Reggie Nelson struggled badly last season

Are the safeties enough? They have faith in Gerald Alexander at strong safety, though he's not a guarantee to lock down a spot all season. But free safety is a huge issue. Reggie Nelson struggled badly last season with botched coverages and missed tackles and Anthony Smith  didn't do a lot to displace Nelson last year. Word is Reggie Nelson  has been better, but neither guy has made a big impression in practices I've seen so far.

They need the free safety to consistently play a reliable center field. And if he can't make a tackle, he at least has to hold the ball carrier up long enough for help to arrive.

With two games against Peyton Manning and two against Matt Schaub, if one of those guys can't provide help to corners Rashean Mathis and Derek Cox -- even if there is a vastly better pass rush -- the Jaguars could have some long AFC South afternoons.

They could look for an additional option on waivers.

With a 12-4 showing in 2005 and an 11-5 campaign in 2007, it looked like the Jacksonville Jaguars were on the verge of becoming an AFC power. But with back-to-back last place finishes in the AFC South, that no longer appears to be the case.

The Jaguars have plenty of room for improvement on both sides of the football. Last year, they ranked No. 24 in the NFL in scoring offense, averaging only 18.1 points per game. They also ranked No. 24 in scoring defense, giving up 23.8 points per game.

The defense must really step up if the Jags hope to dig their way out of the AFC South basement. But that will be no easy task when facing off against Peyton Manning, Matt Schaub and Chris Johnson a combined six times this season.

In this article, we'll take a brief look at both sides of the football. Then, I'll make my prediction on where I have the Jags finishing in their division.

They certainly have a large pool of candidates. Marcedes Lewis averaged 16.2 yards per catch last season, the best number in the league for a tight end, and another tight end, Zach Miller, is a potential big-play option.

Troy Williamson hasn't created buzz yet as he did last camp, but I still think they'd like him to secure the starting role opposite Sims-Walker because of his field-stretching speed. The three receivers from the 2009 draft -- Mike Thomas, Jarett Dillard and Tiquan Underwood -- are an intriguing pool. I anticipate Thomas can really grow into a nifty slot option.

They also like sixth-round pick Deji Karim from Southern Illinois, a quick back who could earn some touches and can win the kick return job. He'll probably have to get past Rashad Jennings to be a factor on offense, and I feel like they still like Jennings plenty too.