‘4 Downs’ with Rich: the Jacksonville Jaguars’ Biggest Questions ahead of the ‘26 NFL Season

Nobody talks about the Jacksonville Jaguars, which is a strange thing to say about the defending AFC South champions who broke out last season in Liam Coen's first year. So here are four downs on them, starting with the hole in the backfield.

First down: who is the new lead back? Travis Etienne is gone, and he was a terrific engine for that offense as the lead back last season. Chris Rodriguez figures into the split, and the rest of the depth chart reads like a hello-my-name-is sticker for anyone hunting a fantasy sleeper. It is a new running back room, and Rich called it the most fascinating question on the roster.

Also, for the record, it is Etienne. If you are from the Bayou, you do not say ETN.

Second down: is Travis Hunter now just a one-way player? This one would break some hearts, Rich's included. Everything coming out of Jacksonville says he is playing corner. He is out there. He is on the field. On the day this was recorded, Hunter was working with the receivers and rotating with Brian Thomas Jr., who comes off when Hunter comes on, and Hunter currently sits second on that depth chart behind Thomas.

"I want to see him as a two-way player," Rich said. "That's why you draft him second overall." The complication is that Hunter is a superb defender and Jacksonville may need him there more than anywhere else. He is also coming off a knee injury, so some of this could be a workload ramp.

Buried inside that down is another one: will the real Brian Thomas Jr. please stand up? The rookie season was a house on fire, another LSU receiver dominating the position immediately, and then, like Keyser Söze, poof. Jacksonville has depth options, with Parker Washington a revelation and Zay Jones on hand after being acquired from the Raiders last year.

Third down: can the defense stay a takeaway machine? The Jaguars were plus 13 last season, third in the league, and their 31 takeaways ranked second and led the AFC. Only the Bears had more takeaways, and that math tends to produce division titles.

The problem is that Devin Lloyd had six of those 31, five interceptions and a fumble recovery, plus another in the postseason loss to the Bills. Lloyd is now in Carolina. Ventrell Miller is the man who has to replace him, which Chris flagged as a big one. Coordinator Campanile, who got Rich's assistant coach of the year vote last season and did not win, has to rebuild the turnover math without his best thief.

Fourth down: can Coen tick Trevor Lawrence up another notch? Lawrence finished fifth in MVP voting last year and was a much better quarterback. The ask now is that the first overall pick throws his hat into the top of the MVP ring and supplants Drake Maye in the conversation.

Rich can also confirm, from seeing him at the American Century Championship, that the schedule-release business about Lawrence cutting his hair was fake. The hair is still flowing and it is glorious.

The rest of the picture is a defensive line with Josh Allen and Travon Walker, and a room that Chris thinks still wins the division. The receiver question is whether anyone is a true number one and whether Thomas gets back to the end-of-rookie-year stretch he had with Mac Jones throwing him the ball.

One more thing worth noting for anyone feeling good about all of this. Jacksonville's backup quarterback is Nick Mullens.

Keep Lawrence upright.