Brunell will still be handing the ball to running back Fred Taylor and he is blessed with a nice set of receivers. Jimmy Smith is one of the most dangerous wide receivers in the league, although there are concerns about his health. Smith spent 35 days in the hospital due to intestinal surgery and complications, but he claims to be completely healthy and is back at his normal playing weight. Keenan McCardell is also a solid play maker, and free-agent acquisition Sean Dawkins will fit in nicely.

The biggest concern for the Jaguars is the offensive line. Jacksonville was forced into many salary cap cuts, and several came on the offensive line. Gone are tackles Leon Searcy and Todd Fordham, guard Brenden Stai, and center Quentin Neujahr. On top of all of these cuts, John Wade, who was expected to start at guard or center, underwent surgery on his fractured right foot on June 25th and may be lost for the season. Fullback Daimon Shelton was also a salary cap casualty.

The Jaguars used their first draft pick to select defensive tackle Marcus Stroud from Georgia. Stroud is a huge tackle that will see plenty of playing time this season and should be good run-stuffer and a solid contributor. The Jags are also very high on third-round pick Eric Westmoreland. He is a linebacker out of Tennessee, and they are expecting him to be the starter at outside linebacker.

The Jaguars also have a pair of emerging safeties in Donovin Darius and Mike Logan. Darius was second on the team in tackles last season with 71, Logan was fourth with 48, and each registered two interceptions.

Overview

The Jaguars' offense could rank among the best in the league if the linemen can keep the opposition out of the backfield. If they fail to open holes for Fred Taylor or can't keep defensive linemen out of Brunell's face, they will not be very successful at sustaining a drive for any considerable length of time. They also need Jimmy Smith to stay healthy and continue to spark the Jags' passing game.

The Jaguars had a big turnover on their roster, which can be attributed somewhat to big salary cap problems, but they did keep the nucleus of the team together. I think the Jaguars have a lot to prove to the NFL this season, and they will rebound nicely from a disappointing 2000 season to compete for a playoff spot in 2001.