is a major reason why a lot of the NFL's top teams are succeeding at the moment and how the Jaguars succeeded in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Even when players lose out on the top spot, they're still better for the process, and that'll show on the field.

The Jaguars are slowly, but surely, becoming a team that can hang with the best of the NFL. The results may not show up this season, but the intensity of positional battles carries over to the field, and that's all one can hope for.

With the intro out of the way, let's look at the most heated positional battles for the Jaguars this offseason.

Center

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The signing of Stefen Wisniewski this offseason was one of the more direct signs that this team is improving and adding the pieces it needs to move forward. A proper competitor for Luke Bowanko and the starting job should push both of them to improve this offseason.

Bowanko excelled last season, and the fact that he started the majority of the season as a sixth-round pick shows how much he impressed. Coaches aren't quick to allow rookies the full-on starting job, especially if they're a later-round pick, but Bowanko performed beyond his value and years.

Despite all his success last season, though, he still has something to prove this offseason. Stringing together consistent performances through multiple seasons is no easy feat, and with Wisniewski now backing him up and a proven veteran, he has even more pressure. 

Wisniewski was picked by the Oakland Raiders in the second round of the 2011 draft and started 61 games while in California. Wiz was given a $2.5 million, one-year deal by the Jaguars on April 18, and he'll now look to bring his experience to Duval County.

The addition of Wisniewski into the mix doesn't make Bowanko's job any easier, and their competition throughout this offseason will be captivating to see unfold. However, while neither of their jobs get any easier, I think both will improve.

To conclude, I think Bowanko will win the job. He proved last season that he can handle what the Jaguars are asking of him, and Wisniewski may not have enough time to prove his worth, especially considering he had shoulder surgery after the end of the 2014 season.

Either way, the Jaguars have two consistent starters, and their battle should go down to the final weeks of the offseason.

Nickel Corner

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Like at center, the addition of a free agent makes an already competitive spot even more hectic. Davon House trading the Green Bay Packers for the Jaguars means an upgrade to the team, but it also spawns a hectic battle at corner.

Dwayne Gratz and Aaron Colvin are two of the Jaguars' youngest and brightest, but they aren't without their mistakes. It's because of their raw ability that they'll play a role in the Jaguars secondary in 2015, but the battle for the nickel corner position will be heated.

When the Jaguars get out of their base defense and add an extra corner, it will be either Gratz's or Colvin's time to shine. Both players have shown flashes of brilliance, but it will be consistent performance in practice that will determine the front-runner.

Gratz is the older and more experienced of the two, and he is now preparing for his third season as a key player in the secondary. Colvin doesn't have Gratz's experience, but he made much more of an impact in the minds of the fans.

Colvin's amazing fumble recovery and touchdown against the New York Giants put him back on the map, and it seemed like when the spotlight was on him, he thrived. He was by no means perfect, and he'll have to continue getting better if he wants to compete with Gratz.

This battle could be one that switches throughout the season. Gratz is older, a bit more consistent and doesn't have the ACL concern that Colvin has, but Colvin has started to show why he was a first-round draft pick before his injury.

I think Colvin will be the go-to nickel corner. Gratz will still be a big part of the secondary, but he has to prove he can make the plays Colvin can before he can rise back up in the ranks.

Backup RB

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A battle for the backup running back job may not seem like one of the more intense conflicts, but it will be this season. Second-round draft pick T.J. Yeldon appears to be the definitive current starter, but who will step up behind him?

Typically, the backup running back job is just to give the starter a breather, but the Jaguars have shown that they'll use an array of backs to get the job done. Plus, with Yeldon's tendency to get nicked up in games, the opportunities to make an impact could be plentiful.

Denard Robinson and Toby Gerhart were the two major competitors for the starting job last season, and now they're competing for the backup spot. Despite the drop in rank, Robinson and Gerhart obviously have a lot to fight for.

Robinson showed a lot of improvement last season, and he, against all my bias and odds, convinced me that he can be a running back in the NFL. He made smart cuts, showed good burst and his 582 yards and four touchdowns through 13 games is proof of that.

Gerhart was an exciting addition last offseason, but he never really met expectations, even with a late-season push. Gerhart is the most physical runner available between the three, and despite his shortcomings last season, his skill set will keep him in the mix.

Robinson will most likely be the direct backup, but this is a battle that won't be as easy as people expect. Gerhart is famous for his work ethic, and if he starts to remedy his mistakes—and I think he will—it could be a much tighter battle for the backup RB.

Free Safety

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The selection of James Sample in the fourth round of the 2015 NFL draft and the addition of Sergio Brown in free agency really showed that Josh Evans or any other free safety on the roster won't be the starter, and that's probably a good thing.

Both Sample and Brown are upgrades, and while they're not top NFL safeties or draft picks, both can perform well enough for the Jaguars. Plus, the competition between the two can only benefit both of them.

Brown was an undrafted free agent in 2010 before working his way up the totem pole for the New England Patriots. After getting cut in 2012, he signed with the Indianapolis Colts and was with them before signing with the Jaguars this offseason.

Brown is a solid option at either safety position (he started as a strong safety in New England), but he's never stood out at either one. This is what hurts Brown the most and why James Sample may have more to offer the Jaguars this season.

Sample was initially with Washington for two seasons before transferring to American River Junior College and then earning his way to Louisville. In that one season in Louisville, he showed his legitimate potential with four interceptions.

Sample offers promising coverage skills and a knack for bringing down the ball, but Brown offers experience, consistency and better all-around ability. It will be a fun battle between the veteran and the rookie.

Guard

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Possibly the most intense and even battle on the offensive side of the ball, the fight for left guard won't be an easy one for both rookie A.J. Cann and veteran Zane Beadles. Another battle of old vs. new, this match might not be solved until the season itself.

The Jaguars signed Zane Beadles last offseason to bring some experience to what would end up being a young offensive line. Beadles was paid handsomely (five years, $30 million), but he really didn't perform up to his pay.

Beadles isn't bad by any means, but he is being paid way too much for him to put in the mediocre performances he did last season, especially considering the play of Brandon Linder, a rookie last season.

This may be the reason the Jaguars go with Cann this season. They prepared and let a rookie prove himself on the field before making a decision before, and it worked fine. Will it work for Cann, or is it a different situation?

Well, Cann has a lot of experience, starting all four years at South Carolina, more than Linder had coming in. Cann's also a third-round pick, like Linder. His zone blocking and technical skills are either near or at a pro level, so is there any reason to not start Cann?

Not especially, but I'm not sure the Jaguars can pay Beadles as much as they are to let him sit on the bench. I think Cann will be on call, but the Jaguars may have no choice but to at least give the veteran a chance.

It's a tough situation, and it's guaranteed that the Jaguars and the fans will be watching closely to see how it plays out.

Defensive End

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The Jaguars suffered serious heartbreak when first-round pick Dante Fowler Jr. tore his ACL in the first rookie minicamp, but that didn't completely settle the "Leo" position. There are three players all looking to make up the snaps, and they won't dwell too long on Fowler's injury.

Chris Clemons will be the starter come Week 1; there's no doubt about that. However, he is 33 years old, and he doesn't have the "gas" he once had. That means that the backup role will play a big part of this defensive line.

The direct competitors for that spot are Andre Branch and Ryan Davis. Both are solid players, but is there one who stands out more than the other? Unsurprisingly, the answer is no.

Ryan Davis was one of the best defensive linemen for the Jaguars in 2014, and his 6.5-sack, two-fumble explosion onto the scene is much appreciated. He didn't play much or do much in the years before, but he showed magnificent improvement in 2014.

Branch, on the other hand, had his explosion in 2013. Drafted in 2012 in the second round, Branch didn't really see recognition until he totaled six sacks, and in 2014, he totaled only three sacks and two forced fumbles.

Branch didn't have the 2014 that Davis had, but his past two seasons have been solid. What's interesting for this battle is that it could mean more with the situation with Clemons. 

Both will probably take a backseat to Fowler in 2016 either way, but they can make huge strides in 2015 thanks to this unfortunate opportunity. Who will take the cake?