5 Jaguars Thoughts Before Free Agency Begins
In just an hour, NFL teams can officially contact and negotiate with unrestricted free agents. Two days and four hours after that, and the NFL's next crop of free agents can cash in on one of the NFL's most eventful and unpredictable weeks.
The Jacksonville Jaguars are expected by many to be big players in this year's free agency cycle due to their NFL-leading cap space and the presence of head coach Urban Meyer, who clearly isn't interested in slow-playing a rebuild of the 1-15 Jaguars.
With this in mind, here are some final thoughts we have on the Jaguars before the tampering period begins. Which players and positions make sense, and which strategies should the Jaguars be careful about implementing? We break it down here.
EDGE should be a priority
Yes, the Jaguars have two exciting young edge rushers in Josh Allen and K'Lavon Chaisson, two of the team's three first-round picks over the last two seasons. Allen and Chaisson should be building blocks of the new defense thanks to their blend of athleticism and playmaking ability. But even with them in the fold, the Jaguars would be acting irresponsibly if they opted not to add a free agent edge defender this week. The group of edge defenders is simply too deep and the need is too large, even with two talented players already on the roster.
Last season was a great example of why the Jaguars need to add an edge rusher while Allen and Chaisson are still on their rookie deals. Once Allen missed time with injury, the Jaguars' pass-rush was neutered, even when Chaisson began to ramp up his production toward the end of the season. The Jaguars can't go into the 2021 season with the same predicament, especially considering it is rather easy for three players to get on the field at the same time.
Whether the Jaguars want a balanced outside linebacker with scheme familiarity (Matthew Judon or Tyus Bowser), a big-money pass-rushing stud (Carl Lawson or Shaquil Barrett), or an underrated third-down expert (Justin Houston or Romeo Okwara), there are options. The edge defender position was behind just safety and wide receiver in terms of strength before the franchise tags went out; now one could argue it is the deepest position. With their cap space, the Jaguars need to take a swing.
Which running backs make sense
If we were running the Jaguars' front office, the only additions made at running back would come through the NFL Draft. We aren't, though, so that doesn't really matter! What does matter is that the Jaguars have made it clear that while they value James Robinson and the incredible season he had in 2020, they still want to add to the position. And as of today, a veteran makes sense if the Jaguars want a plug-and-play complement to Robinson.
"Right now, James obviously had a tremendous year, especially when you factor in how he entered the league as a college free agent, 1,000 plus yards, very consistent performer week in and week out, tough, has a great mindset, the type of player we’re looking for. But we have to add some explosiveness to that room as well and we have to be able to take some of the carries off of James," Baalke said.
So, which running backs make sense for the Jaguars to add? Chris Carson and Carlos Hyde are two players that passing game coordinator Brian Schottenheimer has experience with. Marlon Mack suffered an ACL injury in Week 1 last year but he is the multiple and explosive type of running back Baalke described. Duke Johnson is in the same mold as Mack, though a bit less explosive. He is a great pass-catcher who could offer a different element than Robinson. Other explosive backs who fit are Tevin Coleman, Kenyan Drake, James White, and Brian Hill.
Jaguars will have to answer tough questions about the durability of a few top players
It is one of the oldest phrases in sports: the best ability is availability. And considering how much the Jaguars struggled with injuries in the past three years, something Meyer has already made note is a priority for him to fix, it is likely even more important of a phrase for the Jaguars this month.
"We are looking for guys that can play the game physically at a high level. Mentally, physically tough players that have a track record of availability," Baalke said on the first episode of 'The Hunt' from the Jaguars.
Baalke said this when talking about the team's draft evaluation process, but it stands to reason they likely have the same philosophy for free agency. And if they do, they will have to answer a few tough questions on some top free agents. Has Hunter Henry, the top tight end available, be able to put his longstanding injury woes behind him or is he too risky to sign? Can Malik Hooker still be the impact player most projected him to be before injuries threw a wrench in his career? The Jaguars will need to find a balance and ultimately ask themselves when it is worth taking the risk on players with injury histories.
Familiarity should be an asset but not the whole equation
Meyer has already made it clear the Jaguars will make an emphasis on bringing in players they have familiarity with, but that shouldn't (and likely won't) be the entire Jaguars' strategy and equation. Utilizing their prior knowledge and relationships gives them extra insight, but the Jaguars would be foolish to discard players their staff hasn't coached, especially during the first wave of free agency.
Meyer has already said they would add players they haven't met, but it is a key point to remember nonetheless. It is more than logical for the Jaguars to target players that their top assistants and coordinators have experience with, but the Jaguars shouldn't make this a deal breaker. Expand horizons and turn over every single stone along the way, because that is the only way to turn around the NFL's worst team.
Jaguars not grabbing one of the top-3 tight ends would be a failure
No team in the NFL needs to revamp their tight end room more than the Jaguars. Their four current tight ends have combined for 14 career catches and there isn't an NFL starter among them. The Jaguars will assuredly look to the draft for tight end talent, but they need to sign a veteran who is ready to contributor instantly, as well.
Unfortunately, tight end is a talent barren position in the NFL. There aren't many who are capable of changing the complexion of an offense. Luckily for the Jaguars, two top-10 tight ends are set to be available this week in Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith. One of the NFL's most underrated tight ends, Gerald Everett, is a quality third option as well. The Jaguars don't have many options at tight end this week if they want to find an impact player, so they need to be all-in on bringing in any of these three. If they don't, then the tight end position will likely be irrelevant for at least another year in Jacksonville.
