Jacksonville Jaguars' RB Race Heating Up at Perfect Time

The Jacksonville Jaguars have struggled as a team the past few years, but it's always seemed like the offense was the worse of the two sides. Now, it appears the offense is improving, and part of that is thanks to the Jaguars' developing stable of running backs.

The Jaguars have six running backs on roster, and with only three to four RB spots on the roster, the competition for those final spots is pushing the backs to reach their limits.

Between T.J. Yeldon, Denard Robinson, Toby Gerhart, Bernard Pierce, Storm Johnson and Corey Grant, the Jaguars have plenty of options at running back. Obviously that won't be the case after roster cuts, but they will have their preference of the six. 

They all have varying skills and upsides, and making the final decisions for who will and won't make the team will be difficult. Even though there are certainly some players who are more talented than others, letting go of a young option with potential or an experienced back with stability is never fun.

Personally, it seems like Grant and Johnson will be the first two out in the Jaguars' RB race. Neither has done enough to stand out this offseason, and there are more viable options elsewhere.

Player	Experience	Height	Weight	School
T.J. Yeldon	R	6'1"	226	Alabama
Denard Robinson	3	6'0"	197	Michigan
Toby Gerhart	6	6'0"	231	Stanford
Bernard Pierce	4	6'0"	230	Temple
Storm Johnson	2	6'0"	216	UCF
Corey Grant	R	5'11"	205	Auburn

Grant offers blistering speed, but he doesn't have enough skill as a RB or as a punt returner to ensure a roster spot. The sophomore Johnson showed promise last season, but he hasn't stood out this offseason with renewed competition. 

Both Johnson and Grant are still very young and could develop into solid NFL backs, but they simply haven't earned a place in the squad thanks to raised competition and standards.

But even though Grant and Johnson are on the outside looking in, they may not be alone. Should the Jaguars feel fine at RB with just three roster spots, that would mean one more player would need to be cut.

Should that be the case, it will most definitely be Pierce who takes the fall. Pierce has had a solid NFL career and could still play as a backup or situational guy for a lot of teams, but he could find himself out of a job depending on the Jaguars' roster decisions.

But the competition doesn't stop there. Even the three that are most likely to make the team, Robinson, Gerhart and Yeldon, are battling for ranking on the depth chart, which could see any of the three take the job if they prove worthy.

Phelan M. Ebenhack/Associated Press

Gerhart is obviously the dark horse, especially after a rough first season. However, a solid offseason carried into an encouraging performance last Friday night against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

As he often does, Gerhart looked like the hardest-working person on the field, and that could go a long way, especially if he has an even better performance against the New York Giants this Saturday.

Robinson and Yeldon are listed as co-starters on the Jaguars' depth chart, and while Yeldon didn't play last weekend and Robinson did, it doesn't seem like the power shifted that much either way.

The Jaguars would likely prefer Yeldon to be the feature back, but they have the constantly improving and explosive Robinson as an option. Even if Yeldon doesn't deliver, they have someone to rely in Robinson.

That's not to say Yeldon is likely to disappoint, in fact, he seems ready to take on the starting role. He came out of Alabama polished and hungry and with an improved offensive line, he seems set up to at least perform up to expectations in his rookie season.

Overall, it's quite obvious that the Jaguars don't just have options, but rather they have valuable, worthwhile ones. Not every team can boast a stable of running backs like the Jaguars have, and that could be a deciding factor for offensive success this season.

What do you think? Who will be the Jaguars' standout RB this year? Comment below and answer the poll!

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.