Jacksonville Jaguars: 5 Keys To Success In 2015

Dec 18, 2014; Jacksonville, FL, USA; General view of the line of scrimmage as Jacksonville Jaguars center Luke Bowanko (70) snaps the ball against the Tennessee Titans at EverBank Field. The Jaguars defeated the Titans 21-13. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

2. The offensive line must protect Bortles

This goes hand-in-hand with Bortles’s need to become more efficient. It will be hard for him to avoid turning the ball over if he finds himself on his back every snap, and it will be hard for the line to protect him if he is constantly looking for the big-play instead of settling for the consistent easy play.

Bortles struggled mightily under pressure in 2014. According to Pro Football Focus, he was the 35th best quarterback in the league when under pressure last year, throwing 0 touchdowns and 8 interceptions. Unfortunately, he was under pressure quite a lot.

He was the most sacked quarterback last season, going down 55 times as the Jaguars gave up a total of 71 sacks. He has shown an ability to get out of pressure, and a quickness on his feet, as he was fourth in the league in rushing among quarterbacks, with 419 yards. However, if he isn’t protected not only will he not be effective, but he’s likely to miss some time.

Just take a look at former No. 1 overall pick David Carr‘s career with the Houston Texans. Carr was sacked an average of 50 times a season with the Texans, and his career was short and unsuccessful. He now goes down as one of the biggest draft busts of all time, but most Texans fans will tell you it wasn’t because he wasn’t talented, but because his offensive line couldn’t keep him out of the dirt.

Luckily, the Jaguars have made some moves to help this in 2015. They signed tackle Jermey Parnell who started eight games with the Dallas Cowboys last season, contributing to probably the best line in football. Free-agent signee center Stefen Wisniewski is competing for the starting job at center, and regardless of the outcome, a competition should elevate the play of both players. Tackle Brennan Williams, also added this offseason, likely won’t compete as a starter but should add some depth to a position that previously lacked it.

The drafting of guard A.J. Cann in the third round of May’s NFL Draft was also a huge add, as he should contribute immediately this season:

"“He’s got the right mindset for what we’re looking for in a football player, so [the scouts] did an excellent job in evaluating the football player,” said offensive coordinator Greg Olson (per Mike Kaye of First Coast News)."

He too, should compete for a job, but even has a backup he adds crucial depth.

The other improvements should be in the form of developing young players. Two of the starters on the line last year were rookies, and the third played only five games his rookie year in 2013 before breaking his leg and missing the rest of the season.

Second year guard Brandon Linder and center Luke Bowanko should improve greatly after a full season and offseason under their belts, as they learn what it takes to play in the NFL. Similarly, former second overall pick Luke Joeckel has played only 21 games at tackle in his young career, and looks to improve even more in 2015.

Not only are these players an improvement, but there has been changes at the coaching position as well. New offensive coordinator Greg Olson should implement different schemes that will prevent edge-rushers from being blocked solely by backs or tight ends. Also, the addition of offensive line coach Doug Marrone should be an enormous help. The last time Marrone was an o-line coach was with the jets from 2002-2004 when he helped running back Curtis Martin to three straight 1,000 yard rushing seasons and only gave up an average of 31 sacks a year.

Marrone feels as though the line should be more effective in the upcoming season. He acknowledges that a lot of their struggles last year were due to inexperience (per John Oehser of Jaguars.com):

"“The way I went into that I said, ‘There’s a lot of young guys, you saw the mistakes that young people make and let’s make sure we build on that and not make the same mistakes.’”"

If the line can give Bortles time to make some plays, they should see some solid improvement as a team this year. It looks as though all of the young players are progressing, and if this pans out once the season starts, they should be looking at a much improved offensive line that can not only protect their quarterback but also pave the way for a running back.

Next: Running Backs