In order for the Jacksonville Jaguars to build upon what was a strong first season under Liam Coen, which players on offense are going to have to play key roles for that to happen?
Of course, how Trevor Lawrence performs at quarterback will be one of the biggest indicators of how successful the 2026 Jaguars can be. And along with Lawrence, Brian Thomas Jr., Travis Hunter, Brenton Strange, and others, have to play at levels for Jacksonville to be successful.
Every team needs its star players to perform well.
But looking beyond that group of players, which others can help elevate the ceiling of the Jaguars’ offense in 2026?
RB Bhayshul Tuten
The running back workload will be shared between Tuten, Chris Rodriguez, and LeQuint Allen. That said, Tuten’s success in Year 2 will add a home run ability out of the backfield for the Jaguars with his impressive speed.
As good as the offense was down the stretch last season, the run game struggled to get going. If Tuten can generate steady gains and mix in some chunk yardage pick-ups as well, this Jaguars’ offense can reach a new level in 2026.
TE Nate Boerkircher
Boerkircher’s presence can carry a significant impact because of his ability to impact the game in multiple ways. His ability as a blocker can help out the run game, while also allowing the Jaguars to play with heavier personnel packages more often, creating mismatches that can be exploited against the defense. Jacksonville is also bullish about his ability to impact the passing game.
RG Patrick Mekari
The lack of success in the run game during the second half of the 2025 season doesn’t fall on the shoulders of the running back unit — the offensive line has to be better at creating consistent running lanes.
Overall last year, the Jaguars ranked 27th in yards per rush. From Week 10 on, there were five games where Travis Etienne failed to rush for over 60 yards. Out of 83 eligible guards, Mekari ranked 63rd in PFF’s run-blocking grade. He also gave up 34 pressures, tied for the 12th-most among guards.
This article originally appeared on Jaguars Wire: 3 Jaguars players on offense who need big 2026 seasons
Reporting by Paul Bretl, Jaguars Wire / Jaguars Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
