The Jacksonville Jaguars are a franchise that has not seen much success in the past six years. Often being ridiculed by football fans everywhere, they didn’t exactly make a case to change that after a dismal 4-12 season. Needless to say, they’ve become the NFL’s laughing stock, or at least one of them.
With this being said, that can all change. The Jaguars have $50 million \in cap space for 2014, behind only the Oakland Raiders for the largest amount of cap space in the NFL right now. And they will need to make some good moves this offseason more than any other team.
The Jaguars Need A Solid Offseason More Than Any Other Team
In terms of overall NFL rankings, 2013 was a poor year for the Jaguars. Ranking 22nd in passing, 31st in rushing, 26th in pass defense, and 29th in rush defense, free agency is mandatory for this team to build a roster of talent and compete at a level not seen since 2007.
While the 4-12 record seems to indicate a coaching problem, there really is not a whole lot of talent on this team. Head coach Gus Bradley made a miracle by winning four games with this roster, which including a remarkable season sweep against the Houston Texans.
The main problem for the Jaguars lies in the lack of a true leader. Star running back Maurice Jones-Drew, 28, fits the criteria, coming off a 2012 season where he only played six games due to injury. Putting up 803 yards and five touchdowns, Jones-Drew had a solid bounce back season, but it was not nearly enough. Couple this with the fact that Jones-Drew could test the market in free agency and may not even return to Jacksonville and you have an issue.
It’s clear that the Jaguars are struggling on many fronts offensively and defensively, but where do they start?
The answer lies in the offense, preferably with a new quarterback. Whether they find that quarterback through free agency or the NFL Draft, it’s becoming clear that Chad Henne and Blaine Gabbert are not the long term answers for the organization. Henne started most of the 2013 season, but struggled, as he threw for 3,241 yards, a TD-INT ratio of 13-14, and a passer rating of 76.5.
If anything, the Jaguars need a young, proven quarterback, to lead their team to improvement. If they’re looking to draft a QB, it might as well be a safe pick like Teddy Bridgewater or Blake Bortles.
In free agency, their best option would be with Josh McCown (depending on if he decides to leave the Chicago Bears to sign with another team), and making him a backup to whoever they draft as a quarterback (IF this happens). McCown had a great season in 2013 as a backup to Jay Cutler, throwing for 1,829 yards, a TD-INT ratio of 13-1, and a passer rating of 109.0.
The offensive line was another problem for the Jaguars in 2013, allowing 50 sacks, 2nd last in the NFL (behind the Miami Dolphins’ 58 sacks allowed). In addition to finding a good quarterback, Jacksonville will also need to find a solid offensive line that can hold off defenders long enough for a pass to be made.
And finally, the Jaguars have to find a decent defense. Giving up 28.1 points per game and 449 points total, the team can’t afford getting burned out by explosive offenses. This, among several other reasons listed, is why the team needs a solid offseason more than any other team in the NFL. While teams like the Seattle Seahawks and Denver Broncos only need a few signings to improve their rosters, Jacksonville needs to use all that cap space to ensure a rebuilding phase is done properly.
The talent the Jaguars have must be sustained as well. Maurice Jones-Drew has struggled, but he has proven to be a dangerous rusher when healthy. Another plus came in defensive tackle Sen’Derrick Marks, who extended his contract with the Jaguars. With 34 total tackles, 28 solo tackles, and 4.0 sacks, Marks has proven his worth to Jacksonville. Building around talent like Marks and Jones-Drew is a must for the team.
There are no guarantees of success; it must be earned on the field. But if it’s of any indication, wise spending from the Bold New City of the South will lead to improvement. And according to Fansided, the Jaguars plan to be a more aggressive team in free agency. It’s only a matter of time before Jacksonville attempts to take over the 2014 offseason.
Thank you for reading. Please take a moment to follow me on Twitter – @HSN_NEWS. Support LWOS by following us on Twitter – @LastWordOnSport – and “liking” our Facebook page.
Interested in writing for LWOS? We are looking for enthusiastic, talented writers to join our Football writing team. Visit our “Write for Us” page for very easy details in how you can get started today!
Football fans…check out our two partnered NFL podcasts – Thursday Night Tailgate Radio and Overtime Ireland. Both shows bring you interesting commentary, critical analysis and fantastic guests including former and current NFL players, coaches and personalities.
Main photo credit: PDA.PHOTO via photopin cc
Stats via espn.com and nfl.com. Sources from Fansided.com)
