For the first time in a decade, the Jacksonville Jaguars appear to have a franchise quarterback. Trevor Lawrence isn't Blaine Gabbert or Blake Bortles -- two of the biggest quarterback busts Jacksonville has ever selected -- as he's expected to make an instant impact on a Jaguars team that is ushering in a new era for the organization.
The Jaguars hired Urban Meyer -- one of the greatest college football coaches ever -- to help the franchise establish a winning tradition. Meyer, a surprising hire, is trying to establish a new culture in Jacksonville -- an organization that has just one winning season since 2007, when the Jags reached the AFC title game. Jacksonville had a strong draft, as Meyer has been working to create a deep roster in order to compete with the top-tier teams in the league.
Jacksonville was active in free agency on the defensive side of the ball, signing Shaquill Griffin and Rayshawn Jenkins to huge contracts, while filling a need at defensive tackle by signing Roy Robertson-Harris. The Jaguars also selected cornerback Tyson Campbell and safety Andre Cisco in the first three rounds of the draft. The Jaguars added wide receiver Marvin Jones and running back Carlos Hyde in free agency.
The Jaguars are coming off their worst season in franchise history, but Jacksonville will be competitive in every game with Lawrence at quarterback. Here's a look at how the Jaguars roster stacks up heading into Year 1 of the Meyer-Lawrence era.
Here is the Jaguars' 53-man roster.
Rookies denoted by (*)
Offense
| Starter | Backup | Depth | Depth | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
QB | Trevor Lawrence* | |||
RB | ||||
RB | Carlos Hyde | |||
LWR | Marvin Jones | |||
RWR | ||||
SWR | Laviska Shenault | |||
TE | Luke Farrell* | |||
LT | Walter Little* | |||
LG | ||||
C | ||||
RG | A.J. Cann (reserve/COVID-19) | |||
RT |
Lawrence is going to start Week 1, but what will his running back situation look like? Robinson should still have the starting role with Etienne out for the season, even though Hyde will be taking some snaps away from him.
Jones will start at wide receiver alongside Chark and Shenault. Meyer challenged Chark this offseason by saying he's a big receiver who plays small, and Chark is embracing the challenge, ready to play the way Meyer wants him to. The tight end position isn't strong, as Manhertz will compete for the starting job with Farrell and O'Shaughnessy.
The offensive line doesn't have much depth outside of Little at tackle, who is expected to compete for a starting job at some point this year. Offensive line will be Lawrence's biggest obstacle in 2021, so expect Jacksonville to focus on the run so the rookie doesn't get beat up by midseason.
Defense
| Starter | Backup | Depth | |
|---|---|---|---|
| DE | Roy Robertson-Harris | ||
| NT | |||
| DT | |||
| OLB | |||
| MLB | |||
| WLB | |||
| SLB | |||
| CB | Tyson Campbell* | ||
| CB | Shaquill Griffin | ||
| S | Andre Cisco | ||
| S | Rayshawn Jenkins |
The Jaguars' defensive line should be strong against the run as Jacksonville transitions to a 3-4 under new defensive coordinator Joe Cullen.
Linebacker is the top unit in Jacksonville, as Allen and Chaisson are going to be relied upon to get to the quarterback. Where does Wilson fit in the equation? Jacksonville needs depth at inside linebacker, especially after the team traded Joe Schobert.
When Jacksonville goes to three cornerbacks, Campbell is the favorite to line up in the slot. Jenkins has one of the starting safety spots secure while the other spot is to be determined. Jacksonville has depth at cornerback and safety in 2021, which was a major issue for one of the league's worst defenses in 2020.
Josh Lambo will kick, Logan Cooke will punt, and Ross Matiscik is the long snapper.
The Urban Meyer/Trevor Lawrence era has arrived! The Jaguars are on the rise and you can download the CBS Sports app so you don't miss any headlines out of Jacksonville. Favorite the Jaguars now if you already have the app so you don't miss a thing from one of 2021's most interesting teams.
