Off-Season Decisions from Non-Divisional Foes Jaguars Must Solve

We make decisions every single day. Some are bad, like buying a Zune over an iPod back in 2006 or bypassing Tom Brady in the 2000 NFL Draft.

But there are those good decisions, too. With players reporting to their respective training camps, PFF's piece, Every AFC team's best offseason decision listed all of the best choices made over the course of the past five-to-six months. Which one's made by the Jacksonville Jaguars Non-Divisional AFC combatants must Liam Coen, Travis Etienne, Travon Walker, and the team contend with?

"The Bengals overloaded heavily on offense by bringing back Tee Higgins, as he is the best WR2 in the game right now. In Week 2, the Jaguars are going to have to scheme heavily to neutralize Higgins and Ja'Marr Chase. But because of this move, money was not invested in the defense and the Jags may have to engage in a shootout."

"The team decided to award Higgins an extension after he earned the seventh-best PFF receiving grade in the league last season. Higgins is just as important to the Bengals’ success as Chase. As long as those two and Joe Burrow are healthy and on the field together, Cincinnati can beat anyone."

The Broncos have a pretty good defense, but with the moves that they made this offseason, with additional secondary weapons and a formidable front seven, it's like the 70s' "Orange Crush" defense and "The No-Fly Zone" of 2015 had a baby. The Jaguars are going to be pressed to get points, but with the Denver Offense still not lights out, this may have to be a pitchers duel.

"Early offseason speculation suggested that the Broncos would build around quarterback Bo Nix to create a more explosive offense. Instead, they sought to patch the remaining holes on their defense, which could be the best in the NFL next season."

"Dre Greenlaw, if healthy, could remedy last season’s struggles at linebacker. Talanoa Hufanga is an excellent box safety complement to Brandon Jones. First-round pick Jahdae Barron offers enough versatility to fill roles at outside cornerback or in the slot."

The Raiders have weapons, but they haven't had a quarterback to throw to them in a while. Drafting Ashton Jeanty was fantastic, but trading with Seattle for Geno Smith brings stability and passing intelligence to Vegas Football. In Week 9, the Jaguars will have to pay close attention to details, as Geno could hurt them if they make mental errors.

"The Raiders over the past three seasons rank 27th in PFF passing grade. Geno Smith spent that time recording the eighth-best PFF passing grade in the league. Las Vegas sent a third-round pick to acquire him, which seems like a no-brainer with that context. Smith gives the Raiders’ offense instant credibility, especially after the team surrounded him with multiple weapons in this year’s draft."

The Chargers must feel that they have enough to succeed now and spend a whole lot of cash in 2026. They are strong enough that their patience won't hurt them this year. With that, Jacksonville will just need to game plan for the same grind-it-out Jim Harbaugh offense as always, especially with Omarion Hampton in the mix.

"Some Chargers fans may have been frustrated with the team's patient approach this offseason, but Jim Harbaugh understands the value of building a sustainable future. The team didn’t make any exorbitant purchases in free agency and currently projects to have the most cap space in the NFL in the 2026 offseason."

"Given the success of their 2024 draft class, the Chargers should also be trusted with developing and properly utilizing this year’s group. Any number of their 2025 picks, including first-rounder Omarion Hampton, could be an immediate contributor to their success this season."

The New York Jets are a team that could use a complete transfusion in leadership, and they are attempting that with Aaron Glenn and a new staff. This is a move that might not pay off for a year or two. So, the Jaguars know what to expect with the Jets, play smart, don't get cute, and just unleash Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker.

"More than anything, the Jets needed to fix a moribund culture this offseason. The previous leadership regime, including quarterback Aaron Rodgers, never seemed to be on the same page."

"General manager Darren Mougey and head coach Aaron Glenn should be somewhat familiar with each other, as they’ve both worked in separate stints with Sean Payton. New York’s talented offensive line and defense may offer a quicker route to improvement than the Lions had to suffer through in the early stages of their rebuild."

For some reason, the Kansas City Chiefs were left off the list, but this week's extension of Guard Trey Smith has to be their best decision of the offseason

These choices made by the Jaguars' non-divisional opponents may or may not factor after kickoff when the teams line up for battle, but a show of strength will be a major step forward, and evidence that the brain trust is paying attention.

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