JACKSONVILLE – Jaguars experts – Frank Frangie, Brent Martineau, Kainani Stevens, John Oehser, Brian Sexton, John Shipley, J.P. Shadrick, Mark Duffner and Austen Lane – are breaking down the Jaguars as the 2026 NFL season approaches; today: Keys to improving on the 2025 AFC South Championship season

John Oehser, jaguars.com senior writer

• The key to improving on 2025 is: Interior pass rush and the running game. The Jaguars were a good pass rushing team and a good running team in 2025, but improving on a division title means going from good to great – and to do that, they must improve in these areas. Improving interior pass rush may be tricky because pass-rushing defensive tackles are a rare NFL commodity. But the Jaguars may be able to get some pressure here by moving end Travon Walker inside on passing downs – something they did to positive effects late last season. Key to improving the running game: The addition of veteran Chris Rodriguez Jr., who – while not as explosive as the departed Travis Etienne Jr. – is consistent and maximizes carries with yards after contact. The Jaguars may not have as many breakaway touchdowns as last season. But they could be a more reliable running game, which could make them a more consistent offense.

Mark Duffner, former longtime NFL/Jaguars assistant coach and Jaguars Media Analyst

• The key to improving on 2025 is: To stay healthy and remain hungry. They have unfinished business; there is "more meat on the bone." The Jaguars have a talented team that I think is on a mission based on their 2025 season experience. Protect and affect the quarterback.

Frank Frangie, Radio Voice of the Jaguars

• The key to improving on 2025 is: They must run better, particularly in short-yardage situations. The pass rush must improve. And they must handle expectations they didn't have to handle last season.

Austen Lane, former Jaguars defensive end and Jaguars Media Analyst

• The key to improving on 2025 is: Creating a more consistent running game. Defensively, it's about mastering complementary football and allowing the defensive line and secondary to work in sync.

Brent Martineau, Action Sports Jax Sports Director

• The key to improving on 2025 is: The running game. The Jaguars were 31^st in down-and-distance on third down last season. That was a product of poor run production on first and second downs. The Jaguars were 20th in the NFL last year in rushing offense, and that hasn't sat well inside Jags HQ. If the Jags get the run game going, they have a chance to be the most dynamic they have been offensively in 25 years.

Kainani Stevens, team reporter/producer

• The key to improving on 2025 is: To keep attacking. Coen has been clear with his staff and players that they are not "defending" anything and they must earn everything one game at a time. It is easy to forget the team is only one year into the "rebuild," and there's still much more to prove.

John Shipley, Jaguars Media correspondent

• The key to improving on 2025 is: The run game on both sides of the ball. The Jaguars' secondary will give them a chance to have a better pass defense, but that doesn't happen without them repeating their success in terms of run defense from a year ago. If they can control the line of scrimmage on offense, that would only open things up more for Head Coach Liam Coen and quarterback Trevor Lawrence. Win the trenches, and the Jaguars can win a lot of games.

Brian Sexton, jaguars.com senior correspondent

• The key to improving on 2025 is: The Jaguars can't think they can just take the field and pick up where they left off in 2025. This franchise hasn't been to the playoffs in consecutive seasons since 1998-1999 – and to break the 27-year streak, they must work as hard as they did last season when they were just learning how Coen worked and his expectations. If they can take what they learned last season but work as if they are starting over again, this team can be as good as there is in the AFC.

J.P. Shadrick, jaguars.com reporter/editor

• The key to improving on 2025 is: Starting well and staying healthy. The Jags last season were learning a lot - a new coach, new schemes on both sides of the ball, the quarterback learning everything, a new player playing both ways. There was just so much noise, and it took half a season for it to really settle in for the stretch run. If this team gets hot early, they should be able to just focus on dismantling the opponent instead of learning about themselves.