Jacksonville Jaguars 2024 Special Teams Preview: New Returner, New Kicker

The Jaguars returned and covered kicks well during the preseason, with rookie kicker Cam Little being accurate and showing off his strong legs

The Jacksonville Jaguars shouldn’t have any major concerns about their special teams — other than having to adjust to the NFL’s new kickoff rules.

This despite the fact that the kicker is a novice.

That’s despite injuries to two veteran tight ends, Andrew Wingard and Daniel Thomas. Additionally, rookie quarterback Keilan Robinson, who was drafted to have an impact on the return game and tight ends, missed most of training camp with a toe injury and is still not at full strength.

This is despite the unknowns surrounding kickoff rules, but the Jaguars can rest assured that every team will face the same dilemma at the start of the regular season.

“There are so many unknowns,” special teams coordinator Heath Farwell said early in training camp. “We think we have a good idea of what to expect, but it’s not perfect. I think there’s going to be some great coaches who have been doing this a long time and come up with some great schemes and ideas. Hopefully, we’ll come up with some of those great ideas, too.”

The Jaguars ranked ninth in the NFL in 2023, according to Rick Gosselin’s special teams rankings. In addition to Logan Cooke ranking fourth in the league in net punting (43.8 yards per attempt), the Jags allowed just 21.5 yards on kickoff returns and 7.0 yards on punt returns.

There is no indication that they will not be just as effective, if not better, in 2024.

Who’s new on special teams?

Cam Little was drafted in the sixth round after the Jaguars parted ways with Brandon McManus and has performed well in training camp and the three preseason games (making 6 of 7 field goal attempts and all six of his conversion attempts). His full impact won’t be known until the regular season begins, but he’s done everything he could during camp.

Devin Duvernay was signed as a free agent to replace Jamal Agnew. In four years in Baltimore, Duvernay averaged 24.8 yards on kickoff returns and 12.8 yards on punt returns, and had two kickoff returns for touchdowns. He is bigger than Agnew and could be faster.

In coverage, the Jags will have to adjust to the absence of Wingard and Thomas if they are not available at the start of the regular season. But Farwell said the overall improvement in athleticism and speed across the roster will give him a variety of options, including safety Antonio Johnson and rookie Jarrian Jones.

Other reliable four-base special teams players such as Caleb Johnson and Tim Jones also return.

“I think this is one of the best groups of shooters I’ve ever had,” Farwell said during training camp, before Thomas’ injury. “We’ve got a group of guys from top to bottom that are doing a really, really good job.”

How much will the Jaguars special teams improve in 2024?

Much depends on how the team handles comebacks and defense under the new rules.

But the preseason looked promising. The Jaguars were the only team in the NFL to finish in the top 11 in both categories, leading the league in kickoff return average (34.7 yards) and finishing 11th in kickoff return defense (allowing 24.9 yards). Parker Washington had the second-longest return of the season with 73 yards, and Tank Bigsby was sixth with 49.

Little seems to be a master at kicking the ball from the corners of the pitch.

Farwell prepared his team to navigate the new rules in the preseason opener against Kansas City. While the Chiefs had two huge turnovers and allowed a safety on a kickoff-rebounding fumble into the end zone, the Jaguars made plays and played smartly.

What is the biggest question for special teams heading into the 2024 season?

Of course, it’s about how well the rookie kicker plays when the games count. Little has made more than 80 percent of his field goal attempts in camp and the preseason and connected on 73 percent from 50 yards or longer. But can he do it when it matters most?

The Jaguars also need to find replacements for Wingard and Daniel Thomas on the defensive end in case their injuries carry over into the regular season (which will likely be the case for Wingard).

Duvernay, Washington and Bigsby are a good group of returners, but the Jaguars could use one or two big plays — there hasn’t been a kickoff or punt return that resulted in a touchdown in the Pederson era.

Why Logan Cooke Will Be a Key Part of Special Teams in 2024

When it comes to a Jaguars player doing his job at a high level as often as possible, is there a better example since Cooke joined the team in 2018?

Two numbers stand out: Cooke is the NFL’s all-time leader in net punts (43.3) since the league began tracking the stat in 1976 and is fifth in NFL history in gross average (47.1) and has had just one blocked punt in 400 attempts. The Jaguars have never allowed a punt return for a touchdown when Cooke has been on the field.

Who is the unsung hero of the Jaguars special teams?

That would be five-year starter Ross Matiscik, who successfully performed his duties of kicking, field goal attempts and field goal attempts 485 times without making a single error.

Matiscik, a former linebacker at Baylor, also throws the ball and then covers the field. He joined Josh Hines-Allen and Evan Engram in the Pro Bowl games last year.