Will Jaguars Take Advantage of Titans' Sinking Skills?

With a new regime and exciting new imported talent, the Jacksonville Jaguars are going into the 2025 season with hope and faith. The Tennessee Titans have the same emotions, as well. But both teams still have a long way to go, and the difference between staying in the basement and making a big move upward could be the skill players.

At the skill positions, the "Big Cats" should be north of fine, with QB and the pass catchers seemingly bright spots, with a wildcard RB room that offers optimism and intrigue. The Titans, in turn, had the No. 1 pick in the draft in Cam Ward, a decent running game and a lot of long-in-the tooth vets tasked with catching passes.

In ESPN's Ranking of NFL WR, TE, RB groups for 2025 written by Bill Barnwell, the Titans held a last-place ranking in the division and overall, as well, dropping 13 spots from the year before. The Jaguars were rated at No. 18 overall, 14 spots ahead.

"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. The receiving efficiency he showed in Dallas before the injury didn't come back, either, as he often was reduced to a safety valve," Barnwell wrote.

"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."

QB Cam Ward, the No. 1 overall pick in this year's selection process, represents the future, but to start, the gifted QB will be throwing to an older stable of pass catchers.

"No. 1 pick Cam Ward's group of receivers is... 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."

"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."

If the future in Nashville is Cam Ward, it might be on hold unless he gets some updated software to work with, just like what Liam Coen is installing in Jacksonville.

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