How should fans of the Jacksonville Jaguars feel going into the 2026 NFL season?
On one hand, high hopes abound heading into the second year under coach Liam Coen and GM James Gladstone. The Jags won the AFC South and won 13 games, second-most in the franchise’s 31-year history. Quarterback Trevor Lawrence seemed rejuvenated after an injury-plagued 2024, finishing fifth in MVP voting and throwing a career-high 29 touchdowns. The defense, fueled by edge rushers Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker and linebacker Foyesade Oluokun, ranked among the league’s best, forcing the second-most turnovers in football.
But as training camp opens, there’s reason to be doubtful. Last season ended without a playoff win with Lawrence throwing an interception — he also set a career high with 12 picks — to start the final drive. Two of the biggest members of that ball-hawking defense, Devin Lloyd and Andrew Wingard, left in free agency. And a whopping 10 draft picks didn’t produce near the type of star power that Travis Hunter did the year prior (how he plays after knee surgery and a switch to primary cornerback will determine the Jags’ fate).
That paired with the perceived ascent of the other AFC powers, including the division-rival Houston Texans, led to tepid projections around the Jaguars’ chances in 2026. ESPN’s Football Power Index pegged them as the No. 17 team in the NFL, while BetMGM gives them +1300 odds to reach their first Super Bowl, ninth in the 16-team AFC.
To the rapid fans in “DUUUVAL,” that just means plenty of chances to prove the haters wrong. The front end of the schedule offers plenty of opportunities to generate buzz around the Jags, with games against the Broncos and Patriots — the two teams that played for the conference’s Super Bowl spot — in Weeks 2 and 3. Unfortunately, Jacksonville won’t get to host Houston this year, as the presumed battle for division supremacy will begin in London.
There are about three weeks until the Jags play in their first preseason game. Here’s a look at the schedule, as well as the Jaguars’ roster to open the 2026 season.
Jaguars preseason schedule 2026
All times Eastern.
Jaguars schedule 2026
All times Eastern.
Jaguars roster
Here’s a look at the Jaguars’ potential depth chart, according to Ourlads. Players added from last year’s team are marked with how they arrived in Jacksonville.
Offense
Defense
Special teams
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: As training camp opens, how much can Jaguars fans hope for in 2026?
Reporting by Dan Rorabaugh, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida / Florida Times-Union
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Dan Rorabaugh, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida | USA TODAY Network
