​After an offseason that drew relentless criticism and left many dismissing the Jacksonville Jaguars as true Super Bowl contenders, it now seems the team may finally be earning some respect. For months, the Jaguars endured a steady stream of negative coverage from national media, criticized for not being aggressive enough in free agency and accused of reaching for several picks in the 2026 NFL Draft. The backlash to their offseason moves seemed to obscure the fact that this is a team that went 13-4 last season, despite key players like wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. and edge rusher Travon Walker having down years, and despite rookie phenom Travis Hunter being limited to seven games before a knee injury cut his season short.
Quarterback Trevor Lawrence played the best football of his career, earning consideration as an MVP finalist for the first time. The Jaguars also made notable strides on defense under defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile, particularly in one of the league’s strongest performances against the run. And all of this progress occurred under Liam Coen in his first year as head coach, adding to the sense that the team had upward momentum.
Yet, despite these positives, ESPN’s Football Power Index still slotted Jacksonville 17th in its rankings, forecasting the Jaguars to finish 2026 with only nine wins and to end up behind the Houston Texans in the AFC South. In contrast, Gary Davenport of Bleacher Report is showing faith in Jacksonville, placing them eighth in his new NFL power rankings. Davenport acknowledges the Jaguars’ flaws but believes they remain Super Bowl contenders, driven by Lawrence’s ascent and the defense’s recent performance. He writes, “The Jacksonville Jaguars are a Super Bowl contender. Yes, you read that right.”
The Jaguars aren’t without issues, of course. Questions linger at running back after Travis Etienne Jr. departed in free agency, and the team needs a bounce-back year from Brian Thomas Jr. There’s also a need for Travis Hunter to take on a larger role as a cornerback in 2026, after spending much of his abbreviated rookie season at wide receiver, in a secondary that requires improvement. Nevertheless, Lawrence’s late-season surge last year provides a glimmer of optimism. Jacksonville finished eighth in points allowed and led the league in rush defense last season, closing the 2025 regular season with a 9-1 record after the bye week. If Coen can guide the team to another step forward in his second year as head coach, there is potential for real playoff impact.
Ultimately, the narrative seems to be shifting toward giving credit where it’s due. If Lawrence can maintain and build on the outstanding play he delivered in the latter half of last year, he stands a legitimate chance to secure his first MVP award and to establish himself as one of the league’s elite quarterbacks—not merely to boost search engine optimization for headlines, but to prove that the Jaguars’ 2026 outlook is grounded in genuine on-field capability.