JACKSONVILLE – The looong wait is over, with the real stuff now at hand.
After an offseason of staff additions and free-agent acquisitions, the Jaguars open the 2024 regular season against the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla., Sunday.
This is a Sunshine opener with a high-profile feel.
It’s a matchup of AFC contenders with postseason hopes – and a matchup of young quarterbacks with potential to be among the league’s best.
Both teams have had winning records the last two seasons, with the Dolphins a wild-card team each seasons and the Jaguars winning the AFC South in 2022 before missing the postseason on the final game of the 2023 regular season.
They’re two teams that have been good recently, with each now wanting to take a step toward being great.
Quarterback is a storyline for each franchise, with both starters – Trevor Lawrence of the Jaguars and Tua Tagovailoa of the Dolphins – signing long-term contract extensions this past offseason. Both have been good, and both must continue developing to fulfill expectations.
It’s also a matchup of teams with new defensive coordinators, former Atlanta Falcons defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen for the Jaguars and former Baltimore Ravens defensive line coach Anthony Weaver for the Dolphins.
The Jaguars in the offseason added free agents such as defensive lineman Arik Armstead (San Francisco 49ers), wide receiver Gabe Davis (Buffalo Bills), center Mitch Morse (Bills), safety/cornerback Darnell Savage (Green Bay Packers), cornerback Ronald Darby (Baltimore Ravens) and wide receiver/returner Devin Duvernay (Ravens). The objective: to not only add talent, but to add playoff experience to what was a young team that couldn’t quite finish after a strong start.
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