Tennessee Titans fans can confidently walk into this season knowing their team has improved on paper, through both player acquisitions and coaching hires. Another team in the AFC South, the Houston Texans, also made some exceptional moves this offseason. Luckily for the Titans, at least one team in the AFC South endured an offseason riddled with questionable choices.
The Jacksonville Jaguars finished last season with an impressive 13-4 record, and were trending up under first-year head coach Liam Coen. Quarterback Trevor Lawrence also logged his best season to date. Despite these feats, their choices this offseason has created legitimate concerns regarding the team's longevity as a playoff contender.
The Jaguars were already at a disadvantage entering the NFL Draft after shipping away multiple picks for former Heisman winner Travis Hunter in 2025. That haul included their 2026 first-round pick, leading to the Jaguars' first selection being slated at the end of the second round. What the Jaguars eventually chose to do with that pick may end up as one of the more head-scratching selections in recent memory.
Key departures and missed draft picks could set Jacksonville Jaguars back
Jaguars' GM James Gladstone selected TE Nate Boerkircher with their first draft selection, which came at pick No. 56. Coen's offensive scheme includes heavy use of multiple tight end packages, which can help explain the logic behind the choice. The only problem is, Boerkircher in the second round felt like a huge reach. The former Aggies' best season ended with 198 receiving yards, and totaled nearly 400 yards in five seasons. The NFL Draft is about matching talent with value, and Gladstone failed to do that with this selection.
Aside from draft whiffs, Jacksonville also lost some of its most talented players. Linebacker Devin Lloyd signed with the Carolina Panthers earlier this offseason. In 2025, Lloyd recorded 81 tackles and five interceptions, but they eventually had no choice but to let him walk. Lloyd was tied for the most interceptions by a linebacker, and the Jaguars will certainly miss having a turnover machine on the defensive side of the ball.
Coen is also losing his lead back in Travis Etienne who signed with the New Orleans Saints. Etienne logged his best season yet in 2025 totaling about 1400 offensive yards. The Jaguars then signed Chris Rodriguez to pair with sophomore Bhayshul Tuten in their new backfield. Rodriguez is a decent addition, but he pales in comparison to Etienne, who has New Orleans' fans ecstatic.
After the blockbuster trade in 2025 for Travis Hunter, followed up by the infamous-Boerkircher pick this year, GM James Gladstone could potentially be a hot seat candidate, even if the Jaguars keep winning games. Between Coen and Lawrence, this team still has enough juice to be a competitor in the AFC South, but their long-term outlook is beginning to look questionable.
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