Magic 8 Ball predictions for the 2024 Jacksonville Jaguars
Doug Pederson.
Mattel's Magic 8 Ball has been predicting the future since 1946. We ran a few questions about the Jacksonville Jaguars by one, and there were mixed results.
For those unfamiliar with the concept, users ask yes–no questions to the ball, give it a shake and then turn it over to reveal the answer. We opted for an online version to ask the following:
Does Doug Pederson still have a job at the end of the year?
Magic 8 Ball says: You may rely on it
If you take away Pederson’s Super Bowl-winning season in 2017 with Philadelphia, he’s been a below-average NFL head coach (his record is 47-50-1 in all of his other seasons). But for some reason, he’s not considered on the hot seat after back-to-back 9-8 seasons with the Jaguars that produced zero playoff trips past the first round.
The beneficiary of having a good roster with a former No. 1 overall pick at quarterback, Pederson may be the third- or fourth-best coach in his own division. However, it wouldn’t be surprising if Jacksonville cruised to a 10-7 or better season and made the playoffs, and Pederson kept his job for another year.
Will Trevor Lawrence finally have a season worthy of his new contract?
Magic 8 Ball says: Without a doubt
It’s crazy to think that Lawrence will be making as much per year as Joe Burrow and more than Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson and Jalen Hurts despite having just one Pro Bowl season, a 20-30 record as a starter and having led the league in turnovers since his rookie year.
But after signing Gabriel Davis in free agency and drafting Brian Thomas Jr. in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, Lawrence has arguably a better receiving corps than a year ago with a healthy Christian Kirk and tight end Evan Engram. A hefty new contract may be just what Lawrence needs to incentivize him to up his game and prove everyone saying he hasn’t earned that payday wrong.
Do the Jaguars have a legit shot at winning the division?
Magic 8 Ball says: It is certain
If it weren’t for a late-season meltdown in which they lost five of their last six games, the Jaguars, who started the year 8-3, likely would have been division champs last season instead of watching the playoffs from home.
They have mostly the same roster coming back with a few upgrades (Thomas Jr., Arik Armstead, Maason Smith, Darnell Savage) and a possibly motivated Lawrence at QB. So it’s not crazy to think Jacksonville gives Houston a run for its money again this year.
Will losing Calvin Ridley have a negative impact on the offense?
Magic 8 Ball says: Better not to tell you now
Losing a player of Ridley’s caliber is never an easy pill to swallow, but the Jags did a solid job in replacing him with both Davis and Thomas Jr. Davis has tallied 27 touchdowns over the last four years, and his 16.7 yards per reception shows he’s a big play waiting to happen. Conversely, Thomas Jr. led the NCAA with 17 touchdown catches at LSU last season, and he averaged 17.3 yards per catch.
At 6-foot-4 and 205 pounds, Thomas Jr. has the size to win a lot of jump balls and be a true red-zone threat. Ridley’s catching ability on the boundaries coupled with his speed and route running will be tough to replace, as will his 76 catches, 1,016 yards and eight touchdowns from a year ago.
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