Biggest remaining needs for each AFC South team

Jacksonville Jaguars – Middle Linebacker

Raise your hand if you predicted a year ago that the Jaguars would be in the AFC Championship game. Nobody? Me neither. I thought they had a good shot at finishing around .500, but I simply didn’t believe Blake Bortles could take them anywhere and I didn’t see the Sacksonville’s defense emerge quite like they did.

This team went from being one of the laughing stocks of the NFL to a squad, which was physically dominating opponents on a weekly basis. Heading into this upcoming season, Bortles still looks like their guy, especially since they passed up on homestate sensation Lamar Jackson in the draft. Regardless of who was under center, the plan would have been to hand the ball off to their punishing running back Leonard Fournette 25-30 times a game, behind a big offensive line that added the premier guard in free agency (Andrew Norwell).

Newly signed tight-end Austin Seferian-Jenkins had a metamorphosis last season and even though it’s a young room, these wide receivers are extremely talented. Defensively, the Jags’ front looks even scarier with first-round pick Taven Bryan out of Florida added to the rotation. The back-end is what makes this unit so special. Jalen Ramsey and A.J. Bouye are certainly both top five cornerbacks in the league.

Tashaun Gipson is an excellent center fielder and Barry Church was an important veteran acquisition a year ago. They lost nickelback Aaron Colvin, but D.J. Hayden and Jalen Myrick will be competing for that spot. Unfortunately, Paul Posluszny retired at the end of season after a very underrated 11-year career and that leaves second-year man Blair Brown to step in for a Jacksonville legend. This team already went into a lot of nickel packages, with Telvin Smith and Myles Jack as their two linebackers, but opponents might decide to punish the Jaguars by having the youngster as part of their base sets and forcing them to stay in those with heavy personnel.