Jacksonville Jaguars’ James Gladstone breaks down roster decisions
Jaguars general manager James Gladstone met with media Wednesday after cut-down day and shared insight into his first year in charge, decision-making.
Key games to watch include the Week 1 matchup between the Ravens and Bills, and the Week 2 Super Bowl rematch between the Eagles and Chiefs.The Jacksonville Jaguars are predicted to finish the season 8-9, an improvement over their previous 4-13 record.Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen is predicted to win the MVP award for a second consecutive year.
A repeat for the Philadelphia Eagles? A return to respectability for the Jacksonville Jaguars? The final seasons for quarterback Aaron Rodgers and tight end Travis Kelce? Any out-of-nowhere playoff teams like the Washington Commanders last year?
Welcome to the 2025 NFL season, 18 weeks of intrigue and angst.
Here is a primer for the season:
AFC predictions
AFC East: 1. Buffalo; 2. New England; 3. New York Jets; 4. Miami.
AFC South: 1. Houston; 2. Jacksonville; 3. Tennessee; 4. Indianapolis.
AFC North: 1. Baltimore; 2. Cincinnati; 3. Pittsburgh; 4. Cleveland.
AFC West: 1. Kansas City; 2. Denver; 3. Los Angeles Chargers; 4. Las Vegas.
Seeds: 1. Baltimore; 2. Buffalo; 3. Kansas City; 4. Houston; 5. Denver; 6. Cincinnati; 7. Los Angeles Chargers.
Wild card round: Chargers over Buffalo, Kansas City over Cincinnati and Denver over Houston.
Divisional round: Baltimore over Chargers and Kansas City over Denver.
Conference title game: Baltimore over Kansas City.
NFC predictions
NFC East: 1. Philadelphia; 2. Washington; 3. Dallas; 4. New York Giants.
NFC South: 1. Green Bay; 2. Chicago; 3. Detroit; 4. Minnesota.
NFC North: 1. Tampa Bay; 2. Atlanta; 3. Carolina; 4. New Orleans.
NFC West: 1. Los Angeles Rams; 2. San Francisco; 3. Seattle; 4. Arizona.
Seeds: 1. Los Angeles Rams; 2. Philadelphia; 3. Green Bay; 4. Tampa Bay; 5. Washington; 6. Chicago; 7. San Francisco.
Wild card round: Philadelphia over San Francisco, Green Bay over Chicago and Washington over Tampa Bay.
Divisional round: Rams over Detroit and Philadelphia over Washington.
Conference title game: Philadelphia over Rams.
Super Bowl prediction
Baltimore over Philadelphia.
Hot seat coaches
Kevin Stefanski, Cleveland: A two-time NFL Coach of the Year winner, Stefanski has a mess at quarterback and the Browns went 3-14 last year.
Shane Steichen, Indianapolis: Our favorite to be the first coach fired in-season. The decision to draft quarterback Anthony Richardson in 2023 flamed out and sweeping changes are in the offing for 2026 — new general manager, new coach and new quarterback.
Mike McDaniel, Miami: The Dolphins have gone 9-8, 11-6 and 8-9 with two wild-card losses in McDaniel’s three years, but this a team going backward in a hurry.
Brian Callahan, Tennessee: Yes, the Titans have rookie Cam Ward starting at quarterback, but Callahan can’t afford a repeat of last year’s 3-14 record.
Sean McDermott, Buffalo: Buffalo has won five consecutive AFC East titles and reached two conference games, but when does owner Terry Pegula get antsy that quarterback Josh Allen’s prime is being squandered? A wild-card loss may prompt Pegula.
Hot seat quarterbacks
Sam Darnold, Seattle: Darnold signed a three-year, $100.5 million contract with the Seahawks, but only his first-year money ($37.5 million) is guaranteed. Plus, the Seahawks drafted Jalen Milroe and the plan is to have a package of plays for him.
Tua Tagovailoa, Miami: He completed a league-best 72.9% of his passes last year, but missed six games and his yards-per-attempt plummeted from 8.17 to 7.35.
Kyler Murray, Arizona: Murray’s records since helping Arizona to the playoffs in 2021 – 3-8, 3-5 and 8-9. For his career, he is 36-45-1 with touchdown-to-interception ratio of 2.01-to-1. Not good enough.
Bryce Young, Carolina: Young appeared to be toast last year when he was benched after two games. But to his credit, he seized on Andy Dalton’s injury to start the final nine games and go 4-5 with 15 touchdowns and six interceptions. Young must build on that.
Dillon Gabriel, Cleveland: Why put a rookie like Gabriel on the hot seat even though he’s not a Week 1 starter? Because at some point, the Browns will bench Joe Flacco and give Gabriel a shot to show he should be the 2026 starter.
Bet the “over”
Kansas City (11 1/2 wins): Embarrassed in the Super Bowl on multiple fronts, the Chiefs are a motivated bunch and will benefit from road games at the Giants, Dallas, Tennessee and Las Vegas.
Baltimore (11 1/2): At Buffalo, vs. Detroit and at Kansas City in the first four weeks equals a tough start, but then the Ravens should be favored in at least nine of their final 11.
Buffalo (11 1/2): The Bills open the season favored in all 17 games and they should go at least 5-1 in the AFC East as the Patriots and Jets start over and the Dolphins flail away.
N.Y. Giants (5 1/2): A brutally tough schedule to open September (at Washington, at Dallas, vs. Kansas City and vs. the Chargers) will keep Big Blue out of the playoffs, but going to quarterback Jaxon Dart will provide a boost.
Los Angeles Rams (9 1/2): Last ride time for quarterback Matthew Stafford, who will leads the Rams to the NFC’s top seed.
Bet the “under”
Detroit (10 1/2 wins): Losing offensive coordinator/genius Ben Johnson to the Chicago head-coaching job was the biggest play-caller change in the NFL. And the Lions will feel it.
Seattle (8 1/2): If San Francisco returns to decent health and form, the Seahawks will fall to third place in the NFC West and under .500.
Minnesota (8 1/2): The Vikings go with J.J. McCarthy at quarterback after he missed his rookie year (knee). Even with an elite defense, superstar receiver Justin Jefferson and two neutral-size “road” games in Europe, they will take a big step back from last year’s 14-3 record.
Indianapolis (7 1/2): We probably would have pegged the Colts for the “under” if it was 5 1/2.
New Orleans (5 1/2): With the first pick in the 2026 NFL draft, the New Orleans Saints select quarterback …
Award winners
MVP: Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen. He will repeat as the NFL MVP because the Bills defense will struggle in multiple areas (stopping run, cornerback health and safety play), requiring Allen to be ultra-dynamic.
Coach of the Year: Chicago coach Ben Johnson. This award doesn’t go to the coach of the best team, but rather the coach of the team that improved the most. The Bears will make the playoffs.
Offensive Player of the Year: Cincinnati receiver Ja’Marr Chase. A year after winning the NFL’s receiving trifecta with 127 catches, 1,708 yards and 17 touchdowns, Chase will approach those numbers.
Defense Player of the Year: Green Bay edge defender Micah Parsons. He doesn’t play run? That’s what Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said. Know what the Packers are saying? We don’t care!
Offensive Rookie of the Year: Carolina receiver Tetairoa McMillan. The Panthers traded Adam Thielen to Minnesota last month, clearing the way for McMillan to be the No. 1 receiver. He will be a great stats/bad team guy.
Games of the year
Week 1 (Sept. 7): Baltimore at Buffalo. A rematch of last season’s AFC divisional round game in which the Ravens committed three turnovers.
Week 2 (Sept. 14): Philadelphia at Kansas City. A Super Bowl rematch and both teams will enter off extra rest.
Week 4 (Sept. 28) Green Bay at Dallas. Micah Parsons returns to Dallas. He will look like the Jefferson character in “Fast Times At Ridgemont High.” Total domination.
Week 6 (Oct. 13): Chicago at Washington. Second-year quarterbacks Caleb Williams (Bears) and Jayden Daniels (Commanders) meet on a Monday night. The Commanders won last year’s meeting with a Hail Mary pass.
Week 8 (Oct. 26): Green Bay at Pittsburgh. Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers will try to become the fifth quarterback in NFL history to beat all 32 teams.
Week 9 (Nov. 2): Kansas City at Buffalo. I figure CBS again made this game its first pick when the schedule was finalized. During my three seasons with The Buffalo News, I covered five Chiefs-Bills games. All were thrilling.
Week 13 (Nov. 27): Kansas City at Dallas. This Thanksgiving Day game will have the highest-ever television rating for a regular season game. Book it.
Week 17 (Dec. 25): Denver at Kansas City. I’m not buying the Broncos overtaking the Chiefs to win the AFC East, but if they do, they will have to win this Christmas Day game.
September (2-2): Win vs. Carolina, loss at Cincinnati, win vs. Houston, loss at San Francisco. The Jaguars must win their two September home games to avoid digging themselves into a here-we-go-again hole.
October (1-2): Loss vs. Kansas City, win vs. Seattle, loss vs. Rams in London. The Chiefs on Monday night should be a fun atmosphere. The Seahawks game is a biggie because it precedes a trip overseas and the bye week.
November (2-3): Win at Las Vegas, loss at Houston, loss vs. Chargers, loss at Arizona, win at Tennessee. Four road games is a tough assignment, but only Houston made the playoffs last year. Just don’t go 1-4, guys.
December (2-2): Win vs. Indianapolis, win vs. Jets, loss at Denver, loss at Indianapolis. The Jaguars will travel to Indianapolis after Christmas with a chance at the AFC South, but the Colts rally under a to-be-determined interim coach to win.
January (1-0): Win vs. Tennessee. Houston wraps up the division, but the Jaguars finish on a positive note by beating the Titans.
Final record: 8-9 (second in AFC South).
From 4-13 to 8-9 would represent a significant improvement for the Jaguars’ new administration and provide hope for 2026.
Contact O’Halloran at rohalloran@gannett.com