JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA – OCTOBER 13: Myles Jack #44 of the Jacksonville Jaguars charges onto the field to face the New Orleans Saints at TIAA Bank Field on October 13, 2019 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Harry Aaron/Getty Images)
The Jacksonville Jaguars have some intriguing talent, but this year’s success or failure will come down to Gardner Minshew’s play at quarterback.
Trading Nick Foles away puts the Jaguars’ offense squarely in the hands of Gardner Minshew in 2020. If he plays well he might be able to push Jacksonville into the mix for a playoff berth. If he flops, the team could be tanking for Trevor Lawrence very quickly.
The offense at least has some interesting pieces for Minshew to utilize. Leonard Fournette isn’t the most modern running back in the NFL, but when he’s motivated he can bludgeon opponents into submission.
More interestingly, D.J. Chark really showed signs of promise working with Minshew last season. Putting him alongside guys like Dede Westbrook and Marqise Lee gives this team a sneaky good group of wide receivers.
The team’s defense will struggle to be a league average unit. Josh Allen has star potential on the defensive line, but he’ll see a lot of double-teams after Yannick Ngakoue is dealt. Signing Joe Schobert makes the linebacker group interesting, but the secondary still misses Jalen Ramsey. This group could blow up on Doug Marrone and his coaching staff in a bad way.
This year is all about Minshew though. Everything should be centered around deciding whether or not he’s the right guy to trust as their franchise quarterback of the future. Jaguars fans might not like the answer they get to that question on the field.
5. Myles Jack will thrive at outside linebacker
The Jaguars are overpaying Schobert to play middle linebacker, but his presence on the field is going to give Jack a ton more freedom in 2020. What Jack is able to do with that freedom could be the most pleasant surprise for Marrone’s defense to watch unfold next year.
He’s not going to suddenly become a double-digit sack artist, but he could get five or six. That would be a healthy jump up from what he provided last season. The key for Jack is really going to be making explosive plays for the defense. He should be in position to get in the opposing backfield more often from his new position.
Look for him to enjoy a Pro Bowl-caliber season in 2020.