OTAs for the Jacksonville Jaguars are set to begin on May 26. So over the next few weeks, what should we be on the lookout for on the offensive side of the football?
In this third phase of offseason programs, no contact can take place, but teams can do competitive team periods. OTAs are also voluntary for the players.
As these practices unfold, here are some things I’ll be watching for.
Who starts off as RB1?
As I’ve discussed previously this offseason, my expectation as of now is that we see both Bhayshul Tuten and Chris Rodriguez often this season, with LeQuint Allen also in the mix on passing downs. The matchups, in-game situations, and even who has the hot hand may dictate who sees more carries on a weekly basis.
So the title of RB1 may not carry a ton of weight, and it could change as the summer and season unfold. All that said, I am curious to see who gets the first team reps from the jump — Tuten, who is in Year 2 with Liam Coen, or Rodriguez, who has more NFL experience.
Trevor Lawrence pre-snap
A lot of the success that Lawrence had during the second half of last season started pre-snap with him making needed adjustments to put the offense into advantageous looks. As he grew more comfortable operating in Coen’s offense, Lawrence’s command pre-snap grew, and it set the Jaguars up for success.
A year ago, Lawrence and everyone else was learning the new scheme, but now, the expectation should be that what was already established last season will be the jumping-off point heading into OTAs. The work done by Lawrence pre-snap is how he can continue to elevate his game and the overall play of the offense as a whole.
Jaguars’ tight end usage
It’s clear from the Jaguars’ draft that they want to utilize heavier personnel packages more often this season as a way to exploit the heavy use of split-safety looks by defenses around the NFL. Playing with bigger personnel can help create mismatches. Defenses will either continue to play small, giving the offense the size advantage, or attempt to match personnel, putting the often more athletic tight ends in favorable matchups.
Nate Boerkircher was an excellent blocker at the college level, while the Jaguars are also bullish on his ability to impact the passing game. Quintin Morris emerged as TE2 last season in a blocking-first role. Hunter Long and Tanner Koziol add a pass-catching element to the offense. All may have the opportunity to be paired with Brenton Strange, and I imagine we see some three tight end sets as well.
This article originally appeared on Jaguars Wire: 3 things to watch for on Jaguars’ offense during OTAs
Reporting by Paul Bretl, Jaguars Wire / Jaguars Wire
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