After a slow 1-2 start, the Jacksonville Jaguars have developed into the team NFL fans were expecting. The Jaguars have won their last five games and are sitting at 6-2 coming off their bye week.
Now, Jacksonville looks like an AFC contender with loads of talent that’s living up the billing. The offense was expected to carry Jacksonville to success after wide receiver Calvin Ridley’s arrival and anticipated development from quarterback Trevor Lawrence.
However, it’s the defense that has really stepped up in the Jaguars’ biggest moments. While the team hasn’t looked quite like the team everyone expected, a handful of players have elevated their play, making Jacksonville a true threat.
Here are the Jaguars’ five biggest overachievers through the first eight weeks of 2023:
CB Darious Williams
Williams signed with the Jaguars before last season after spending three years with the Los Angeles Rams. During his first year in Jacksonville, it took the team some time to figure out where to play him.
This year, after locking down a role on the outside, he has looked like his Rams self. In 2022, Williams deflected 16 passes and didn’t have an interception.
He’s taken a massive step forward this season. He currently has 14 pass deflections, three interceptions, and two forced fumbles.
If Jacksonville consistently gets this version of Williams, they might already have their long-term answer across from starting cornerback Tyson Campbell.
OLB Josh Allen
The Jaguars drafted Allen with the seventh overall pick in the 2019 draft, and he immediately looked like a star pass rusher. He finished his rookie season with 10.5 sacks and looked like he was sure to be a consistent threat for years to come.
However, he simmered down after the departure of his rookie season supporting cast and didn’t reach eight sacks in his next three years. But with a contract extension looming, Allen has not only returned to form, he’s a whole new player.
Allen has nine sacks through just eight games and is on pace for easily his best season yet. Regardless if he’s playing well because he’s developed more or because he knows he’s eligible for big money, Jacksonville is getting extreme production at one of the most valuable positions in the sport.
Allen has helped elevate the defense to a new level, and consistency at the position could cement the Jaguars’ contender status.
WR Christian Kirk
When the Jaguars traded for Ridley, many fans assumed the former Falcons receiver would take over the No. 1 receiver role. While Ridley has shown flashes of being the go-to option, Kirk’s chemistry with Lawrence is as strong as ever.
It’s safe to say he’s playing up to his $72 million contract.
Kirk has only had one 100-yard receiving game, but he’s been Lawrence’s favorite target all season long. He has the most receptions, 43, of the wide receiver group — second to only tight end Evan Engram — and he has a team-leading 520 receiving yards.
Ridley may have been the big acquisition, but Kirk is still Lawrence’s guy and looks like he’s headed for another 1,000-yard year.
TE Evan Engram
Along with Kirk, Engram stands out as a consistent piece of the Jaguars’ offense across the past two seasons. When Jacksonville traded for Ridley, it was fair to assume Kirk or Engram would take a step back.
But like the former Cardinals receiver, Engram hasn’t seen a dip in production. In fact, he’s been even more present in the offense.
Last year, the former Giants tight end finished with 73 catches for 777 yards, both single-season Jaguars records for a tight end. He currently has 51 catches for 434 yards, putting him on pace to smash his own record with 108 catches and 922 yards.
Engram has had a career resurgence with the Jaguars, and he keeps getting better.
LB Devin Lloyd
Jacksonville drafted Lloyd with the 27th overall pick in the 2022 draft, and while his stats were decent, his play didn’t always match the numbers.
He ended his rookie season with 115 total tackles, three interceptions, and eight pass deflections. But he made a handful of rookie mistakes, was benched for a stretch, and had a Pro Football Focus grade of 48.3.
This year has been an entirely different story. He has 48 total tackles, six deflected passes and no picks, but he’s been a much more reliable option at linebacker.
The Jaguars drafted Lloyd with hopes that he’d be a long-term fixture in the middle of their defense and he’s quickly developing into the building block they had in mind.
