JACKSONVILLE – Senior writer John Oehser, senior correspondent Brian Sexton, team reporter Kainani Stevens and correspondent John Shipley offer quick thoughts on the Jaguars as they enter their 2026 Week 7 bye

Oehser …

1. Offensive MVP. The Jaguars are 4-2 in first place in the AFC South, so it makes sense there are multiple possibilities for most valuable offensive and defensive player entering their Week 7 bye. While wide receiver Parker Washington, and even tight end Brenton Strange and running back Bhayshul Tuten, are strong possibilities, the thought here is the best choice offensively is quarterback Trevor Lawrence – and that's a good thing. Lawrence, after throwing 29 touchdowns and nine interceptions last season, has thrown 14 touchdowns and four interceptions through six games. Head Coach Liam Coen praised Lawrence repeatedly speaking to the media on Monday in the wake of a last-play loss to the Houston Texans Sunday, and for good reason. Lawrence since last season's Week 8 bye has consistently been among the NFL's best quarterbacks – with the result being an earned confidence that the Jaguars at least will get very good play from the position and usually far better than that. There are many reasons the Jaguars are in position to contend for a deep playoff push. None of those reasons are more important than Lawrence.
2. Defensive MVP. As is the case offensively, there are multiple possibilities when discussing defensive MVP – with safety Antonio Johnson prominent among those names, and linebacker Ventrell Miller also playing strikingly well in his first six games as a clear, unquestioned NFL starter. But stopping the run consistently is the foundation of the Jaguars' defense – and nose tackle DaVon Hamilton has personified that elements while playing as well as any NFL player at his position this season. The Jaguars' defense has a few concerns entering the bye, stopping explosive plays and getting better timely pressure chief among them. But if they're consistently strong against the run, they have a chance each week to play good defense and Hamilton consistently gives them that chance.

Sexton…

1. Why would anybody panic about 4-2? We live in a world with too much noise, especially on social media. But despite social noise to the contrary, there is zero reason to "panic" just because the Jaguars lost in London and the defense had a bad day. "It's a football season for a reason, so there's going to be a lot of ups and downs," Jaguars safety Eric Murray said Monday, a day after 34-31 loss to the Houston Texans in London. "You can't get too caught up on, 'Oh, we wanted to win like this, or we wanted to do it this way.' It's, 'Do it and execute better.'" The Jaguars are no worse than the AFC's third best team, and I think they're one of the NFL's five best teams. I don't think the Jaguars will go 11-0 the rest of the season. I hope they can go 8-3, but even that seems like a tall order with primetime games in Baltimore and Dallas and a trip to Houston in December. Panic? Why? They're a good team that ran into a hot quarterback, and they were a play or two away from a win. My advice? Enjoy having one of the best teams in the NFL and expect them to be in the thick of the race from now until the playoffs start.
2. No Sauce for me, thank you. All the lists of players that people want the Jaguars to trade for is making my head swim. They sent a fourth- and a sixth-round pick to the Las Vegas Raiders last season for wide receiver Jakobi Meyers, who turned out to be the missing piece of the puzzle. He showed up and the passing game showed out the rest of the season. Meanwhile, in Indianapolis, the 8-1 Colts were surging and opted to bet the house on a cornerback, sending their 2026 and 2027 first-round picks to the New York Jets for Sauce Gardner. Gardner showed up and has been injured more than he has helped them win – and they have won just twice in 13 games since the ill-fated trade. Now, they don't have a first-round pick to use in a draft that will have quarterbacks they may need. So, no, I don't want the Jaguars swinging wildly between now and the November 10 trade deadline. How about the defensive version of Meyers, whether that's up front or in the secondary?

Stevens …

1. Time to rest and refocus. This bye week offers the Jaguars a brief respite from a daunting 18-week NFL schedule, an opportunity for players to get healthy and coaches to refocus for the remainder of the season. The Jaguars have been largely fortunate to avoid injuries so far this season, but the break should help defensive backs Antonio Johnson and Montaric Brown, who have both been battling injuries. The coaching staff can use this time to get back to the basics by going over situational football, which has played a major role in Jacksonville's last two games. I expect to see a more measured and detailed team when the Jags take the field again November 1 against the Colts.
2. The Jaguars will be buyers again. The NFL's November 10 trade deadline is quickly approaching, and I think Jaguars General Manager James Gladstone will be making calls about roster additions to help with a playoff run. Last year's deadline pickup of Meyers proved crucial to stabilizing Coen's offense and an eight-game season-ending winning streak soon followed. This year's addition will likely be on the defense as the secondary has been banged up and the pass rush lacks depth. While it may not come during the bye, I do some sort of addition before the deadline.

Shipley…

1. Lawrence has momentum. Lawrence has simply been rolling since the 2026 season began, and he is entering the bye week with a ton of momentum. His 14 touchdown passes are career-high through the first six games of the season and mark the first time he has thrown double-digit touchdowns in the first six weeks. Lawrence led the Jaguars back into the game against the Texans Sunday despite trailing by 10 entering the final quarter, and the Jaguars should feel like they are in every game. The Jaguars are in a good place in the passing game, maybe the best place it has been during Lawrence's career. He is playing at an MVP level for a second consecutive season with no signs of slowing.
2. What's next? With the flashes that wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter showed over the season's first six games – especially against the Texans – it is fair to wonder about the step in his development. He has made several game-changing plays so far this season – and in Week 6 against the Texans, he showed he can make those plays on both sides of the ball. Week 6 showed he can handle a full defensive load while still making an impact on offense, and now the Jaguars can really start to experiment with his two-way ability.