After months of anticipation, the Jacksonville Jaguars will be taking the field for organized team activities Tuesday.
With it being Phase 3, the team won’t be in full pads but 7-on-7, 9-on-7, and 11-on-11 drills will be permitted. Here are four things to watch as the process unfolds and the Jags look to head into training camp with some momentum:
The offense’s identity under John DeFilippo
The biggest topic of the Jags’ offseason was how they would improve their offense. To lead that process, they hired John DeFilippo to be their offensive coordinator in mid-January.
As most are aware, DeFilippo has been a coordinator in numerous locations and learned from some of the league’s top offensive minds in Doug Pederson and Frank Reich to name a few. However, his last run as a coordinator has concerned some as he was dismissed from the Minnesota Vikings for philosophical differences with head coach Mike Zimmer.
Of course, that has led many to question what kind of identity DeFilippo will look to establish with the Jags’ offense. Much like Zimmer, Doug Marrone is a head coach who strongly believes in running the ball, however, he’s well aware the Jags need to open things up and take the pressure off running back Leonard Fournette. For that reason, I believe the passing game will be a focal point heading into the preseason, but ultimately fans will have to watch it all unfold during the Jags’ 10 OTA sessions and beyond.
Nick Foles’ connection with his pass catchers
If the Jags are to improve through the air and open up opportunities for the run game, DeFilippo will need Nick Foles to build a solid connection with the Jags’ receiving corps. I mean, why else would you pay a quarterback $50 million in guarantees?
Needless to say, it will be important for Foles to establish the same type of connection that he had with his receivers in Philadelphia with his new guys in Jacksonville. That group will include the emerging Dede Westbrook, 2018 second-round pick DJ Chark, rookie tight end Josh Oliver and his old comrade Chris Conley amongst notables. All that said, if Foles can find a go-to target or two within the young group, it would be huge heading into training camp and the preseason.
The chemistry of the offensive line
In addition to Blake Bortles’ struggles to grow, the injuries the Jags sustained on their offensive line were a big part of their decline in 2018. They lost left tackle Cam Robinson Week 2 of the season against the New England Patriots due to a torn ACL and eventually lost center Brandon Linder, guard Andrew Norwell and right tackle Jermey Parnell to the injured reserve list, too.
Now, three of those starting linemen will be back at some point during the summer with Parnell being the only one who is no longer on the roster. Linder and Norwell probably will be back to 100 percent, however, Robinson is at the eight-month mark of his injury and maybe still rehabbing during OTAs. However, once they all return to the field together it will be important for them to get their chemistry down again, just as Foles will have to with the receiving corps.
The weak-side linebacker competition
Telvin Smith’s absence will probably be the biggest story of OTAs as the Jags will have to find a replacement for him. When asked about it, Marrone singled out the team’s three most recent free-agent pickups at the linebacker position in Najee Goode, Ramik Wilson and D.J. Alexander. He also mentioned the Jags’ last third-round pick on the year in Quincy Williams.
Another possibility that shouldn’t be ruled out despite his statements about remaining at MIKE linebacker is Myles Jack. The fact of the matter is Goode, Wilson or Alexander haven’t proven to be full-time starters throughout their tenures (though Wilson has 21 starts), while Williams is unproven. That said, if the Jags aren’t impressed with their options at weak-side linebacker by the time OTAs conclude, then the best move may be to put Jack there as he’s flourished there in the past.
