Will Einfalt
Social Media Manager and Betting Correspondent
No matter what team you cheer for, they are always going to make moves that make you unhappy or you just don’t understand. I am a Jacksonville Jaguars fan and just THREE years ago I found my team mere minutes away from the franchise's first super bowl appearance after a lifetime of overall terrible play and bad decisions. Everyone knows the story, the Jaguars were up 20-10 late in that game when the GOAT Tom Brady decimated our team over the final quarter like he has so many times before. Now after 3 years of more mediocrity, if you can even call it that, my team is in the process of another full rebuild. What remains on the team from three years ago? I can only think of one player on defense, Myles Jack, and a handful of offensive players mostly on our line. In my lifetime I have seen more rebuilds than I can even count and other than one phenomenal season, it really hasn't turned into anything.
Jacksonville fans have to be the most dedicated fans in the entire NFL. I mean we always suck. However a recent poll by SB Nation says just 26 percent of Jags fans are feeling confident and believe the team is headed in the right direction. Shad Khan is a very hands off owner and has relied on his front office to really elevate the team but that just has not happened. I’m sure every fan at one point has said that they could run a franchise and many of us have tried on Madden, but something (something, God please something) has to be done. Running an actual franchise is so much more difficult than any Madden player could ever imagine, but I have some suggestions that I hope can be implemented in the future.
Offseason moves the Jaguars should make:
Bring in an elite receiver.
Elite names in the NFL like Davante Adams, Chris Godwin and Allen Robinson are set to hit free agency next season and bringing one of those elite talents down to Duval County could really help Trevor Lawrence and the offense. A player with sure hands, elite route running, and separation would do wonders for the Jaguars. Drops have been an issue all year and when we run out Tavon Austin, Jamal Agnew and Laquon Treadwell you really can’t have faith as a fan in them being able to make plays. To be fair, Agnew has been a bright spot on our offense because of his versatility, but he is a gadget player who should be on the field for a couple snaps per game, not as a primary threat.These players are practice squad or special teams guys at best. Lastly the Jaguars need to re-sign DJ Chark as soon as possible even with his injury concerns because he is the best receiver on the field when healthy. It may be hard to bring free agents to Jacksonville and we might need to pay more than market price if we want to sign any of these players, but we have to try and field a competitive wide receiver room
Trade down in the draft.
The Jaguars currently own the third overall draft pick and it could even get even better by the end of the season. Trading down would allow the Jags to potentially get two elite talents for the price of one. This is a team with more holes on its roster than a golf course and we supposedly have our quarterback of the future, so we need to start filling in the roster around him. The Eagles could be a great trade candidate as they currently hold 3 first round picks (almost 10 percent of the round) and might be in the market for a quarterback. They may just want to see who falls to them, but if they really fall in love with a player the Jaguars would be in a position to capitalize on that to fill out this terrible, awful roster.
Beef up the offensive line
Jacksonville really has not tweaked or upgraded their offensive line in years and a move or two this offseason would do wonders allowing Trevor Lawrence more time in the pocket to show off the player he was billed as coming out of college. The line is aging and stacks up back-breaking penalties. The main cause for concern is left tackle, Cam Robinson who has been terrible these past couple seasons at getting in anyone’s way. He is the definition of a turnstyle and commits penalties above the league average. This could be fixed with drafting an elite talent in the draft, getting a guy in free agency or via trade. Another player we should not re-sign is right guard AJ Cann. The South Carolina alum has not lived up to expectations this year and while he is currently injured, backup Ben Barth has looked great in his absence. Pairing an elite pass protector or two with our young quarterback could propel this team into a brighter, kinder future.
Make a Splash in free agency
Whether it's an elite receiver, offensive lineman or anyone else the Jaguars need to make a splash. The Jaguars are projected to have about 72 million in cap space this offseason, according to Over The Cap, and this could go a long way in elevating the team. The defense has several holes and signing a couple big name guys could bring back an identity to Sacksonville. Outside of Shaquill Griffin, our cornerback who came over from the Seahawks all of our signings this past summer were unexciting, cast-off veterans. When I say “make a splash”, I don't mean pay a ton of money to one or two guys, because if that doesn't work out it could come back to haunt them. I’m saying let’s make reasonable offers while addressing needs. We can afford and might have to pay a bit more for free agents, but just make sure it’s going to ruin our salary cap going forward.
Get rid of Urban Meyer
I know how changing the coaching staff and playbook every year could hurt a team. However, I believe Trevor Lawrence can be the once in a generation type player that he was supposed to be coming out of the draft. We have to avoid ruining his first few seasons or even his career by having distractions and missteps which is exactly what Urban brings to the table. The team has little to no trust in him as a coach and it could help by moving on with him before he can sink his claws into this team and do any more damage. It’s not all about Urban the person, but his coaching leaves a lot to be desired on Sundays as well. Bring in an offensive minded guru to work with Lawrence and put Jacksonville back on the map.
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