The dust has settled on the 2025 season, and if you’re like me, that 27-24 Wild Card loss to the Bills is still stuck in your craw. Going 13-4 and snatching the AFC South crown was sweet, especially in Liam Coen’s debut year, but crashing out at home in the first round? That leaves a mark.
But here’s the reality check: The window is wide open. Trevor Lawrence just posted a franchise-record 38 touchdowns. The culture shift we talked about all last offseason? It’s real. Now comes the hard part—keeping the band together while tweaking the roster enough to get over the Divisional Round hump.
Here is your exclusive Florida Football Insiders 2026 preview and projection.
Coaching Carousel: Stability Rules
For the first time in what feels like a decade, we aren’t learning a new playbook. The biggest win of the offseason happened in January when OC Grant Udinski and DC Anthony Campanile agreed to return despite sniffing around head coaching gigs.
That said, Coen isn’t resting on his laurels. The additions of Mathieu Araujo (Defensive Pass Game Coordinator) and Brian Picucci (Run Game Coordinator) are tactical upgrades. Araujo’s work with the Dolphins’ secondary suggests we are going to see more aggressive press-man coverage next year, which fits the personnel we are trying to build.
The “Unsigned” List: Tough Decisions Ahead
General Manager James Gladstone has his work cut out for him with barely $9M in projected cap space.
- Travis Etienne Jr. (RB): He is the engine, but paying running backs is always a gamble. Expect a franchise tag or a heavy incentive-laden deal. Losing him changes the entire offense.
- Devin Lloyd (LB): He was an interception machine last year (5 picks!), but his price tag is skyrocketing. I expect the Jags to try and retain him, but he might test the market if the numbers don’t align.
- Greg Newsome (CB) & Andrew Wingard (S): Solid contributors, but in a cap-crunch year, they might be luxuries we can’t afford.
What’s Needed: The Shopping List
- A Closer on the Edge: We have run stoppers. We were #1 in run defense for a reason. But against Josh Allen in the playoffs? We couldn’t get home. We need a pure pass-rush specialist who can win 1-on-1s when Travon Walker is double-teamed.
- Cornerback Depth: With potential departures in the secondary, we need youth and speed on the perimeter.
- Interior OL: Keeping Trevor upright is non-negotiable. We need a guard who can pull and fit Coen’s zone-blocking scheme better than our current rotation.
Trade Bait & Cap Casualties
To make money, you have to move money. Here is who I think could be on the block:
- Patrick Mekari (RG): Reliable, but expensive ($8.2M savings). If the staff trusts the young guys, he’s gone.
- Walker Little (LT): He has talent, but he hasn’t locked down a spot. A tackle-needy team might flip a mid-round pick for him.
- The “Hot Take” Rumor: There is chatter about dealing WR Brian Thomas Jr. to package for a superstar defender. I don’t buy it yet—you don’t rob Peter (the offense) to pay Paul (the defense)—but if the right offer comes along, Gladstone might blink.
Trade Possibilities: The Dream Scenario
If we are swinging for the fences? Maxx Crosby. Rumors out of Vegas are that he is unhappy. Pairing him with Hines-Allen and Walker would give Jacksonville the most terrifying front seven in football. It would cost a fortune (likely involving future picks and a player like Thomas Jr.), but that is the kind of move that wins Super Bowls.
2026 Draft Outlook: Winning on Day 2
Remember, we don’t have a 1st Round pick (thank you, Travis Hunter trade—totally worth it). Our draft starts at No. 56. Gladstone has to hit doubles, not home runs here.
- Dontay Corleone (DT, Cincinnati): “The Godfather.” A massive interior presence who can collapse the pocket.
- Dillon Thieneman (S, Oregon): A ball-hawk safety who fits the new defensive coordinator’s aggressive style.
- Caleb Tiernan (OT, Northwestern): A developmental tackle who could step in if we move on from Little.
The FFI Prediction
The schedule is tougher in 2026, but the roster is more mature.
- Projection: 12-5 Record, 1st in AFC South.
- Playoff Prediction: This team feels like it’s building for an AFC Championship appearance. If the pass rush improves, book your tickets to the title game.
Matt Ryan is the lead analyst for Florida Football Insiders which is part of BookMakersReview. Follow him for real-time updates from the Miller Electric Center.
