Will the Jacksonville Jaguars finally break through and win their first major NFL award in 2026?
For a franchise that has spent plenty of time getting dismissed, the Jaguars still have one glaring omission on their résumé: they are the only NFL team without a major Associated Press regular-season individual award.
That stands out even more because Jacksonville has long been an easy target. The Jaguars rank 28th in market size and 30th in winning percentage among active NFL teams, and they’ve been mocked for everything from hosting a Super Bowl to being treated like a possible London team, or even a franchise on the verge of disappearing altogether.
The result is a team that isn’t just overlooked. In the eyes of many, it’s disliked.
Talent has been part of the problem, of course. Jacksonville has had a tough time landing blue-chip players since the 1995 expansion draft.
Still, there are cases that feel hard to ignore. Maurice Jones-Drew had a strong argument for Offensive Player of the Year in 2011.
Calais Campbell could have taken Defensive Player of the Year in 2017. And last year, Liam Coen had a case for Coach of the Year.
So while the Jaguars haven’t had much to celebrate in terms of major individual honors, it’s fair to ask whether that changes now.
There is at least some reason for optimism. According to FanDuel Sportsbook, four Jaguars are listed at better than 50-1 to win an award this season. That doesn’t make them favorites, but it does mean they’re in the conversation rather than buried in the long-shot pile.
Hines-Allen may have the best shot at delivering the kind of season that turns heads, though the national voting crowd could easily lean toward defenders on the Los Angeles Rams and/or Houston Texans. Lawrence faces a different hurdle: he could pile up more passing yards and touchdowns than anyone else and still miss out if he doesn’t get the right narrative support.
And that’s the catch for Jacksonville. If a Jaguar is going to bring home one of these awards, the team probably needs to lock down the AFC’s No. 1 seed and do it in unmistakable fashion during the regular season. It’s not exactly fair, but that’s the bar.
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These Jaguars Will Decide How Far Jacksonville Really Goes
Trevor Lawrence remains the center of everything Jacksonville wants to do, but the list of players who can steer the Jaguars in 2026 stretches well beyond the quarterback. On defense, Travon Walker and Josh Hines-Allen are still the edge rushers who can tilt games, while Travis Hunters expanding role at cornerback gives the secondary a different kind of ceiling. Add the changes up front, where rookie Emmanuel Pregnon steps into the conversation and Anton Harrison moves to left tackle, and it is clear this roster is being built around a few players whose growth will shape the entire season.
Antonio Johnson is another name worth watching because the Jaguars are asking for more from him in the back end. The theme here is pretty simple: Jacksonville has enough talent to matter, but the gap between being competitive and being a real threat will come down to whether this group delivers in bigger roles, with Lawrence, the pass rush, and the rebuilt line all carrying extra weight. [Read more 🡒]
Jaguars Face A Familiar Jared Verse Problem In Week 1
A familiar pass-rush problem is waiting for Jacksonville in Week 1, and this time it comes with a new uniform. Jared Verse, now with the Browns after being dealt by the Rams in the Myles Garrett package, is set to make his debut against the Jaguars, a matchup that brings back memories of how disruptive he can be when he gets downhill and starts winning off the edge.
Liam Coen has already had a chance to study Verses style, and the Jaguars know the challenge is not just the name on the back of the jersey. Verse has given Jacksonville trouble before, and with Cleveland building its opener around a player who can tilt protection plans on his own, the Jaguars will have to be ready from the first snap or risk seeing an old problem show up in a new place. [Read more 🡒]
Jaguars Enter Week 1 With A National Doubt Fans Will Notice
A fresh round of preseason power rankings has offered an early read on where the Jaguars stand as they head into their 2026 opener against the Cleveland Browns, and the picture is anything but uniform. Around the league, several analysts have weighed Jacksonville anywhere from near the top of the board to the middle of the pack, a spread that says as much about outside uncertainty as it does about the team itself.
For a roster that kept most of its core and coaching staff intact, the divergence is notable. Some rankings lean into the upside of Trevor Lawrence, Travis Hunter and Liam Coen, while others sound more cautious about the offensive line and the impact of offseason departures, leaving the Jaguars in a familiar spot: viewed as talented, but still something of a test case once Week 1 actually kicks off. [Read more 🡒]