The Jacksonville Jaguars, the team that went 1-15 in the 2020 season, hope for a brighter 2021. It was a tough go last season that saw multiple quarterback changes but still only a single win. The win came during the first game of the season against the division rival Indianapolis Colts. In their 27-20 victory, Jaguars fans had hoped for a better season but were sadly disappointed.
For the rest of the season, the Jaguars went 0-15, but there was a bright side to the terrible record. They received the first pick of the first round in the NFL Draft.
There wasn’t much speculation as to who the Jaguars would choose at the number one spot. Jacksonville was pretty transparent about the young quarterback making waves at Clemson. Trevor Lawrence was at the top of everyone’s leaderboard, but the Jaguars wanted him most. Luckily for them, they had the perfect pick to take him before anyone else could.
They drafted Lawrence and later in the round picked up his running back from Clemson Travis Etienne. With this new group, the Jaguars hope for success in 2021.
2021 Jacksonville Jaguars Futures Betting Odds
Jacksonville Jaguars Super Bowl Champion Odds: +8000
Jacksonville Jaguars AFC Champion Odds: +3300
Jacksonville Jaguars Win Totals Odds: Over 6.5 (+110) / Under 6.5 (-140)
Jacksonville Jaguars AFC South Champion Odds: +600
When taking a look at the Jaguars team in 2020, there was definitely some talent. One of the most glaring issues was the lack of leadership. We can expect all of that to change now that they’ve moved on from Doug Marrone. The coach they brought in to replace Marrone is one of the best in College Football history, Urban Meyer.
Meyer is a natural-born leader, but it’s also not college football anymore. When thinking about how they’ll do against the odds, we have to take that into consideration.
It’ll also be Trevor Lawrence’s first year as a quarterback in the NFL. We aren’t saying he isn’t up to the task, but it’s a much different game than in college. Lawrence will have to get adjusted to the speed of the game in the NFL.
The preseason won’t give us a great look at Lawrence because he likely won’t play for more than a quarter. The team is young and definitely talented, but we have to tailor our expectations for them. We can’t expect this to be a playoff team in their first year together.
2021 Jacksonville Jaguars Offseason Grade: B+
Key Additions: (QB, Trevor Lawrence), (WR, Tavon Austin), (RB, Carlos Hyde)
Key Departures: (CB, Nate Meadors), (CB, Quenton Meeks)
You could argue that the most significant addition to the Jaguars in the offseason was Urban Meyer. A coach such as himself brings tenacity to a team that is hard to grade. How Jacksonville enticed Meyer to leave college football you have to commend them for. Now, they have a solid coach that knows how to motivate his players.
The biggest addition to the actual roster is, no doubt, Trevor Lawrence. Lawrence has a big upside as a quarterback with years of development in front of him.
The departures the Jaguars had weren’t many and definitely weren’t significant. This is something that could be referred to as “dropping the bad weight.” The secondary players they let go on defense weren’t doing anything of note in 2020.
It makes it easier to go into the season with the guys you want versus the guys that are comfortable. By making just a few cuts on the defense, Meyer and the company can show they mean business in 2021.
Jacksonville Jaguars 2021 Preview
Jacksonville is on a fast track for success, but it might not come as quickly as 2021. This team needs time to work with each other, and Meyer needs NFL experience. Along with that, the rookie quarterback taking the helm in his first year is a tricky situation. There have been plenty of experiences where it doesn’t work, and few where it does.
Lawrence needs time to adjust to the NFL, and the Jaguars are in an increasingly tough AFC South division. The Tennessee Titans are a division title favorite and could perhaps take the conference. We just have to keep our expectations for the Jaguars realistic this season.
Jacksonville Jaguars Futures Best Bets
As far as a division title and conference championship goes, leave the Jaguars off the ticket. However, there is one area you can capitalize on. As of today, the Jaguars are +110 to win over 6.5 games. We have the Jaguars winning seven, possibly even eight games this year. They have a tough schedule, but even with a few split games in the division, they can take seven. Taking the over could grab you some good winnings this season.
