There were many reasons the Jacksonville Jaguars finished 4-13 last season. One of their biggest ones was their dearth of playmakers and depth. That's why it wasn't particularly shocking to see the team's brass bolster as many position groups as possible in free agency and the draft.
While many returning players are still slated to start, plenty of newcomers will have a chance to seize featured roles in 2025. These five, in particular, are ready to shake up their roster at Organized Team Activities.
Fred Johnson, Jaguars offensive tackle
Having already signed a couple starters and a pair of depth pieces in the early stages of free agency, the Jags proceeded to ink Fred Johnson in the second wave. The move was a bit shocking when you take into account that Jacksonville had already had a swing tackle in Cole Van Lanen, who's returning on a one-year tender.
Having said that, Johnson could challenge Walker Little for the starting job at left tackle. He's never held the position full-time but fared well when he filled in for Jordan Mailata during the Philadelphia Eagles' Super Bowl run.
If Johnson isn't able to beat Little, he will, at worst, have the chance to be the primary backup at offensive tackle next season.
Danny Striggow, Jaguars edge rusher
The Jaguars didn't add a pass rush in the first wave of free agency, choosing to wait for the draft to add one. But it wasn't until Round 6 that they took Jalen McLeod. Then again, he was a standup linebacker at Auburn, so there's a chance he'll play in a two-point stance with the Jags.
Following the draft, though, the Jags locked up veteran Emmanuel Ogbah. He should be the No. 3 in their rotation behind Travon Walker and Josh Hines-Allen, but the rest of the depth chart remains a work in progress. Enter Danny Striggow.
After a promising collegiate career at Minnesota, Striggow was a last-minute addition to the Senior Bowl roster. There, he garnered interest from several teams, but not enough to get his name called on Draft Day. The silver lining is that he didn't have to wait much time in the aftermath, as Jacksonville swooped in and signed him as a free agent.
Having logged a combined 11 sacks the past two years, Striggow has plenty of upside. In Jacksonville, he'll need to beat sophomore Myles Cole and third-year pro Yasir Abdullah. Given that there's a new regime in place, all three should be on equal footing. If that's the case, the former Minnesota Gopher should have a legitimate shot at making the team.
Caleb Ransaw, Jaguars defensive back
After trading up for two-way star Travis Hunter on Day 1 of this year's draft, the team's brass turned its attention to other areas of the defense in the later rounds. And with the 88th overall pick, the Jags selected Caleb Ransaw.
Surprisingly, Jacksonville plans to play Ransaw at safety despite the fact that he mostly lined up at corner, both inside and outside, at Tulane. General manager James Gladstone cited his tackling skills as one of the biggest reasons. Couple that with his ability to drop in coverage, and the Harvest, Alabama native should be able to make the transition. That said, he'll have an uphill battle to earn snaps in 2025.
Free-agent acquisition Eric Murray has one roster spot virtually locked up. Ransaw will need to compete with incumbent Darnell Savage, third-year pro Antonio Johnson, and even Andrew Wingard for the other one. Regardless of how things will play out, it's fair to assume that adding the former Green Way to the mix will affect both Johnson and Wingard.
Jonah Monheim, Jaguars center
It isn't often that you expect a seventh-round pick to make an impact, but that's the situation Jonah Monheim currently finds himself in. Conversely, his selection shows how badly the Jags needed depth in the interior trenches. Sure, the front office signed Robert Hainsey to start at center, but projected backup Luke Fortner has left much to be desired the past three years.
Monheim could compete for the No. 2 job behind Hainsey, and if he loses, he could keep working on his craft, and once again in 2025, when Forter is slated to become a free agent. Either way, the former USC Trojan should put Fortner on alert.
Quintin Morris, Jaguars tight end
The Jaguars paved the way for Brenton Strange to be TE1 in 2025 when they moved on from Evan Engram earlier this year. They then double down in their stance when they added Hunter Long and Johnny Mundt in free agency. Both can be thrust into action if needed but will mostly see time as blockers.
Once it looked like the Jags were set at tight end, they signed Quintin Morris in May. He isn't much of a pass catcher, and like Mundt and Hunter, he's mostly been a blocker throughout his career.
Now, Morris is by no means a threat to Strange, but could make either Mundt or Hunter a victim of the numbers game ahead of roster cutdown day.
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