Jaguars' Rivals Own Claim of NFL's Worst Skill Group

The worst skill group in football used to reside in Jacksonville, with the Jaguars' 2020 and 2021 offenses featuring units that could not support even the NFL's best quarterback and scheme.

That has not been the case for several years, but it does appear the mantle now belongs with an AFC South rival: the Tennessee Titans

According to a recent ranking from ESPN's Bill Barnwell on all 32 NFL skill units, the Titans have the worst collection of wide receivers, tight ends and running backs in the entire NFL -- while the Jaguars and the rest of the AFC South rank in the top-18.

For starters, Barnwell believes the Titans have a mostly pedestrian duo at running back with Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears.

"Tony Pollard looked better than he did while recovering from a fractured fibula with the Cowboys in 2023, but Tennessee's lead back ranked 20th out of the 23 players with at least 200 carries in success rate," he said.

"The receiving efficiency he showed in Dallas before the injury didn't come back, either, as he often was reduced to a safety valve. Tyjae Spears had a better success rate, but virtually no explosiveness; just two of Spears' 84 carries went for more than 12 yards. The hope will have to be that an improved offensive line and another year under legendary assistant coach Bill Callahan will unlock the run game."

As for their pass-catchers -- a group led by ex-Jaguars star Calvin Ridley -- it does not get much better.

"No. 1 pick Cam Ward's group of receivers are ... well-seasoned. Tyler Lockett, 32, was a cap casualty in Seattle whose numbers were way down during his final year with the Seahawks. He joins to link up with 30-year-old Calvin Ridley, who was better moving around the formation in Tennessee after being trapped on the outside in Jacksonville, but he dropped seven passes and wasn't always the reliable target a struggling group of quarterbacks needed," he said.

"Van Jefferson, a second-round pick in 2020, might be valued for his blocking and professionalism, but he has averaged 0.7 yards per route run over the past two seasons. This feels like a group where there could be three new starters in 2026."

In short, the Titans are likely a year away from being a year away from a good offensive skill group.