Jaguars Mailbag: How Can the Jaguars Salvage the Final 3 Weeks?
Throughout the season, we will be taking questions on the biggest questions facing the Jacksonville Jaguars.
You can submit your questions every week by tweeting them to the Jaguar Report Twitter handle or by submitting them here.
This week we take questions on Calvin Ridley, Anton Harrison and more.
Q: Do you think Calvin will get extended or at least signed to a 1 or 2-year deal or they’ll let him go?
A: Honestly, I am not sure. While this year has certainly has doubt, or even answered the question, on whether Ridley is a No. 1 receiver, I do generally think the Jaguars would be better off with him on the roster as opposed to off the roster. I could see him being brought back on a team-friendly deal considering he hasn't exploded this season. The franchise tag seems more unlikely each day that Josh Allen doesn't sign his extension. My gut guess right now is that Ridley is back on the roster next year, but I am not locking that in yet.
Q: Let’s say the Jaguars lose out, real possibility we lose two out of the next three, and miss the playoffs. What, if any, changes would you expect to see made in the offseason?
A: Maybe you see some minor staff changes, particularly on the offensive side of the ball. It just doesn't seem like the running game could be this bad for two years in a row and there be no change, especially when the offense has been overall disappointing as a whole this season.
But in terms of sweeping, significant changes such as at either coordinator spot or at general manager? I simply do not see it, even if the Jaguars go 0-3 down the stretch and miss the playoffs in an epic collapse. The Jaguars just aren't that kind of team.
Q: Who from the offensive line do you see returning next year? And do you believe Trent will be back after grossly overestimating the talent on both lines?
A: Anton Harrison, obviously. Then Walker Little and Ezra Cleveland, and I think Luke Fortner? I think they would likely have a change at right guard and potentially move on from left tackle Cam Robinson, but I otherwise don't expect any big changes. And I do think Trent Baalke will be back. Regardless of how poorly the 2023 offseason has aged so far, the Jaguars are averaging over two more wins per season than they did under the previous regime, which saw a general manager in place for nearly a decade. I don't think Baalke is going anywhere.
Q: First, thanks for all you’ve done this year. Second, what position group can realistically be fixed the easiest this off-season? OLine? Pass rush? WR room?
A: Thank you. That truly does mean a lot.
I think the offensive line. Simply add some more depth and talent to the interior offensive line and the Jaguars have a better outlook. It doesn't take considerable resources to do that. You don't need to throw money at the interior line to upgrade it like you do those other two spots, nor do you necessarily need to spend a first-round pick on it either.
Q: Our defense has worked very hard to be a bunch of super big physical dudes while the offense personnel archetypes scream finesse. Is this on purpose or have they messed up attempts to provide physicality?
A: I do think the Jaguars have shown they can be a physical offense at times, though perhaps that was mostly last year. I do think the Jaguars have put an emphasis on athleticism over size on offense, which might play into your thoughts thinking this, especially considering the split between them and the defense.
Q: Shad is normally patient but, following his *relatively* quick decision on urban, and knowing how quickly things fell apart after 2018 - do you believe Shad shifts his view of Trent Baalke after this season, playoffs or not? The team is good, but they've seen what elite play looks like at their own stadium a couple times this season and it certainly wasn't the home team.
A: I agree with you that the Jaguars have seen what an elite team looks like this year, and so far they simply are not that. I have felt that way since the 49ers game especially. With that said, I do not think the way Shad Khan would view Trent Baalke would ride on these next few weeks. I would assume Baalke's seat is ice cold regardless of what happens. The simple reality is that not only is Khan patient, but a lot of the Jaguars' issues have been self-inflicted or injury-related this year, which could serve as an excuse.
Q: A lot has been made of Harrison's pass block skill vs run block skill, or lack thereof. If you were given 120 PFF points to allocate to an OT's pass/run block grade (where 90 is elite and 60 is average), how would you allocate them to create the best OT given those parameters?
A: I'd say 70/50? Anton Harrison obviously has to be better as a run-blocker to become a more balanced player, but I am honestly more encouraged by his trajectory than I would be if he was a good run-blocker and struggling in pass-protection. To me, Harrison should improve in the running game as he continues to mature and develop his strength. He is one of the youngest players on the team, and I think more experience and just overall physical growth will help him round out his run-blocking.
Q: It seems the WR depth is coming back to bite them a little this year. Do they need to go acquire a big name like Evans, Higgins or even London? Or just add lower level depth?
A: I think adding a reliable veteran backup receiver would make sense, but the true answer is we won't know what to make of their needs at receiver until we figure out what is going on with Calvin Ridley.
Q: On a scale of 1-10, what’s the state the Jaguars at this stage of the season? Can the Jaguars get themselves out of this recent funk?
A: 8, I would say. That is largely because of injuries, though. With injuries at wide receiver and along the offensive line, not to mention the situation involving the quarterback himself. If they were healthy, I would take it down a notch or two. I do think they can get themselves out of it because it, largely, has been of their own doing.
Q: Do you think the OL (IOL specifically) is really at the heart of all offensive “struggles” this year? Bad running game, lack of explosives, “one-read QB”, etc. Do you think it’s something that is the main focal point in the off-season?
A: I don't think it is at the entire heart of it, but I do think it is a big part of it. If the Jaguars were better at running the ball, I think you would see less critical mistakes in the passing game. Or the mistakes, at least, wouldn't be as harmful. And for that, I do think you can go back to the offensive line.
Q: John, can this season be saved?
A: We will see Sunday. I do think it can be, though I am skeptical about this team's overall ceiling, something I wasn't saying after they beat the Texans.
Q: This is EXTREMELY wishful thinking, but is it possible the front office didn’t think this was the year and that is why they didn’t fully invest to make this a Super Bowl caliber team? Kinda stupid either way.
A: I don't think so. I don't think the Jaguars would operate like that. They made a playoff run last year, so this year should have been about more.
Q: We have been saying a lot of the Jaguars issues are fixable all year (miscommunication, turnovers,etc) but it has been a season-long issue. Is this just undisciplined football that can’t be fixed in-season?
A: This is the million-dollar question. The Jaguars have flashed clean play on both sides of the ball at times this season, but the theme of their 2023 so far has been self-inflicted mistakes. Part of that feels like something they should be able to snap out of at the right time, but another part of it feels like something that is just a piece of this particular Jaguars team and will have to be flushed this offseason.
