Jacksonville Jaguars' Offseason State of the Union

If the Jacksonville Jaguars were a country, they'd be in the midst of a climb out of a depression. A hard half-decade or so has passed, and there is now light at the end of the tunnel in the form of the 2015 NFL season.

The team seems much improved in a lot of different areas from last year. While the progress is encouraging, the Jaguars have a long road ahead before can they start competing for the AFC South title.

It's not easy to revamp and basically build a team from the ground up, but general manager Dave Caldwell and head coach Gus Bradley are doing it the right way. It isn't a quick process, and the organization and its fans have realized this reality.

Looking forward, the tantalizing prospect of the 2015 season will give the answers to all the questions that have formed over this offseason. Until then, it's time to analyze and find out the Jaguars' state of the union.

Passing Offense

John Raoux/Associated Press

Quarterback Blake Bortles' progress has been the primary storyline of this offseason, and he hasn't disappointed. However, as John Oehser of Jaguars.com has mentioned, he isn't the only member of the passing offense that has impressed.

Wide receiver Allen Robinson came into offseason training late because of his foot injury from last season, but he's wasted no time lighting up practice, per Oehser. Robinson has been exceptional and has specifically shown improvement in red-zone situations.

The other major development has been the addition of tight end Julius Thomas, who is settling in nicely. The high-profile signing has acclimated to the system, and all signs point toward a productive season.

As for Marqise Lee, he's likely to return for training camp after missing all of OTAs. Other primary receivers of note, Allen Hurns and Rashad Greene, have been relatively quiet throughout OTAs.

Overall, the passing offense has drastically improved from last season; however, it won't show its true colors until the season starts. It'll rest on the shoulders of Bortles and the success of the running game.

Rushing Offense

John Raoux/Associated Press

There hasn't been such a high level of competition for Jaguars running backs in years, but that's changed with progress and a couple of new additions. There are six running backs on the roster, and they all seem to have at least a chance to make the team:

• Denard Robinson
• T.J. Yeldon
• Toby Gerhart
• Bernard Pierce
• Storm Johnson
• Corey Grant

While some are more likely to make the final roster than others, the fact that there is a six-way race for roster spots means these players are firing on all cylinders and doing their best to make the team.

2015 NFL draft second-round selection Yeldon has made the most impact, and according to Around the NFL, he's not even close to where he wants to be in terms of where he wants to be.

Yeldon said at the rookie symposium, "I got myself as last, and I'm still trying to work my way up to the top...I'm just out there to compete and work my way up to the top, see what I can do."

While Robinson and Gerhart are likely the two competing with Yeldon for the top roster spot, Yeldon's recent performances and this quote seem to set him apart. He wants to be the lead back for any situation, and this mentality shows he is on his way.

The Trenches

John Raoux/Associated Press

There are plenty of names to describe the nastiest area in football, but a personal favorite has always been "the trenches." The offensive and defensive linemen have tough jobs, but this year's troops are progressing nicely.

On the offensive side, offensive line coach Doug Marrone's switch to a scheme with more of a "gap" focus seems to be going quite well. As John Oehser of Jaguars.com has reported, players are transitioning to the new scheme, which is giving players like guard Zane Beadles a chance to start fresh this season.

On the other side of the ball, the defensive line is also improving. New high-profile addition Jared Odrick is settling in nicely, and veteran Chris Clemons has said he notices a different, improved feeling, according to Oehser.

It's great to see that arguably the Jaguars' worst positional group and best positional group are improving in unison. The more physical the team gets in these two groups, the more successful Jacksonville will be on both sides of the ball.

"The trenches" are where the Jaguars can make up the most ground on the rest of the AFC South, and as long as the linemen continue to improve, Jacksonville will be able to stay in games much more and garner more wins as a result.

Linebackers and Secondary

John Raoux/Associated Press

Two of the Jaguars' most important free-agent signings, Dan Skuta and Sergio Brown, are in the midst of a strong transition period. Skuta is stepping up his career as a full-fledged starter, while Brown is also attempting to make that transition.

According to John Oehser of Jaguars.com, Skuta is fitting in well at the "Otto" strong-side linebacker spot, which will round out a starting lineup that includes Paul Posluszny in the middle and Telvin Smith on the weak side. While Poz and Smith, have been somewhat quiet news-wise, they've mostly taken care of business.

Brown's primary competition at free safety, 2015 NFL draft fourth-round selection James Sample, is still out and will most likely return in the middle of training camp. If Brown wants to solidify himself as a starter, he'll need to make the most of training camp.

Elsewhere, it's a relatively quiet atmosphere, although the general feel is much more positive and productive than last year's offseason. Added experience and maturity are slowly starting to show in this team, and the defense will profit from this new attitude.

Special Teams

John Raoux/Associated Press

Special teams progress isn't often reported or received with great enthusiasm, but head coach Gus Bradley recently gave an update to Jaguars.com. The target is to make sure the Jaguars are winning on all sides of the ball.

Bradley said, "Special-teams wise, I like the feeling we have…the physical traits that are on the team, I think that’s going to help us. We have a couple of positions we have to find out, but I’m confident we’ll do that. "

Like the offense and defense, progress seems apparent and encouraging. With a much better set of players this offseason—and some, such as running/punt returner Corey Grant, who offer adeptness at multiple positions—even the special teams are seeing great competition.

The Jaguars' special teams last season were bland and mediocre, but that doesn't appear to be the case going into the 2015 season. Better athletes combined with the positive and assertive locker-room attitude should be a combination for success on special teams in 2015.

This is not to mention the reliable and experienced Josh Scobee and Bryan Anger. The kicker and punter will be entering their 12th and fourth year, respectively, and their experience and composure will ensure the Jaguars have one less thing to worry about.

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 at @evanreier.