Major Storylines to Watch as the Jaguars Enter the Preseason
The NFL preseason has begun with teams around the league facing off in the first week of game action since Super Bowl LIX in February. The Jacksonville Jaguars are gearing up to face off against the Pittsburgh Steelers Saturday night in Duval County. A team that had its fair share of ups and downs in 2024, the Jaguars will look to begin their efforts for a better campaign in 2025. Following free agency and the 2025 NFL Draft, the Jaguars have many new faces that fans and analysts will have to keep an eye on as the season progresses. The preseason will be the first time that many of these storylines will be in full force, and can make or break a player’s chances at making the final roster.
The first storyline to keep an eye out for is whether Travis Hunter will be able to successfully play both sides of the ball in the league. While playing college football at Colorado, Hunter played over 80% of the offensive and defensive snaps. The Jaguars traded up to the second overall selection in the draft to snag the two-way phenom. The preseason will be Travis Hunter’s first taste of two-way action in the NFL. Head coach Liam Coen provided to the media earlier in the week that the goal is to have Hunter play at least 80% of the offensive snaps this season, similar to his college career. It will have to be seen how many defensive snaps Travis Hunter will play, but this preseason will be a good signal to determine whether Hunter can handle the workload of an NFL two-way player.
Another storyline to watch is how quarterback Trevor Lawrence bounces back from an injury-shortened season in 2024. Lawrence, who enters 2025 with a new head coach and offensive coordinator, has made strides to improve his game in training camp. Trevor Lawrence excelled in his performance during the Jaguars’ scrimmage game, making spectacular passes under pressure and out of the pocket. One aspect of his game that Lawrence has put effort into is his footwork, which has improved throughout camp. Trevor Lawrence will also have weapons this season, including rookie Hunter and breakout Brian Thomas Jr., both of whom Lawrence has worked with a lot in camp to gain chemistry.
Overall, as a team, the Jacksonville Jaguars will need to build a culture to be able to have a successful season. New head coach Liam Coen and staff will be watched heavily by fans and media to see if they’re able to turn this franchise in the right direction. The Jaguars will be looking to fight off the Houston Texans for the division, which will be a tough task for a team that only had four wins last season. It will be up to the players and their efforts to be able to turn this Jaguars team back into the playoff team that went to the AFC Divisional Round in the 2022 season.
