The mood in Duval right now is... complicated. One minute you’re high on a 13-4 season and an AFC South crown, and the next, you’re staring at a 27-24 Wild Card loss to the Buffalo Bills that felt way more winnable than it should have been. It's the classic Jags experience, honestly. You get the steak, but someone forgets the seasoning.
But if you’ve been scrolling through the latest Jacksonville Jaguars football news, you know this offseason isn't the usual "blow it up and start over" cycle we've suffered through for a decade. Things actually feel stable.
The Liam Coen Effect and the 1-0 Reality
Liam Coen basically walked into TIAA Bank Field (well, EverBank Stadium) and convinced a locker room that had been left for dead that they were actually world-beaters. He’s 40. He’s the youngest coach in franchise history. And somehow, he got Trevor Lawrence to stop playing hero ball and start playing efficient ball.
That eight-game winning streak to close the 2025 regular season wasn't a fluke. It was a product of what Coen calls the "1-0 mindset." Kicker Cam Little—who, by the way, is officially a legend after that 68-yarder earlier this year—flat out said Coen changed the culture. It's not just coach-speak anymore. You can see it in how they handled that Week 18 demolition of the Titans. 41-7. In a game that mattered. Old Jags teams would have found a way to make that a nail-biter.
Trevor Lawrence: Finally Worth the $275 Million?
Let's talk about 16. Trevor finished 2025 with 4,007 passing yards and 29 touchdowns. More importantly, he only had 12 picks. Compare that to the turnover-fests of years past, and it’s night and day. Over the final two months of the season, he was arguably a top-five quarterback in the league.
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I know, I know. The Wild Card game happened. He looked a bit rattled early on. People are pointing fingers at Cole Van Lanen and Walker Little because Trevor was running for his life against Joey Bosa. And yeah, pressures matter. If you can’t protect the franchise, the 2026 season is going to look a lot like the 2024 disaster. Trevor admitted himself this week: "I know there are a lot of improvements I can still make." That’s the kind of self-awareness you want from a guy you’re paying a quarter-billion dollars.
The Travis Hunter Dilemma
Here’s the part of the Jacksonville Jaguars football news that has everyone arguing on Twitter. Travis Hunter. The kid is a freak of nature—the first real two-way star we've seen in the modern era. But that LCL surgery in November changed the math.
General Manager James Gladstone dropped a bit of a bombshell on Wednesday. He basically said that while Hunter will still play both ways in 2026, there’s going to be a "higher emphasis" on defense.
Think about it:
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- Montaric Brown and Greg Newsome II are both staring at free agency.
- The Jags don't have a first-round pick because they traded it to get Hunter.
- The secondary could have massive holes by March.
By default, Hunter becomes your CB1. It’s a bit of a bummer because his chemistry with Trevor on offense was starting to peak right before the injury (that 101-yard game in London was electric). But if he can be a shut-down corner while occasionally popping in for a deep post on 3rd and 10? You take that every day.
Defensive Shuffles and the New DC
Out with the old, in with Anthony Campanile. Hired away from the Dolphins, Campanile is the guy tasked with making sure Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker don't just "almost" get to the quarterback.
The Jags' defense was weird last year. They’d look like the '85 Bears for three quarters and then give up a 75-yard drive when it mattered most. Campanile’s reputation is all about "tactical expertise" and player development. He’s got pieces. Devin Lloyd made second-team All-Pro. Foyesade Oluokun is still a tackling machine. But the scheme needs to be more aggressive in late-game situations.
What Actually Happens Next?
The "Real Work" starts now. That's a quote from Coen, but it’s the truth. The Jaguars just signed 15 players to reserve/futures contracts, including guys like QB Carter Bradley and RB Ja’Quinden Jackson. These aren't headline-grabbers, but they're the depth pieces that keep you from collapsing when the injury bug hits in October.
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If you’re looking for a roadmap for the next few months, here is how the front office is likely playing this:
- Evaluate the Tackle Situation: Does Walker Little stay at Left Tackle, or do they hunt for a veteran in free agency? Trevor can't take 41 sacks again.
- The Jakobi Meyers Extension: They’ve already locked him down for three years, which was a massive win for roster stability.
- Hunter’s Rehab: Tracking his progress through OTAs in May is the biggest storyline of the spring. If his lateral movement isn't 100%, the defensive secondary is in deep trouble.
- Draft Strategy: Without a first-rounder, Gladstone has to get creative in the second and third rounds. Expect them to look at interior defensive line depth or maybe another explosive weapon for the slot.
The 13-4 record was great. The division title was better. But in Jacksonville, the bar has finally moved. We’re no longer just happy to be there. The expectation for 2026 is a deep playoff run, and for the first time in a long time, that doesn't feel like a delusion.
Keep a close eye on the free agency period starting in March. If the Jags can retain one of their veteran corners and find a way to bolster the interior offensive line, they’ll enter training camp as the clear favorites in the AFC South. The foundation is there; now they just need to finish the house.