JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The Jacksonville Jaguars will open 2024 training camp with veterans reporting on Tuesday at the Miller Electric Center in Jacksonville. Here's a closer look at a few storylines:
Will the defense rebound from a disappointing 2023?
The defense forced 18 turnovers in the first eight games, but the turnovers dried up after that (just nine) and that's when things fell apart. They gave up 30 or more points four times and over the final six weeks of the season gave up 44.4 more yards per game rushing than the first 12. Head coach Doug Pederson fired coordinator Mike Caldwell and most of the defensive staff and brought in Ryan Nielsen.
Nielsen, in only one season as the Atlanta Falcons defensive coordinator, helped double Atlanta's sack total year-over and hold seven opponents to less than 20 points. That's good news for a Jaguars pass rush that got 27.5 sacks from Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker but only 12.5 from the rest of the unit. It'll be evident early if the defense has improved because the Jaguars start the season with four 2023 playoff teams, including three on the road.
The most compelling position battle: The secondary
Other than cornerback Tyson Campbell and safety Andre Cisco, every other spot in the secondary is up for grabs. Defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen said in the spring there's no depth chart and he was going to have players line up at multiple positions. It could be 10-year veteran Ronald Darby or rookies Jarrian Jones or De'Antre Prince lining up outside. At nickel, it could be one of those three or safeties Antonio Johnson and Darnell Savage.
Lining up at safety next to Cisco could be Johnson, Savage, or Andrew Wingard. Nielsen and defensive backs coach Kris Richard will experiment throughout camp to find the best combination, and even that will change based on the game situation. It would not be out of the question to see the same five players on the field on consecutive snaps but with four of them lining up at different spots (Campbell is pretty much locked at outside corner).
The most impactful offseason addition: C Mitch Morse
It's easy to point to veteran receiver Gabe Davis, rookie receiver Brian Thomas Jr., or defensive lineman Arik Armstead, but Morse is the player that could end up making the biggest impact in 2024. Luke Fortner struggled last season, ranking 31st among centers in pass block win rate (87.9%) and 22nd in run block win rate (67.2%). The Jaguars had other issues along the offensive line - injuries to guards Ezra Cleveland and Brandon Scherff and left tackle Cam Robinson limited to eight games because of injury and suspension - but Fortner's play was one of the main problems.
Morse is an upgrade as a pass blocker (93% pass block win rate, 14th among centers) and an even more significant upgrade as a run blocker. His 74.4% run block win rate was second only to Jason Kelce (75.2%) and with Kelce retiring Morse is the best returning run-blocking center in the NFL.
The player with the most to prove: QB Trevor Lawrence
The Jaguars signed Lawrence to a five-year, $275 million contract extension with $142 million fully guaranteed with the potential to reach $200 million. That's franchise QB money and Lawrence has to deliver after a disappointing 2023 now that the team has invested in him long-term. Last season he dealt with four separate injuries (knee, ankle, concussion, shoulder) and missed the first game of his career, so he must prove that he can stay healthy.
And Lawrence must stop turning the ball over. He has 60 turnovers in three seasons (the most in the NFL over that span (Buffalos' Josh Allen has 59), which includes 21 lost fumbles. No other player has more than 14 lost fumbles (Detroit's Jared Goff).
"I've got to own my part and I've got to take better care of the ball," Lawrence said. "That's going to give us a better chance to win a lot of these games. I understand that and I own that."