What the Jaguars Need After a Devastating Playoff Loss
The Jacksonville Jaguars' season came to quite a disappointing end for fans after losing 27-24 to the Buffalo Bills last weekend. However, the NFL moves at you fast, and that means it is already on to the next steps for head coach Liam Coen and general manager James Gladstone. While fans can dwell on the loss, they can still be proud of how the staff turned a four-win team in 2024 into a division winner in 2025. This staff has already proved to the league that they can be the blueprint to an ideal rebuild. Now, the Jaguars need to take this team to the next step and add reinforcements to get a deeper playoff run in the 2026 campaign.
This starts by locking down the key pieces that are already in Jacksonville. Two names immediately come to mind, with those being linebacker Devin Lloyd and veteran running back Travis Etienne Jr. The Jaguars declined Lloyd’s fifth-year option in April; it is safe to say that the decision has aged like milk. Lloyd went on to have arguably the best year of his entire career to this point in 2025. He finished the season with 81 tackles, five interceptions, seven pass deflections, and just under two sacks. Lloyd was a disruptor on the field and was crucial to a defense that was one of the best in the league in takeaways. Defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile was able to bring the best in Lloyd, and it would make no sense for the Jaguars not attempt to bring him back on a longer contract. However, his market will be quite demanding, so it will be up to Jacksonville and Gladstone to compete with the market for their guy.
On the other side of the ball, Etienne Jr. was initially rumored to be let go before the season even started. The Jaguars had a loaded running back room, with rookie Bhayshul Tuten doing his best by impressing the coaching staff early. Even with all the noise, Liam Coen saw something in Etienne’s talents that he could contribute to this new offensive scheme, and contribute he did. Etienne had a bounce-back of a season, finishing the campaign with 1107 rushing yards with seven touchdowns, both good enough for the second most in his career. Where the 26-year-old running back really stood out this season was in the red zone, as he had six receiving touchdowns, with only one receiving touchdown in the previous three seasons combined. After the Jaguars accepted his club option for the 2025 season, he is now looking at free agency as he’s an unrestricted free agent. It would be crucial for Jacksonville to re-sign their starting running back, and college teammate of quarterback Trevor Lawrence.
The Jacksonville front office has some work to do this offseason. While the big free agent names haven’t hit the market just yet, it’s never too early to start planning, especially as a team that wants to compete for big things in 2026. For the Jaguars, the offseason will need to start by examining the existing roster and trying to keep the players who provided the most upside for the team during this exemplary 2025 campaign. General manager James Gladstone, who is the youngest in the league, has a lot on his plate entering the offseason. It will be crucial for him to hit on what the team needs most, as any miss could be detrimental to the franchise’s success in the future.
