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As a unit, how does the Jacksonville Jaguars’ group of pass catchers compare to the rest of the NFL?
As a unit, how does the Jacksonville Jaguars’ group of pass catchers compare to the rest of the NFL?
Pro Football Focus’ Trevor Sikkema recently ranked each team’s receiving corps from best to worst, and included with the wideouts were the tight ends and running backs when applicable.
Coming in right around the middle were the Jaguars at No. 16.
“Thomas’ 83.4 PFF receiving grade as a rookie was a top-20 mark in the NFL, and his 1,282 receiving yards were the third most — behind only Justin Jefferson and Chase,” wrote Sikkema.
“Hunter likely won’t rack up as much yardage, but he could very well become an elite receiver for Trevor Lawrence after posting 85.8, 79.0 and 89.0 PFF receiving grades in his three college seasons. The Jaguars don’t have much depth at receiver or tight end, but Travis Etienne has been fine as a receiver in his three seasons.”
As impressive as Thomas’ rookie season was, as offensive coordinator Grant Udinski described earlier this offseason, there is still more out there for him in Year 2. This not only refers to Thomas’ production, but also to how he’s utilized.
Within Liam Coen’s offense, we are going to see Thomas lined up in the slot more often, along with attacking different levels of the field more frequently. This can, in turn, create mismatches and more opportunities for both Thomas and his teammates with the attention he draws.
Helping Thomas reach that next level are the additions of Dyami Brown and Travis Hunter, who provide the Jaguars with the flexibility to use Thomas in a different capacity. Not to mention that the presence of those two–and their speed– can help take some of the focus off Thomas as well.
One of the core elements of this Coen offense will be multiplicity. This means having the receivers, and pass catchers in general, lining up in multiple spots across the formation, with each player tasked with handling a variety roles and routes to make it difficult for defenses to get a beat on what’s coming just based on who is on the field or where players are lined up.
“We’ll be multiple and want to be a complete offense in the sense that we have the ability to attack defenses in a variety of ways,” said Udinski of the offense.
“You need to have all the tools in the bag, and then take those tools and fit them to the players that you have. How can we take what our guys execute, what our guys execute well, and put those players in the best position for success.”
Going beyond the wideouts, tight end Brenton Strange is expected to take on a much larger role within this offense, and not only in the passing game, but as a blocker as well. His do-it-all presence can further enhance the multiplicity component, adding some unpredictability to this unit.
The same should be expected of the running back position under Coen. Last season in Tampa Bay, running backs Rachaad White and Bucky Irving ranked 9th and 10th, respectively, among their position group in receptions and combined for over 700 receiving yards.
Travis Etienne, in particular, could thrive with more pass-catching opportunities, which will help get him the ball in space, where he is at his best. Rookie LeQuint Allen comes to the NFL having been a big factor in the Syracuse passing game throughout his career.
When it comes to the Jaguars’ passing game, there isn’t a shortage of options, and as Coen leans into that multiplicity element, a lot of these players are going to touch the ball regularly and be asked to fill a variety of roles.
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