Cornerback Listed as Jaguars' Top Remaining Need Before Week 1

With Week 1 just a little over two months away, all 32 NFL squads are due to scramble in the coming weeks to place the finishing touches on their rosters for the 2024 season.

But where should the Jaguars place their focus? It was a big question last year, with many opining the Jaguars didn't have the pass-rush depth to make it through the season. The Jaguars made it through that scenario relatively unscathed, with Josh Allen and Travon Walker combining for 27.5 sacks and neither missing a game.

What about this time around, though? Should the Jaguars continue to look to upgrade their pass-rush depth, or should they seek out improvements elsewhere?

If the Jaguars were to go with the latter, it seems like the obvious choice would be to boost the team's cornerback depth, and that is exactly what CBS Sports lists as the Jaguars' top remaining need.

"Jacksonville's offensive line needs to be more consistent but the Jaguars made some tweaks to the unit this offseason. Full season availability of Cam Robinson and another year under the belts of Anton Harrison, Walker Little, as well as the veteran leadership of center Mitch Morse should provide some stability.

Darious Williams was a casualty of the franchise's search for salary cap health. He was replaced by 30-year-old Ronald Darby."

- Josh Edwards, CBS Sports

The Jaguars biggest moves at cornerback this season saw them swap out Darious Williams for Ronald Darby, though the Williams move was more about scheme fit than cap-related. And while the Jaguars were frequently mocked a cornerback in the first round, the Jaguars waited until the third round to select their first cornerback in FSU's Jarrian Jones.

Elsewhere on the depth chart, the Jaguars have fifth-round rookie Deantre Prince, 2022 draft picks Gregory Junior and Montaric Brown, 2023 picks Christian Braswell and Erick Hallett II, and veterans such as Tre Flowers and Tevaughn Campbell.

"Rush and coverage. We have to be multiple, the first thing we have to do is affect the quarterback in that we can’t allow the ball to come out of his hand quickly, then the rush doesn’t get there. If the coverage has holes in it or give an easy throw, it doesn’t matter who we’ve got coming off the edge," Jaguars defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen said in February.

"We’ve got a couple of good edge guys here. We have to get the quarterback to hold it, disguise as big, we’ve got multiple packages on third downs so we change week to week or maybe we don’t, so keep them guessing. Really big early in the game, we try to go out there and they’re trying to identify what we’re doing on third down, then go from there. Not, ‘Hey, we’re going to be in this look and every single time we’re going to be able to make this throw.’ We’ve got to be multiple and keep changing. They’re just too good on offense, the quarterbacks are too good, offensive coordinators, there’s so many guys over there that can identify. That’s what we’ve got to keep it multiple and keep changing up the looks.”

• Follow and like us on Facebook.
• Submit your questions for our mailbag.
• Subscribe to the Jaguars On SI Podcast on Apple and Spotify.
• Check out the Jaguars On SI YouTube Channel.