5 Things the Jacksonville Jaguars Must Do Well in 2016

The Jacksonville Jaguars upgraded their defense via free agency and the draft. Now the expectation is that the upgraded defense will complement an explosive offense and lead the Jaguars to the playoffs.

The winds of change are blowing through Jacksonville. For the first time since the days of Tom Coughlin, Mark Brunell, Jimmy Smith and Keenan McCardell, there is genuine excitement in Jacksonville.

Thanks to the addition of several high-profile free agents to go along with rookies Jalen Ramsey and Myles Jack, the Jags having the makings of a championship-caliber defense.

Head coach Gus Bradley is under enormous pressure to deliver. Owner Shad Khan has been patient with Bradley and general manager David Caldwell, but they need to reward Khan’s patience with a successful season.

Here are five things the Jaguars must do well in 2016 in order to make the playoffs.

1. Build An Elite Defense: The pieces are in place for Bradley and his staff to build an elite defense. Jacksonville focused on rebuilding the defense this off-season, signing defensive end Malik Jackson, free safety Tashaun Gipson and cornerback Prince Amukamara. The Jaguars then drafted cornerback Jalen Ramsey and outside linebacker Myles Jack with their first two picks in the draft. Bradley employs a 4-3 Cover 2 base defense similar to the Seattle Seahawks. It’s all about generating pressure with the front four and covering with big corners and physical safeties. Bradley has those pieces in place now, and he can play the way he wants to defensively.

Apr 28, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; Jalen Ramsey (Florida State) with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell after being selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars as the number five overall pick in the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft at Auditorium Theatre. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports /

2. Don’t Become One Dimensional: On the surface, it looks like the Jags are going to turn into the Seahawks of the south. They’ll pound the ball on the ground and play physical defense. The only problem with that is the Jaguars have a budding star in Blake Bortles and the best receiving tandem in the league in Allen Robinson and Allen Hurns. Factor in Julius Thomas, and you can see why it would behoove the Jaguars to be a more balanced offense. Grounding and pounding and playing good defense is good in theory but not when you have the type of talent the Jaguars do.

3. Get More Out Julius Thomas: The Jaguars gave Thomas big money to become their go-to receiver prior to last season. Thomas struggled out of the gate due to injuries and inconsistency. He bounced back in the second half of the season and finished strong. Thomas needs to pick up where he left off. The Jaguars will rely on him to create one-on-one matchups that they can take advantage of. Thomas need to be more than just a complement to Robinson and Hurns.

4. Take the Reigns Off of Bortles: It’s year three for Blake Bortles, and it’s time to take the reigns off and let him play. Bortles proved last season that he has the physical tools to excel in the Jaguars offense. He threw for plenty of yards and touchdown passes. If the Jaguars are going to make a run at a playoff birth, it’s going to start with Bortles. It doesn’t matter who the Jags signed or drafted; they’ll go as Bortles goes.

More nfl spin zone: Are the Jaguars this year's surprise contenders?

5. Generate More Turnovers: If the Jaguars are going to play defense like the Seahawks do, they need to generate more turnovers. Jacksonville doesn’t blitz a lo,t so they will be relying on their front four to get consistent pressure. If they do, it could lead to more turnovers. If they don’t, the Jags will struggle to generate turnovers. Having Tashaun Gipson on the back end helps.

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