5 questions facing the Jaguars in training camp

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After making a number of key additions in both free agency and the draft, the Jacksonville Jaguars appear headed in the right direction.

Despite the optimism surrounding the club, there are still plenty of uncertainties that will need to work out in Jacksonville's favor if the team is to complete the turnaround process and reach the playoffs for the first time since 2007.

Here are five questions the Jaguars face heading into training camp.

Will Blake Bortles progress?

Blake Bortles, coming off a fairly unimpressive rookie campaign, needs to take a step forward for the Jaguars to be competitive in 2015.

The 23-year-old certainly has the necessary talent to do so, and a much-improved supporting cast also puts him in a far more favorable situation going forward.

Allen Robinson, Marqise Lee, Allen Hurns, and Rashad Greene combine to give Bortles a talented young receiving corps to work with, and some improvements made on the offensive line should see him become substantially more comfortable in the pocket.

It's still early, but the Jaguars will be looking for signs that Bortles is the franchise-caliber quarterback they've long been without.

Has the offensive line become a strength?

After fielding one of the NFL's worst offensive lines in 2014, and essentially setting their rookie quarterback up for failure in doing so, the Jaguars made addressing the position a top offseason priority.

Free-agent additions Stefen Wisniewski and Jermey Parnell provide the unit with immediate upgrades at center and right tackle, while third-round rookie A.J. Cann should also challenge for one of the two guard spots fairly early on.

With those three potentially joining Luke Joeckel and Zane Beadles in the starting lineup, the group is shaping up to be stronger across the board.

Bortles will have to make improvements to his own game first and foremost, but this talented unit could easily be the foundation of a balanced offensive attack.

How will the Jaguars replace Fowler?

Upon joining the Jaguars as the third overall pick in this year's draft, Dante Fowler Jr. was set to fill a pressing need as the defense's primary edge-rusher.

But Fowler will miss his rookie season after tearing his ACL in his first practice, leaving the Jaguars scrambling to replace his expected production.

Veteran Chris Clemons is slated to start in Fowler's place heading into 2015, and although he's proven to be capable of applying consistent pressure off the edge, the lack of depth behind him presents a glaring issue.

With interior players representing the rest of the Jaguars' starting-level talent on the defesnive front, Clemons will need to maintain a high level of pass-rush production on the edge if the Jaguars are to improve against the pass this season.

Can Marks get healthy?

As the Jaguars' defense continues to move in the right direction, a healthy return of defensive tackle Sen'Derrick Marks is a key factor in the unit's potential for success this season.

A breakout star in 2014, Marks tallied 8.5 sacks across 16 games before suffering a torn ACL in the final contest of the regular season.

While all indications are that he's ahead of schedule and could have a chance to play Week 1, the Jaguars likely won't be looking to rush him back before he's capable of recapturing the same level of play.

Marks being able to do some on-field work during training camp would be a positive sign, and a healthy Marks could make the defensive tackle position the best on the roster.

Will the free-agent additions live up to the hype?

The Jaguars were among the NFL's most active teams in free agency this offseason, putting their surplus of salary cap space to good use by landing impact free agents in tight end Julius Thomas, defensive tackle Jared Odrick, and cornerback Davon House in addition to Wisniewski and Parnell.

The overall talent level of the roster is improved on paper, but there are endless examples of high-priced free agents not working out the way teams had hoped.

The free agents signed this offseason can either help the Jaguars take the next step, or end up holding the team back if it becomes apparent that their contracts don't fall in line with their production.

Either way, the Jaguars should have an idea of what they can expect from their new players when training camp kicks off at the end of the month.