JACKSONVILLE – The 2017 offseason isn't over, but much of the heavy lifting is done.
That's true for the Jaguars' front office, anyway, with the first and second (and even third) waves of free agency very much in the rear view and the 2017 NFL Draft now completed, too.
The Jaguars aren't necessarily done acquiring players. Still, with those parts of the offseason complete, the roster now looks much as it will Week 1.
So, what happens now? Who will start where?
Those storylines will play out in the coming weeks and months in Phase 3 of the offseason program – better known as organized team activities and minicamp – as well as training camp and the preseason. Though most of the Jaguars' starters can be projected, many roster spots are very much still to be determined and the roster without question has taken on a new look in recent months.
Offensively, the running-back position is dramatically different, the left side of the offensive line appears likely to be new and tight end will have a different feel, too.
Quarterback?
Well, that remains the same – and of course, Blake Bortles' development remains the No. 1 storyline of the Jaguars' offseason. What about the rest?
Here's a position-by-position look at the Jaguars' offense with the draft over, with Phase 3 of the offseason program approaching and with 2017 rookie minicamp now very much at hand:
Quarterbacks (3)
Projected starter:Blake Bortles.
Projected reserves/others: Chad Henne, Brandon Allen.
Offseason to date:The Jaguars re-signed Henne before free agency and made no other offseason moves in the draft or free agency.
The storyline now:The Jaguars' quarterback storyline is the same now as shortly after the season, but free agency and the draft provided clarity. Despite public speculation that the team would bring in competition for Bortles – and despite pre-draft buzz about a first-round quarterback – the Jaguars are doing what they essentially have said they were doing all offseason: moving forward with Bortles as the starter and trying to improve around him. Much of the focus during the organized team activities and minicamp practices that make up the most high-profile part of Phase 3 will be on Bortles' mechanics and his command of offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett's offense. Still, this storyline won't develop much until the regular season. That's when Bortles must improve and show he's the franchise's quarterback of the future.
Running back (6)
Projected starter:Leonard Fournette.
Projected reserves/others:Chris Ivory, T.J. Yeldon, Corey Grant, Tim Cook, I'Tavius Mathers.
Offseason to date:The major move here: drafting Fournette with the No. 4 overall selection of the '17 draft. The Jaguars opted to not re-sign 2013 fifth-round draft selection Denard Robinson, and also did not re-sign Joe Banyard and Daryl Richardson. The team also released Bronson Hill and signed Cook and Mathers as collegiate free agents after the draft.
The storyline now:The drafting of Fournette made this a high-profile position. It also made it one of the team's deepest, most-talented positions. Fournette and the running game are now expected to be the focal point of the offense, Jaguars Executive Vice President of Football Operations Tom Coughlin said it best during the draft: that Fournette is in Jacksonville to "put the ball in the end zone." General Manager Dave Caldwell said last week the team likely will keep four players at the position, meaning Fournette, Ivory, Yeldon and Grant are likely to make the roster.
Fullback (2)
Projected starter:Marquez Williams or Tommy Bohanon.
Projected reserves/others:N/A.
Offseason to date:The major move here: drafting Williams from the University of Miami with a seventh-round selection. The team also signed Bohanon, who played full seasons with the New York Jets in 2013 and 2015.
The storyline now:It seems clear the Jaguars will keep a fullback this season after not carrying one in the last two seasons. Will it be Williams, the 260-pound rookie; or the veteran Bohanon, who was Ivory's blocking back during his 1,070-yard season with the Jets in 2015? The edge likely goes to Williams. Either way, the position's return to the roster is yet another example of the team's renewed focus on the running game.
Wide receivers (13)
Projected starters:Allen Robinson, Marqise Lee, Allen Hurns.
Projected reserves/others:Dede Westbrook, Rashad Greene Sr., Arrelious Benn, Bryan Walters, Keelan Cole, Amba Etta-Tawo, Shane Wynn, Jamal Robinson, Larry Pinkard, Kenneth Walker.
Offseason to date:The Jaguars re-signed Walters and Benn, and the major offseason move to date was drafting Westbrook with a fourth-round selection. The Jaguars also signed Etta-Tawo – an All-Atlantic Coast Conference selecting for Syracuse – as an undrafted free agent, as well as Walker and Cole.
The storyline now:The Jaguars' top three receivers entering the season are Robinson, Hurns and Lee, with Robinson and Hurns turning in 1,000-yard, double-digit receiving seasons in 2015 and Lee developing into perhaps the offense's best player in 2016. Westbrook could play a key role as a slot receiver, and the question will be how quickly he can adapt to the NFL game.
Tight ends (6)
Projected starters:Marcedes Lewis, Mychal Rivera.
Projected reserves/others:Neal Sterling, Ben Koyack, Alex Ellis, Caleb Bluiett.
Offseason to date:The Jaguars traded Julius Thomas to the Miami Dolphins and signed Rivera as an unrestricted free agent from the Oakland Raiders. They also signed Bluiett as a rookie free agent after the '17 draft.
The storyline now:This is an intriguing offseason position, with Thomas' departure leaving the Jaguars without an experienced receiving tight end. The Jaguars believe the addition of Rivera, along with Lewis' experience and the continued development of Koyack and Sterling, can more than fill that void.
Offensive line (15)
Projected starters:Tackle Branden Albert, guard Cam Robinson, center Brandon Linder, guard A.J. Cann, tackle Jermey Parnell.
Projected reserves/others: Guard Earl Watford, guard Patrick Omameh, center Luke Bowanko, tackle Josh Wells, guard Chris Reed, guard Tyler Shatley, guard Nila Kasitati, tackle Jeremiah Poutasi, guard Parker Collins, guard Avery Gennesy.
Offseason to date:The Jaguars acquired Albert in a trade with Miami, allowing tackle/guard Luke Joeckel to sign as unrestricted free agent with Seattle Seahawks and left tackle Kelvin Beachum to sign as UFA with New York Jets. A major move was selecting Robinson with the No. 34 overall selection of the draft, the second selection of the second round. They also signed Watford as a free agent from Arizona, re-signed Omameh, extended tenders to retain Shatley and Wells and signed Collins and Gennesy as undrafted free agents.
The storyline now:A major offseason focus is Albert, who thus far is not participating in the team's voluntary offseason program – reportedly because he wants the Jaguars to renegotiate his contract. Robinson is expected to compete with Albert for the left-tackle position, but can slide inside and play left guard if Albert as expected wins the starting position on the outside. This group overall improved in 2016 in pass protection but must improve a run-blocking unit if the team is to have a running game effective enough to define the offense and ease pressure on Bortles.
