The Jacksonville Jaguars in some regards disappointed during the 2023 season. Their late-season meltdown ultimately cost them the AFC South title and a playoff spot as they lost five out of their last six games.
Injuries to quarterback Trevor Lawrence certainly contributed to the team struggling late. He was playing through a multitude of issues, which led to some inconsistent performances after he looked to have turned a corner earlier in the season.
Heading into the 2024 offseason, one of the goals for the Jaguars should be to continue upgrading the offense around their franchise quarterback. Lawrence needs to work on his consistency, and putting more talent around him would certainly help.
NFL NEWS & RUMORS: Tee Higgins, Calvin Ridley, Cincinnati Bengals, 2024 NFL Free Agency, Jacksonville Jaguars Updates
One area they could have to make some changes is at wide receiver. Calvin Ridley is set to hit free agency and could be on the move. Not playing since the 2021 season because of injury and a suspension for gambling, Ridley put together a strong season.
The Jaguars should work to retain him, but there is always a chance they let him walk so that the draft compensation they have to send to the Atlanta Falcons to complete the trade is lessened. If Jacksonville does part ways with Ridley, they should immediately turn their sights to Tee Higgins.
The Cincinnati Bengals No. 2 receiver has everything a team wants in a No. 1 target. He is just stuck behind star Ja’Marr Chase, who is their clear-cut No. 1 option in the passing game. Potentially looking for the chance to be the guy and not second fiddle, Gordon McGuinness of PFF believes Higgins is the perfect player for the Jaguars to target.
“Styles win fights, but they also help round out passing attacks. And that’s exactly what Higgins would do in Jacksonville. Calvin Ridley saw 22 contested targets for the Jaguars in 2023, a facet in which Higgins has proven he can win as an NFL wideout. He caught 57.6% of his contested targets in 2022 and has proven himself to be a borderline No. 1 receiver when healthy,” wrote McGuinness.
NFL NEWS & RUMORS: Tee Higgins, Calvin Ridley, Cincinnati Bengals, 2024 NFL Free Agency, Jacksonville Jaguars Updates
Injuries led to Higgins putting together the least productive seasons of his four in the NFL. in 12 games, he caught only 42 passes for 656 yards and five touchdowns, which were all career lows.
That certainly doesn’t scream No. 1 receiver, but there were a lot of mouths to feed in Cincinnati. Moving onto a team such as the Jaguars and taking over as the No. 1 option at wide receiver would result in more opportunities to produce and put up numbers.
Pairing Higgins with Ridley would give Lawrence one of the better wide receiver duos to work with in the NFL. When you include tight end, Evan Engram, he may have the best pass-catching trio in the league. If Ridley does move on, Higgins makes for an excellent target as his replacement.
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