Which Jaguars Player Needs to Dominate Week 1 vs. Panthers?

Week 1 will also mark Liam Coen's debut as an NFL head coach. He and the Jaguars have garnered a lot of optimism due to his reputation as a brilliant offensive mind after his 2024 campaign as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' offensive coordinator. With the talent the Jaguars have on that side of the ball, Coen could unlock their full potential and field an impressive attack in Jacksonville.

However, this team needs to improve on the other side of the ball, as well. To do so, they've enlisted Defensive Coordinator Anthony Campanile and a host of new faces to overhaul a unit that finished in the bottom five for both points and yards allowed. They've also got some promising returning talent, though, including linebacker Devin Lloyd.

Devin Lloyd needs to prove himself in 2025

Since the Jacksonville Jaguars selected him in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft out of Utah, Devin Lloyd has gained a reputation for being a bit of an "empty stats" player. That suggests that while he consistently puts up strong box score numbers, he doesn't impact winning that much.

There's some truth behind that claim. Last season, he was the Jaguars' leading tackler, finishing 32nd in the NFL with 113 combined tackles in 16 games. However, his campaign earned him a PFF grade of only 76.7, which is deeply entrenched in the "good" category. That's strongly buoyed by his ability to track down ball carriers, too.

However, Jacksonville will need him to do much more than just rack up tackles after significant gains from the opposition. They'll need him to prove that he can be a force against passing games, fill gaps, and lead this defense as their "Mike." That all starts Week 1 against the Carolina Panthers and running back Chuba Hubbard.

The Jaguars elected not to pick up his fifth-year team option for next season, making him an unrestricted free agent at the end of the year. New general manager James Gladstone has shown a willingness to part ways with underwhelming talent from the past regime. Lloyd could become the next casualty if he doesn't earn his keep as a cornerstone for this defense this season.

Interestingly enough, Jacksonville listed him "or Ventrell Miller" as the starting middle linebacker for Week 1. Lloyd needs to take that as a warning. He needs to prove that he should be the unquestioned starter for this team and a building block for the Jaguars' defense moving forward. He'll have a great opportunity to do so versus the Panthers.