RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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See the full story · 1 sourcesThe Jacksonville Jaguars got a lot of attention for drafting two tight ends in this year's NFL Draft, which has led to widespread speculation that the team will be transitioning to more 12 and 13 personnel packages.
On the surface, this makes sense; 12 personnel is being increasingly used across the NFL, with heavy personnel packages seemingly being favored as a response to defensive tendencies. However, analysts predicting the Jaguars are jumping on this bandwagon may regret that assumption.
In a recent appearance on the 'Brent & Austen Show,' head coach Liam Coen emphasized the importance of flexibility on offense, reiterating what their main offensive identity will be. Jacksonville has one of the strongest wide receiver rooms in the NFL, consisting of Brian Thomas Jr., Parker Washington, Jakobi Meyers, and Travis Hunter, and there are high expectations for that group going into 2026.
"Any given Sunday, any of those guys can get 100 yards receiving," Austen Lane said. "I don't think a lot of NFL teams can really say that in four guys. So the question for you, then, is how come I keep hearing 12 and 13 personnel if you have wide receivers, and a quarterback in Trevor Lawrence who can obviously give them the football?"
“We want respect.” - Liam Coen on Brent and Austen https://t.co/B0nwwShXTf
— Action Sports Jax (@ActionSportsJax) July 27, 2026 "It's going to always be a balance," Coen responded. "It's always going to be players over plays. We have a philosophy, an identity, but at the end of the day, we're going to play the best 11, right? And so, we're never going to live in just one personnel grouping. That's just — you become a little bit too predictable. You want to be able to see different defensive structures at times, whether it's in nickel or base defense. Some of those different personnel groupings elicit maybe structures you want to see more of, or less of. So each week will always be a little bit different. Right now, we're still an 11 and 12 personnel team. That's why we drafted with tight ends, was to continue to elevate that room, continue to get better players in there in competition, and be able to sprinkle heavier packages in just like everybody else is. So, our best players and skill players, are still those wideouts, in a lot of ways, so we got to get them the ball."
There's no denying the heavier personnel packages will occasionally come into play, but drafting Nate Boerkircher and Tanner Koziol does not mean the Jaguars' offensive identity is changing. Both tight ends are expected to elevate the offense and give it more versatility, and give Jacksonville more of an opportunity to keep defenses guessing.
While the Jaguars will use heavier groupings to influence defensive structures and exploit weekly matchups, much of the talent on offense remains at wide receiver, and those players will continue to be featured.
This article originally appeared on Jaguars Wire: Liam Coen pushes back on Jaguars personnel narrative
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