After a challenging 2023 season, the Jacksonville Jaguars are showing confidence in quarterback Luke Fortner.
It's no secret that the Jaguars had a tough season, ultimately finishing 9-8 and out of the playoffs after a promising run in the divisional round last year. There are plenty of areas of improvement that can be identified, but many point to the offensive line as a major area of concern. Center Luke Fortner has been a source of frustration for many members of Jaguar Nation and seems to embody the issues plaguing the offensive line.
According to ESPN, the Jaguars had the lowest average yards per carry at 1.7 on third-and-short plays last year, making them the worst team in football in this category. Fortner being the center of the offensive line gets a lot of blame. He has a stature built for the NFL, standing at 6-foot-6 and 307 pounds. But the problem appears not to be his physical gifts, but rather the skills needed to play the position at a high level in the world's most competitive football league.
While some have been nervous about Fortner, it appears the Jaguars still have faith in the Kentucky Wildcat product. Jaguars general manager Trent Baalke explained in a quote obtained by Jacksonville.com that he believes the problem does not lie solely with Fortner.
“I really believe in Luke as a guy who has what it takes to play that position and play it well. And he's showing signs of doing that. This wasn't necessarily an issue with one player. This was a systemic issue. So when you look at all areas, the things that I talked about about getting back to Fundamentals, getting back into three-point positions, getting off the ball, forming an identity. All those things, we have to do better.
Even in his support of Fortner, Baalke still believes a sense of healthy competition could do wonders to light a young Jaguar on fire.
“We also have to look at how to make this situation more competitive. Guys get nervous when the guy behind them every day is pushing them into the starting role. Iron sharpens iron. So, you have to make these rooms as competitive as possible, whether that's through the draft or With free agency, we've got to attack that to make these rooms as competitive as possible so that the guy who's always starting feels like that. Pressure from the guy behind him.”
