Post by bullseye on May 23, 2017 8:54:22 GMT -5
mmqb.si.com/mmqb/2017/05/22/nfl-power-rankings-offseason-peter-king-part-one
Interesting that three of the four AFC South teams are still ranked in the bottom half of the league by him.
Interesting that three of the four AFC South teams are still ranked in the bottom half of the league by him.
27. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS
Jaguars cornerback Jalen Ramsey
Photo: Don Juan Moore/Getty Images
Jaguars cornerback Jalen Ramsey
Additions: Two significant ones on offense—Leonard Fournette with the fourth overall pick, and either Branden Albert or second-rounder Cam Robinson starting at left tackle … Calais Campbell up front and A.J. Bouye at corner, with two of the biggest free agency contracts of the year … Underrated acquisition on the free market: physical and instinctive safety Barry Church, from Dallas.
Subtractions: The supposed tight end of the future, Julius Thomas, essentially got dealt to Miami for another disappointment, Albert … Overrated LT Kelvin Beachum went to the Jets … Four defensive starters got whacked: DE Jared Odrick, LB Dan Skuta and DBs Jonathan Cyprien and Davon House.
Key coaching/front-office moves: Tom Coughlin came in as franchise overlord, putting training wheels back on GM Dave Caldwell, who couldn’t have been happy with it. But it’s hard to argue against big change when you’re 15-49 in four seasons in charge. That’s Caldwell’s record … Doug Marrone is fortunate to have a second chance after how his tenure in Buffalo ended in the debacle of him choosing to leave. This is a good team to take a shot with—except for the offensive line and, apparently, the quarterback.
Decisive schedule span: The five games after Jacksonville’s Week 8 bye: Bengals, Chargers, at Browns, at Cards, Colts. If Jacksonville is at least 3-4 against a mediocre early slate, they could pull the impossible with a good showing in those five weeks. They could be in contention after Thanksgiving.
Why I have the Jaguars 27th: Jacksonville is like the old Washington team in the early Dan Snyder years, winning free agency every year. Lots of money spent for lots of bad teams. If I’m Shad Khan, I’m getting damn impatient. Every year, I give Dave Caldwell and the coaching staff everything they ask for, and every year the product stinks. That’s why this is such a big year for Blake Bortles (a Caldwell pick all the way) and for Caldwell. It’ll be interesting to see the influence of Coughlin—and if the Jags pull another stinker this year, whether Coughlin in 2018 becomes the coach or GM or both. For now, this is a team that should try to win running the ball with Fournette and Chris Ivory, and by playing strong defense. Bouye and 2016 first-rounder Jalen Ramsey are an excellent young cover tandem, and Campbell should buttress a burgeoning front seven. Then again, I talked very optimistically about the Jags last off-season too. At some point, talk becomes cheap.
Most important factor to this team this year: Deciding on Bortles. Four years is time enough. You just don’t get a great vibe on the guy right now. It’ll be an upset if he becomes the Jags’ long-term quarterback.
Jaguars prediction of 10 words or less: In a 5-11 year, Fournette leads AFC in rushing.
Jaguars cornerback Jalen Ramsey
Photo: Don Juan Moore/Getty Images
Jaguars cornerback Jalen Ramsey
Additions: Two significant ones on offense—Leonard Fournette with the fourth overall pick, and either Branden Albert or second-rounder Cam Robinson starting at left tackle … Calais Campbell up front and A.J. Bouye at corner, with two of the biggest free agency contracts of the year … Underrated acquisition on the free market: physical and instinctive safety Barry Church, from Dallas.
Subtractions: The supposed tight end of the future, Julius Thomas, essentially got dealt to Miami for another disappointment, Albert … Overrated LT Kelvin Beachum went to the Jets … Four defensive starters got whacked: DE Jared Odrick, LB Dan Skuta and DBs Jonathan Cyprien and Davon House.
Key coaching/front-office moves: Tom Coughlin came in as franchise overlord, putting training wheels back on GM Dave Caldwell, who couldn’t have been happy with it. But it’s hard to argue against big change when you’re 15-49 in four seasons in charge. That’s Caldwell’s record … Doug Marrone is fortunate to have a second chance after how his tenure in Buffalo ended in the debacle of him choosing to leave. This is a good team to take a shot with—except for the offensive line and, apparently, the quarterback.
Decisive schedule span: The five games after Jacksonville’s Week 8 bye: Bengals, Chargers, at Browns, at Cards, Colts. If Jacksonville is at least 3-4 against a mediocre early slate, they could pull the impossible with a good showing in those five weeks. They could be in contention after Thanksgiving.
Why I have the Jaguars 27th: Jacksonville is like the old Washington team in the early Dan Snyder years, winning free agency every year. Lots of money spent for lots of bad teams. If I’m Shad Khan, I’m getting damn impatient. Every year, I give Dave Caldwell and the coaching staff everything they ask for, and every year the product stinks. That’s why this is such a big year for Blake Bortles (a Caldwell pick all the way) and for Caldwell. It’ll be interesting to see the influence of Coughlin—and if the Jags pull another stinker this year, whether Coughlin in 2018 becomes the coach or GM or both. For now, this is a team that should try to win running the ball with Fournette and Chris Ivory, and by playing strong defense. Bouye and 2016 first-rounder Jalen Ramsey are an excellent young cover tandem, and Campbell should buttress a burgeoning front seven. Then again, I talked very optimistically about the Jags last off-season too. At some point, talk becomes cheap.
Most important factor to this team this year: Deciding on Bortles. Four years is time enough. You just don’t get a great vibe on the guy right now. It’ll be an upset if he becomes the Jags’ long-term quarterback.
Jaguars prediction of 10 words or less: In a 5-11 year, Fournette leads AFC in rushing.
