JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The Jacksonville Jaguars open the 2023 NFL regular season at the Indianapolis Colts on Sept. 10 at Lucas Oil Stadium.
The Jaguars potentially have the best group of offensive playmakers in franchise history, provided receiver Calvin Ridley is every bit as good as he was before he stepped away from the game for mental health reasons in 2021 and after serving a one-year gambling suspension in 2022.
This is quarterback Trevor Lawrence's second season in coach Doug Pederson's offense -- it's worth noting that Pederson turned Carson Wentz into an MVP candidate in their second season together in Philadelphia (2017). If Lawrence can show similar year-over-year growth the Jaguars will have one of the top offenses in the NFL.
The roster will be cut to 53 players by 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday. Here is a projection for the Jaguars.
QUARTERBACK (2): Trevor Lawrence, C.J. Beathard
Despite some training camp speculation, Beathard was never in jeopardy of losing his back-up QB job to Nathan Rourke, who could end up on the practice squad.
RUNNING BACK (4): Travis Etienne Jr., Tank Bigsby, D'Ernest Johnson, JaMycal Hasty
This is the most-improved position group on the team with the addition of Johnson in free agency and Bigsby at the draft. Bigsby had an impressive preseason (122 yards rushing through the first two preseason games) and Johnson was a capable backup to Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt in Cleveland over the last four years. There's much better depth here than last season.
WIDE RECEIVER (6): Calvin Ridley, Christian Kirk, Zay Jones, Jamal Agnew, Tim Jones, Parker Washington
Kirk and Jones set career highs in catches and yards last season and now the group adds Ridley, who had 1,374 yards receiving in his last full season (2020). The two-year layoff didn't seem to have an impact on him during camp -- he was the Jaguars' most impressive offensive player. Ridley allows Kirk to spend more time in the slot, where he thrives. Agnew may not get as many receiver snaps but he'll still have a role on offense in addition to being the punt and kick returner.
TIGHT END (4): Evan Engram, Brenton Strange, Luke Farrell, Gerrit Prince
Engram thrived in Pederson's tight end-friendly offense, setting career highs in catches and yards in 2022. Strange, a 2023 second-round pick, gives the Jaguars two legitimate pass-catching options at the position Strange also showed in camp that he's a good blocker on the edge.
OFFENSIVE LINE (9): Walker Little, Ben Bartch, Luke Fortner, Brandon Scherff, Anton Harrison, Tyler Shatley, Blake Hance, Josh Wells, Chandler Brewer
The line is a bit banged up. Wells is dealing with a groin/hip injury and may not be ready for the start of the regular season. Shatley had an atrial fibrillation issue in camp and has been on blood thinners and those need three weeks to work their way through his system before he can be cleared for contact. Rookie Cooper Hodges had seemingly earned a spot but suffered a patella injury in the second preseason game and may end up on IR. And Cam Robinson is suspended for the first four games for violating the league's performance-enhancing substance policy.
DEFENSIVE LINE (5): Roy Robertson-Harris, Folorunso Fatukasi, Adam Gotsis, Tyler Lacy, Jeremiah Ledbetter
Nose tackle DaVon Hamilton is out indefinitely while dealing with a non-football related medical issue with his back. Hamilton had been having a very good camp, so this could be a big loss for the Jaguars depending on how long he's out. Ledbetter will have a bigger role. Lacy, the team's fourth-round pick, is an end but also will get some inside snaps.
LINEBACKER (10): Foyesade Oluokun, Devin Lloyd, Chad Muma, Ventrell Miller, Josh Allen, Travon Walker, K'Lavon Chaisson, Yasir Abdullah, Jordan Smith, Caleb Johnson
Shaquille Quarterman, who had one of the most important plays of the 2022 season when he forced a Derrick Henry fumble to spark the team's first victory in Nashville since 2013, is on the bubble. Don't be surprised if the Jaguars bring in an outside linebacker or two after cuts to try and improve a pass rush that ranked 25th in sacks last season. Dawuane Smoot, who has 22.5 sacks in the past four seasons, was re-signed but he'll begin the season on PUP as he continues to recover from a torn Achilles tendon.
CORNERBACK (6): Tyson Campbell, Darious Williams, Tre Herndon, Gregory Junior, Christian Braswell, Chris Claybrooks
Junior was involved in three turnovers in the first two preseason games and is pushing Herndon to be the starting nickel. The Jaguars really like Braswell, a sixth-round pick out of Rutgers, so he makes the team over Montaric Brown. Claybrooks sticks around because of his special teams work.
SAFETY (4): Rayshawn Jenkins, Andre Cisco, Andrew Wingard, Antonio Johnson
No surprises here. Johnson, who was dealing with a hamstring injury, will be used when the Jaguars want to go with a big nickel package with three safeties.
SPECIALISTS (3): Brandon McManus (K), Logan Cooke (P), Ross Matiscik (LS)
The Jaguars signed McManus and cut Riley Patterson, who hit the game-winning field goal in the playoff victory over the Los Angeles Chargers, because of his stronger leg, especially on kickoffs. Only Justin Tucker and Matt Prater have made more 50-yard and longer field goals than McManus' 40 since 2014. Cooke's 43.2 net yards per punt ranks fourth in the NFL and he's had the third-most punts downed inside the 10 (58) since he entered the league in 2018.