Jaguars on the Clock: 5 Thoughts As Offseason Begins
The 2021 NFL season has ended.
It was a truly wild season and post-season, but it came to a fitting end with Sunday's 23-20 Super Bowl victory by the Los Angeles Rams. And with the season now finished, the NFL as a collective whole can look ahead.
But what does looking ahead mean for the Jacksonville Jaguars? With the Jaguars holding the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, they have officially taken the draft process into their possession. From the draft's top pick to free agency, we take a look below at what this offseason could mean for Jacksonville.
Aaron Donald's inevitability and other takes from Super Bowl LVI
My first thought at the end of last night's 23-20 Rams win over the Bengals was that I selfishly hoped this wasn't it for Aaron Donald. With last-minute retirement questions swirling around all the All-World defensive lineman, Donald went into Sunday's game and more or less helped will the Rams to a Lombardi Trophy. He wasn't alone, but he made two massive plays to end the game with his third-and-short run stop and fourth-down pressure. He was inevitable, and his legacy is as untouched and remarkable as any defender in NFL history.
- I thought it was a nice moment to see guys like Matthew Stafford, Andrew Whitworth, Von Miller, and Leonard Floyd get rings. Sean McVay becoming the youngest head coach in NFL history is pretty impressive as well considering he felt like the seasoned veteran in this game.
- Jalen Ramsey is the best cornerback since Revis and unquestionably the best of this current generation, but what a weird game Sunday was for him. He got beat by Ja'Marr Chase and gifted the Bengals three points in the first half, while his attempt to jump Chase's route on the final drive of the game let the Bengals get to nearly midfield before the drive even began. Still, it is odd to see people hold the Tee Higgins touchdown against him when it was clearly a missed no-call by the officials.
- The Bengals made the right choice when it came to Chase vs. Penei Sewell, but that doesn't mean they still didn't fumble the construction of their offensive line. The Bengals picking Jackson Carman at No. 46 overall over Creed Humphrey looked suspect on draft night and it looked even worse last night.
Jaguars are officially on the clock — again
Just like 12 months ago, the Jaguars are officially back on the clock. The Jaguars had an obvious and clear-cut decision at No. 1 overall last year, with Trevor Lawrence being the pick before the Jaguars even had a coach and general manager in place. Lawrence would have gone No. 1 to any team picking at the top of last year's draft, so there was no real mystery to Jacksonville's No. 1 pick, just anticipation.
This year, though, things are much different. There is obviously guesswork and anticipation due to the prestige of the No. 1 pick in general, but there is nowhere near the same level of hype as last year. That was always going to be the case following the Lawrence draft, but that doesn't erase the fact that this No. 1 pick feels more like a formality than a celebration.
Still, the Jaguars can use this No. 1 pick as a key building block to returning to relevancy and hopefully find a pattern of success. If I had to put money right now on who the pick will be, it would be Alabama offensive lineman Evan Neal. He is a high-tier athlete, has immense versatility across the line and would be the best pick to support Lawrence. I think Aidan Hutchinson and Ikem Ekwonu are toss-ups as the second-most likely pick. Kayvon Thibodeaux would be in a solid fourth to me, even if I personally think he could be the right option.
What No. 1 wide receivers could actually be potential additions?
The most obvious need facing the Jaguars can be debated, but most would likely have receiver at the very top. The Jaguars' receiver room struggled mightily last season in terms of production and execution, lacking the explosiveness to create chunk plays and the consistent in catching or route-running to serve as safety blankets.
After watching what No. 1 receivers can do for other young quarterbacks like Joe Burrow and Josh Allen, it is only rational to wonder how the Jaguars could get the same type of weapon for Lawrence after a rookie season where they failed to surround him with weapons.
But are there any actual No. 1 receiver candidates who could be obtainable? Davante Adams is set to be a free agent but he will almost certainly be franchise tagged by the Packers, while Chris Godwin is coming off a season-ending injury. With that said, I do think there are still a few potential options out there.
- Amari Cooper: It feels like the relationship between the Cowboys and Amari Cooper has seen better days based off of Jerry Jones' comments about him after their playoff loss. Cooper's star has faded in Dallas, so maybe the Jaguars could work out a trade to get the former first-rounder in Jacksonville.
- Calvin Ridley: Who knows what the draft compensation would look like on a Calvin Ridley deal, but it feels more likely that he is traded rather than playing for the Falcons next season. Ridley is a legit No. 1 receiver talent, but teams will have to make sure the fit is right for both sides.
- Kenny Golladay: There is no question that Kenny Golladay had a completely nightmarish season with the Giants last year, but the talent that made him such a dangerous deep threat with the Lions is still there. This is a new Giants regime and one who didn't invest in him, so perhaps they could look to get out of his deal early.
The biggest offseason questions facing the Jaguars
Aside from the question of adding to the wide receiver room, the Jaguars have a host of other questions facing them this offseason. There aren't quite as many as last year when the Jaguars were entering uncharted waters with Urban Meyer and a roster that had to be turned over, but that doesn't mean the Jaguars don't have some serious questions that need answering before September.
The biggest questions are on offense. Aside from the wide receiver position, there may not be a bigger storyline for the Jaguars this offseason than the offensive line. With five offensive linemen (three starters, two key backups) set to hit free agency in Cam Robinson, Andrew Norwell, A.J. Cann, Tyler Shatley, and Will Richardson, the Jaguars need to completely rebuild their offensive line. Will they do so through the draft, free agency, or both? Will Walker Little be given the left tackle job or will that be reserved for the No. 1 overall pick?
Then there is the question of how the Jaguars can help Lawrence take the next step. Lawrence threw 12 touchdowns to 17 interceptions last year and didn't have the rookie season anyone expected as the Jaguars' coaching staff and roster construction failed him and his inconsistencies stacked up. How can Doug Pederson and his quarterback-focused coaching get the best out of Lawrence while also giving him an ecosystem better suited for his talents?
Defensively, the Jaguars need to find some teeth along the defensive front. Their best performances of 2021 came when the defensive line had dominant performances, but the Jaguars need to add more to the unit both on the interior and the edge. Josh Allen is a solid pass-rusher and Dawuane Smooth is a productive No. 2/No. 3, but the Jaguars need to find more playmakers up front to start to create negative plays.
Time is ticking on new additions to the front office
There are just a few weeks left before the offseason truly begins to pick up pace. While the Jaguars' scouting department has been working on this free agency and draft class for quite some time, there is still the question of when the Jaguars are going to add new voices to the front office.
"Well, one of the reasons we had the search was not only looking for the head coaching candidate but really to learn about other organizations. I mean, that's a by-product of the coaching search. So some of the practices, some of the structure that works, we got a great insight into it," Jaguars owner Shad Khan said at Doug Pederson's introductory press conference.
"So strengthening the football operations, more staff, definitely, that's part of our goal. So I mean, we've had too flat an organization, and we want to add brainpower and more people to strengthen that."
That was almost 10 days ago. Since then, the Jaguars haven't made any additions to the front office but have seen one high-ranking official leave in Tom Gamble. Considering the combine and free agency are right on our doorstep, it would make sense for the Jaguars to make hires sooner than later so the new voices could actually help shape the team's offseason plan.
