General Manager Gene Smith has had everything going his way for a bit.  He had the support of the old regime and now has Shahid Khan and Mike Mularkey behind him as well.  While he has had a few slipups (nothing major thus far), the failure to address the offensive line this offseason in free agency may ultimately end up hurting the team more than they expect.

A quarterback cannot throw without an offensive line.  A running back (MJD or otherwise) cannot run without an offensive line.  A team cannot win without an offensive line.

Smith knew this when he became general manager in 2009.  He immediately went out and secured bookend tackles Monroe and Eben Britton.  While Monroe has been great and Britton has been a little bit lackluster, mostly due to injury, the Jags overall depth at offensive line positions is the major concern.  You want those big guys up front who can start together for years.  But when it’s obvious that it isn’t working out as well as you had hoped, you need to make sure that the depth is there.

As injuries continue to plague those in the trenches, Khan may need to take a long look at the free agency approach that Smith takes.  He likes to build through the draft, but when your depth at crucial positions is thin, sometimes it’s best to just go out and get your guy.

Carl Nicks could have been that guy at guard and could very easily fill in for Will Rackley (He probably would outplay him too).  While Monroe will be back eventually (he may not play on Friday against the Saints) a look at depth for the future needs to be done.  Some teams like the Vikings have changed their fortunes drastically by getting guys like Steve Hutchinson in free agency, if the O-line doesn’t pan out this year the Jags may have to change their philosophy – or their head of personnel – in order to ensure they are competitive.

- Luke N. Sims

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It’s the type of thing that we all wonder.  Every year some team has a breakout player or players.  The guy comes from nowhere to the rest of us and destroys the competition.  Whether its Arian Foster, Rob Gronkowski, or Eli in the playoffs someone comes alive.  We all guess who its going to be, but until that player puts it together in his head and on the field we don’t really know.

Yet teams like the Packers, Steelers, and Jaguars all place such a huge emphasis on building through the draft.  Do teams really know that their picks are going to pan out?  How much of it is guess work?  Sometimes it feels like a team has an absolute objection to using free agency.  Jaguars GM Gene Smith seems to be one of those types.  Even when top shelf players like Carl Nicks are available and could make an impact for years, the focus stays on developing the “young guys.”

Package the entire secondary for Jared Allen? Source: Bruce Kluckhohn-US PRESSWIRE

I understand the approach and I understand the theory behind it.  When does a team realize that their investment is no longer worthwhile though?  At what point does a team realize that the player they have been trying to develop simply isn’t going to be the guy and instead someone like Jared Allen should be signed for his double digit sack numbers to harass quarterbacks?  These are questions that go through every general manager’s head.  Do you act like the Steelers even when other teams trying to build through the draft aren’t as successful or do you act like the Redskins and sign every player that can remotely play football and hope someone pans out?

Building the perfect beast is a difficult process in the NFL, but it isn’t impossible.  It takes patience and it takes time, but sometimes you just want the team to figure it out immediately and pick up that player from…..oh wait the Bucs signed him.

A lot of teams feel like they are running a few steps behind everyone else.  Is it because they are sticking to an “archaic” approach to building through the draft or is it because they actually have rosters full of talent?  Either way, it takes a bit more analysis than any of us have access to.  As the teams make final tweaks and assessments heading into training camp and the preseason we just have to trust that the beat the team is building truly is going to be perfect.

- Luke N. Sims

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You can also find me on Twitter @LukeNSims

The guy is durable.

The guy is reliable.

The guy is a big, big man.

I dig it. Hopefully the Jags do too! Source: Derick E. Hingle-US PRESSWIRE

The Jaguars need him desperately.  As good as the Jaguars are in the running game, it’s obvious that the interior line just doesn’t match up well enough against the opposition to protect Blaine Gabbert.  Here’s where Nicks can come into play.  Right now the Jags have Uche Nwaneri, Will Rackley, and Jason Spitz on the roster.  As stoked as I am about Nwaneri’s development and Rackley’s potential, the team just isn’t on track to make sure they can protect their number one investment from last year.

Blaine Gabbert suffers from phantom pressure.  Really, really badly.  With a solid interior line, he won’t have to worry so much about the semi-pervious membrane that acts as a front line for him, instead he knows that he has a wall in front of him that opens up throwing lanes and allows him to get his game elevated.

Nicks provides that stability.

Meester's play has been solid, but how much longer can he keep it up? Source: Kim Klement-US PRESSWIRE

With Brad Meester’s ever increasing age, it’s logical to assume that Nwaneri may have to slide over to center for the season if Meester falters.  John Estes could be serviceable at this point in his career, but Nwaneri is a proven commodity who provides exactly what the coaches and the front office expects when he plays center.

But that’s just one situation.  What if Will Rackley isn’t as game ready as we predicted?  We’re not certain how he’ll pan out still, though we have heard good things coming from the front office and the coaches since he was drafted last year.  Besides that, Rackley is also a potential to move to center.

Who would that leave us if Rackley doesn’t develop in his second year?  Even with 14 games started under his belt, there is a possibility for that sophomore slump.

But besides that, we know that the Jags’ interior line needs to improve.  It’s time to start considering that Meester has officially lost a step.  It’s also time to guarantee Gabbert’s protection.  Rackley is fine, Nwaneri is good, but Nicks is great.

And young.

Oh, did I mention big before?

Nicks is 6’5″ 343 pounds.  Nwaneri is 6’3″ 303 lbs, Rackley is 6’3″ 309 lbs.  Put that in your offensive line and you’re golden.  Nicks fits the planet theory (get anybody big in height and in weight) and can provide a brilliant presence in the line for years to come.

Not many defensive linemen are unstoppable forces, and even if they are we’re still not certain who wins when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object.  My money’s on the latter.

While the smaller size of Nwaneri and Rackley is more beneficial for a zone blocking scheme and mobile, outside run plays, but when you’re talking about protecting and developing a young QB, you want the biggest guy you can find.  Nicks is not only the biggest, but he’s also the best.

Bring back the big boys! Source: Fernando Medina-US PRESSWIRE

I think that Mularkey will try to convince Gene Smith to go after Nicks.  The guards on the Falcons’ roster are big guys (including the ex-Jaguar Vince Manuwai).  He’ll want someone who can best help Blaine Gabbert grow, Nicks is that man.

Making sure that Gabbert has an environment to grow should be a high priority for the Jaguars.  In 2011, Gabbert was sacked 40 times.  Having a very skilled lineman in the interior of the offensive line will help Gabbert develop, it will definitely stop him from landing on his rump so many times in a game.  Also, Nicks has experience helping quarterbacks have clear throwing lanes.  With the small stature of Drew Brees, Nicks was very good at understanding where his quarterback was and how to best shift himself and the defenders he was blocking to get them out of the way so Brees had a good line of sight.

All in all, Gabbert and the Jags could use a big boy like Carl Nicks.

If the front office doesn’t make a play for the guard out of New Orleans, I will be shocked and pissed.  Gene Smith needs to realize that as good as it is to build through the draft, it’s just as crucial to bring in outside building blocks that are established and can help now and for years to come.

- Luke N. Sims