Where do the wide receiver, tight end, and running back units of the Jaguars’ AFC South foes rank heading into the 2025 season?
ESPN’s Bill Barnwell recently ranked the skill position units of each NFL team heading into the 2025 season. So, where do the Jacksonville Jaguars’ AFC South foes land on this list?
When it comes to the Jaguars‘ own wide receiver, tight end, and running back units, Barnwell has this group just in the bottom half of these rankings, coming in at No. 18.
On the other side of the ball, the Jaguars will be unveiling a new-look defensive scheme this season under new defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile.
Under Campanile, this is going to be a much more malleable defensive system. While he will have his core defensive principles like any coordinator, this scheme will be quick to adjust based on what the opponent is doing and mold to what skill sets are on the roster, in order to put the players in the best position possible to make plays.
On the back-end, there will be a lot more zone coverage in this vision-based secondary, while up front, we will see more movement and a more attacking play-style. I also anticipate more blitzing and simulated pressures.
But just as important as the Xs and Os to Campanile is making sure his players have the right play style.
“The most important thing when you talk about defense is your play-style,” said Campanile earlier this offseason. “My vision for us defensively, we want to be a tough, fast, physical, violent at the point of attack team.
“What does that mean? That means that you got guys who take pride in not getting blocked. Everybody talks about running to the ball, I don’t think there’s another person in the world who believes in running to the ball more than I do. But you can’t run to the ball if you don’t get off blocks, and that is something that’s going to be celebrated in our room.”
Personnel-wise, the Jaguars have added experience to the secondary, signing Eric Murray and Jourdan Lewis in free agency. GM James Gladstone, of course, also added Travis Hunter in the NFL draft, and prioritized building the defensive end depth this offseason as well.
What Barnwell had to say: “No. 1 pick Cam Ward‘s group of receivers are … well-seasoned. Tyler Lockett, 32, was a cap casualty in Seattle whose numbers were way down during his final year with the Seahawks. He joins to link up with 30-year-old Calvin Ridley, who was better moving around the formation in Tennessee after being trapped on the outside in Jacksonville, but he dropped seven passes and wasn’t always the reliable target a struggling group of quarterbacks needed.”
Key players to know: RB Tony Pollard, RB Tyjae Spears, WR Tyler Lockett, WR Calvin Ridley, WR Van Jefferson, WR Elic Ayomanor
What Barnwell had to say: “No other group of receivers suffers more because of its situation. The Colts dropped back for just 567 passes last season, the fourth-lowest total of any team. Nearly 21% of those passes were off target, the second-highest rate in the league.”
Key players to know: RB Jonathan Taylor, WR Michael Pittman, WR Josh Downs, WR Alec Pierce, TE Tyler Warren, WR AD Mitchell
Houston Texans ranking: 14th
What Barnwell had to say: “Mixon suffered behind the dismal offensive line play in Houston; I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a back pull a rabbit out of his hat more often in beating unblocked or marginally blocked rushers in the backfield on third-and-short before picking up first downs. He should benefit from a better offensive scheme, and it’s tough to imagine the line play being worse.”
Key players to know: WR Nico Collins, WR Christian Kirk, WR Jayden Higgins, WR Jaylin Noel, RB Joe Mixon, RB Nick Chubb, TE Dalton Schultz