5 key questions that remain unanswered as Jaguars conclude offseason program

The Jacksonville Jaguars' offseason program officially wrapped up Wednesday as the team concluded its three-day semi-mandatory minicamp. The camp began Monday with the majority of veterans given excused absences to start their roughly five-week break a bit early.

Around 34 veteran players, along with linebacker Foye Oluokun, were in the building all week. Oluokun did not participate but was an active observer seen on the defensive sideline and around the linebacker group all week.

Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson previously dubbed the offseason workout program, both voluntary and mandatory portions, as a success in part because of the high turnout the team enjoyed — 89 out of 91 players participated in the entire offseason program.

"This has been good for them. A lot more reps, more tape to evaluate as we prepare for training camp. It's been good. Guys have done a really good job, it's a really good group," Pederson said Wednesday of the young players participating.

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Only Jaguars outside linebacker Josh Allen and tight end Evan Engram opted not to participate in the voluntary portion of the offseason. Allen returned to work Monday for the mandatory portion, while Engram remained absent, and is currently not officially part of the team due to not yet having signed his franchise tender.

The Jaguars will break for about five weeks before returning to work beginning July 21, ready to hit the grass in the new Miller Electric Center on July 26, the official first day of on-field work for training camp.

It will be the first opportunity for fans to get their eyes on receiver Calvin Ridley, who has continued to work to get acclimated during the team's offseason program, returning to football for the first time in roughly a year-and-a-half. Ridley and Lawrence gained some form of a connection during the offseason, but camp will cement their chemistry.

While there were some questions answered during the offseason program, many remain and will need to be addressed before, during or perhaps even after training camp. Here are some questions that remain.

What will happen with left tackle Cam Robinson?

Jaguars left tackle Cam Robinson will be suspended by the league for violating the NFL's performance-enhancing drugs policy at some point prior to the season. The question remains, when and how long will Robinson be out?

Robinson has worked out with Jacksonville throughout the majority of the offseason program, seen rehabbing and participating in light drills during the sessions. Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson indicated this week that Robinson will be good to go healthwise by camp, but there remain questions about when Robinson will be suspended and for how long.

There is also a question about Robinson's fit with the team upon returning from the suspension. In his absence, Jaguars third-year offensive lineman Walker Little has filled in as the team's left tackle, while rookie tackle Anton Harrison has manned the right side.

Whenever Robinson returns, don't be surprised to see him re-inserted into the lineup somehow, but during camp, the Jaguars still don't know whether or not he will get reps at left tackle or as a backup to Little as the former continues to recover from a knee injury.

Will Brandon McManus be the kicker solution?

The Jaguars were quick to assess and pounce on the opportunity to bring in former Denver Broncos kicker Brandon McManus, ultimately trading former starting kicker Riley Patterson to the Detroit Lions.

Still, the question remains whether or not McManus will be the answer at kicker in Jacksonville or not. During camp, the Jaguars will keep track of how McManus performs, but it appears likely that he will enter July as the only new addition to the special teams unit.

Last year's practice-squad kicker James McCourt remains on the roster as of Wednesday and could provide a little bit of pressure, though it is unlikely at this time unless McManus fails to live up to expectations.

Will the Evan Engram situation be resolved?

The Jaguars and tight end Evan Engram remain in contact, attempting to work out a long-term deal, but there has yet to be a resolution and there is a chance Engram plays the entire 2023 season on the franchise tag.

Both sides will have until July 17 to work out a solution, about a week before training camp officially begins. If Engram is not signed to a long-term deal by that date, he will have to play the season on the franchise tag.

Engram does not have to attend training camp if he has not signed his franchise tender, but will have until Week 10 of the regular season to do so or be forced to see his contract lapse into next year.

Jaguars exit offseason injury-free, but what about those in recovery?

We have already discussed Robinson's injury outlook, but the Jaguars still have several players, including offensive linemen Josh Wells and Ben Bartch, along with rookies, linebacker Ventrell Miller, receiver Parker Washington and defensive tackle Raymond Vohasek.

All five players worked on the side or were during the team's voluntary and mandatory portions of the offseason.

Wednesday, Pederson made it known that Wells and Robinson will be good to go by the start of camp, but indicated that Bartch, who reportedly dislocated his knee in Week 5 last season, will not be ready at the start of camp for full activity, but likely will return sometime in August.

The start of camp will give a good indication of where Miller, Washington and Vohasek stand, currently the only three rookies who were unable to get much work done due to their injuries suffered during the college football season last year. Pederson indicated Tuesday that both Miller and Washington should be fine for camp.

Jacksonville did not have any other injuries during the offseason, though, receiver Jaylon Moore was placed on injured reserve on May 17, just before the start of Organized Team Activities.

What will the Jaguars do at edge rusher?

Perhaps the most intriguing question surrounding the team exiting camp is their pass-rush unit. Jacksonville will experiment with plenty of players, including undrafted free agent second-year player De'Shaan Dixon moving from outside linebacker to defensive line this year.

Still, there remains a question after the team allowed defensive lineman Arden Key to walk in free agency, signed by the Tennessee Titans, and have yet to re-sign defensive lineman Dawuane Smoot. Smoot remains on the market after rupturing his Achilles late in the season against the New York Jets last year.

The team will likely continue to pursue Smoot as he works his way back, but will they sign a free agent prior to camp or rest on what they have?

According to Pro Football Focus (PFF), Key and Smoot combined for 87 total pressures. Key ranked second on the team with 51 pressures and five sacks, while Smoot ranked fifth on the team with 36 pressures and six sacks.

Note: PFF counts a half-sack as a full sack.

It doesn't appear likely that the Jaguars are in any rush or urgency to add an outside free agent to that department. Both Leonard Floyd and Frank Clark recently signed with the Buffalo Bills and Denver Broncos, respectively.

Unsigned are Justin Houston and Yannick Ngakoue. It would be very surprising to see the Jaguars sign Ngakoue considering his likely demands for a long-term deal and playing time.

The Jaguars drafted fifth-round edge rusher Yasir Abdullah out of Louisville and expect him to play a role in the rotation. The Jaguars also expect a jump in production from both Travon Walker and Josh Allen to provide more help to the unit.

Demetrius Harvey is the Jacksonville Jaguars reporter for the Florida Times-Union. You can follow him on Twitter at @Demetrius82.

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: What key questions remain as the Jaguars conclude offseason program?