Jaguar Discussion Board- 3 Topics

This is it guys. This is the worst time to be a sports fan. Training camp won’t start for a couple more weeks. Basketball is done, as is the draft. Hockey is done, as is the draft. Baseball is the only major sporting event, but even they’ll be taking their All Star Break soon. So to keep everyone’s opinionated juices flowing and NFL interests going, I thought it’d be fun to throw out a few off season topics to discuss, as well as my opinion on the matter. Then let you have at it. So here you go:

1. Will the Jaguars finish with the worst record in the NFL this year?

I say, yes. I hope so. I know, I know, “how can you call yourself a Jaguar Fan and HOPE your team finishes dead last?”. Let me explain myself. The Jaguars aren’t going to the Super Bowl this year. And they’re probably going to start Blaine Gabbert at Quarterback. The best analogy I’ve seen used for situations like this is “the team is just going to Punt”, meaning that they’re using this as a year to put themselves in a position that will make them better for the future. If they finish with a 7 – 15 draft pick, they’ll be getting a player that is good, but probably not Elite. So why not end up getting a top pick in a year where there’s going to be a elite prospects coming out.

2. If you had the #1 pick next year and were choosing for the Jaguars, who would you pick?

There’s been more and more talk about the Jaguars going Quarterback with their first pick next year. However, if I were selecting, and my dream scenario happened, it would look like this. “With the 1st pick of the 2014 NFL Draft, the Jacksonville Jaguars select Jadeveon Clowney, Defensive End, the University of South Carolina”. Now Teddy Bridgewater is a future franchise QB, and based off of what I’ve seen would be below Andrew Luck, and maybe above RGIII. He’s not as athletic as RGIII, but he plays with incredible intelligence. Tajh Boyd is another strong prospect, but I personally need to see how this year plays out. But the thing with Clowney is he’s a player, like Luck, that only comes along once in a generation. Do yourself a favor and watch an SC Gamecocks game this season if you haven’t seen him play before. Or Youtube any of his highlights for that matter. And in a division that has a “once in a generation QB”, why not put him up against a “once in a generation pass rusher” a couple of times a year? Step 2 would be trading back into the first round to select either Aaron Murray or AJ McCarron. Both of which would have gone before any QB selected this year.

3. Can MJD repeat 2011?

I say, sort of. I think he’s going to have a great year, and be a fantasy stud. But 1,600 yards is a lot of real estate to cover. And he’s coming off a serious injury. You can argue the point of “look what Adrian Peterson did”, but that was unbelievable and NO ONE, except AP saw that coming. As long as MJD can stay healthy, he’ll easily go for over 1,200 and 7 TD’s. All I know is I’m gunning for him in the 2nd round of my upcoming fantasy drafts.

There you have it. 3 topics to ponder in these dark times of limited sports. And remember these are my opinions on the matter, so please chime in on what you think will happen. That’s what this piece what meant for.

-Jason Abarca