Mitch Morse kicks off the list at number 10

The Jacksonville Jaguars will begin their 2024 season against the Miami Dolphins on September 8, kicking off the 17-week campaign to make up for the mistakes of the 2023 season.

To make the 2024 season a success, the Jaguars will rely on a core group of players. Key players include players at key positions, new additions at struggling positions and more.

So who are the 10 Jaguars who will determine what kind of season Jacksonville has this year? We break down our list starting with number 10.

No. 10: Mitch Morse

There’s no questioning the importance of a center to an offensive line and an offense in general, but for the Jaguars the importance is certainly magnified heading into 2024. The Jaguars essentially benched 2022 third-round draft pick Luke Fortner this offseason after 36 straight starts, the biggest sign of change on an otherwise returning offensive line.

The Jaguars’ running game was one of the least effective in the NFL a year ago, with the Jaguars finishing 31st in yards per attempt, 24th in rushing yards per game, 30th in EPA/rushing play and 31st in rushing success rate. Fortner, who is a better pass blocker than a run blocker, was largely seen as a big reason the Jaguars struggled. And in Morse, the Jaguars are hoping for a resurgence of the running game.

Morse’s importance goes beyond simply helping the Jaguars in short-yardage and boosting Travis Etienne’s yards per carry. Morse will be paired with fourth-year quarterback Trevor Lawrence, who is still young and growing in the context of NFL franchise passers. Morse has previously played with young bigs like Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen, and he can help Lawrence improve just by his presence.

“Mitch is a cracker. A great leader, honestly. I think he’s a guy that, like I said before, has proven himself in this league. He’s a great player, he leads the right way,” Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence said in August. “What I love about him is his attitude. He’s not afraid to work. He’s not just a 10-year veteran coming in here like he doesn’t want to practice. He’s excited to get out there and practice. I love the way he leads guys. He communicates.”

With Morse being the only new starter on the Jaguars’ offensive line compared to last year, the pressure will be on the veteran center to get into a rhythm by Week 1. And if he does, the Jaguars might have been able to fill the biggest hole they had on their roster from last year.

“There are times when he wants to work a little harder on certain plays, and I’m like, man, he’s been throwing, who knows, millions of balls in his career. It’s little things, but he always wants to get better,” Lawrence said.

“The communication has been great, whether it’s here or in the meeting rooms. Obviously, our system is a little different than what they had in Buffalo, so there’s been a lot to communicate about and he’s done a great job. I love where we are, so I’m still working on that, but he’s been amazing and much needed on the front line as far as how he’s led. I think he’s been amazing.”