PFF predicts Jacksonville’s 2021 starting lineup
The Jacksonville Jaguars enter the 2021 season with more anticipation than they have had the last decade. Though the team isn’t necessarily expected to compete for a playoff spot after a 1-15 2020 season, it should be much improved with a new starting quarterback in Trevor Lawrence and head coach in Urban Meyer.
After a busy offseason that saw a lot of positional upgrades, we now have a pretty good idea what Jacksonville’s starting 22 will look like next season. Pro Football Focus took a stab at projecting the team’s starting lineup, and their list shouldn’t be too surprising to Jaguars fans.
PFF has Lawrence winning the starting job Week 1, which many expect will be the case. At running back, it doesn’t attempt to distinguish between James Robinson and Travis Etienne’s roles, listing both as starters. Considering Etienne is more of a specialty player, expect Robinson to see the bulk of the carries.
At receiver, there’s the young duo of D.J Chark Jr. and Laviska Shenault Jr. alongside Marvin Jones Jr., a free agent addition this offseason. Joining them in the starting pass-catcher group is tight end James O’Shaughnessy, who should start for the Jags just as he did in 2019.
Offensive line features the most continuity from 2020, as Cam Robinson, Andrew Norwell, Brandon Linder, A.J. Cann and Jawaan Taylor retain their roles as starters from left to right.
On the defensive side, there aren’t many surprises either, aside from a few rookies breaking through. Josh Allen and K’Lavon Chaisson are the obvious starters at edge rusher, while free-agent signing Roy Robertson-Harris is expected to start at defensive end.
On the interior, Malcom Brown and Jay Tufele are listed as starters. Both were acquired this offseason, with the former joining via a trade with New Orleans and the latter being taken in the third round of the draft out of USC. Regardless of who starts, though, fans should expect a heavy rotation on the defensive line.
A notable absence among the defensive line is Taven Bryan, a former first-round pick and fourth-year player who has struggled to make an impact so far. The team declined his fifth-year option this season, and his future with the team remains a question mark.
Here’s PFF’s take on the situation.
Offseason acquisitions Robertson-Harris and Brown should have two of the three starting defensive line positions secured in Jacksonville’s 3-4 base defense. The other spot should be more of an open competition, one that the rookie Tufele has a legitimate chance to win.
The 2021 season is a last chance of sorts for Bryan — a first-round pick by the Jaguars back in 2018. He appeared to be trending up following a 75.5 overall grade in 2019 before taking a clear step back last season (59.0 PFF grade). The opportunity is there for Bryan to bounce back if he can earn a role early in the season.
Linebacker is another position that returns all its starters, as Myles Jack and Joe Schobert, both of whom are on sizable deals, are expected to be a strength of the unit.
In the secondary, PFF projects that C.J. Henderson will retain his starting outside cornerback slot alongside Shaquill Griffin, the biggest signing of the offseason. Second-round pick Tyson Campbell is expected to start at nickel as a rookie on Day 1.
The safety position features two new projected starters in Rayshawn Jenkins, a free-agent signing from the Los Angeles Chargers, and Andre Cisco, a rookie third-round pick out of Syracuse. Cisco is coming off knee surgery and his status for fall camp is a bit unclear. Regardless, he’s expected to compete for a starting job this fall.
More or less, this projection is what was expected, though it is interesting that PFF is willing to make the somewhat bold prediction that Cisco and Tufele will be Day 1 starters as rookies. Jacksonville will hope this group is enough to be much more competitive on the field in 2021.
