10 Things Zoltan Thinks about the 2011 Draft

I think Jaguars MUST go on a shopping spree in free agency.

The buzz is that they’re planning to

acquire two to four players in free agency. I’d say bet the over. Right now the Jaguars LB unit is one of the weakest in the entire NFL. The Mathis-Prosinski-Greene-Cox starting secondary would not be much of an upgrade over last year’s awful defensive backfield. The LDE spot could use help as well with because Jeremy Mincey has a long record of injuries and only Austen Lane is behind him – I just ask that they move on from the Derrick Harvey saga. I hear the plan is to bring in one big name (think Aaron Kampman) and the rest will be low profile guys like Jason Hill, Kassim Osgood, and Sean Considine. I advise the Jaguars front office to target two big name free agents (one DB, one LB) and add two more low profile names. I think this defense must arm itself for the great challenges of the other AFC South teams especially against the passing game, but the run stoppers can use some help against Chris Johnson, Arian Foster, and whoever the Colts use. I hope that Eric Weddle becomes a Jaguars and one of the Barett Ruud/Paul Poszluszny duo join him.  I know it will be not cheap, but since the Jaguars elected to not address the LB position and they drafted more of a backup FS in Prosinksi than a real solution (please don’t tell me Don Carey and Chris Prosinski will battle for the FS starting job!), they need to address these needs.

• I think Jack Del Rio’s status for 2012 is a mystery. What if the Jaguars do reach the playoffs, but with a 9-7 record and a promising debut of Blaine Gabbert? Do you fire Jack Del Rio then or give him a chance to fulfill his contract, which expire after the 2012 season? Many of the Jaguars fans said they would give Del Rio another shot with a new QB.  Lucky for Jack, owner Wayne Weaver once again has backpedaled from his January demands (playoffs or regime change). So by Gene Smith drafting a 1^st round player who will see very limited time, he might just have helped out Jack Del Rio, as well.

• I think somebody will get a great value in Mark Herzlich. 32 teams just gave him another reason to prove that he can play. If he can perform at the level he played at early in his Boston College career, he could be a major steal. And right now signing him wouldn’t be a bad PR move either.

• I think we all know that the Gabbert pick is the most important piece of the rebuilding puzzle. If he succeeds, the Jaguars will become a powerhouse in the NFL for a long time. If he fails, the rebuilding efforts will likely collapse with him, which could mean the end of the pro football in Jacksonville. I think this is it, folks – the upcoming years are “make or break” times for the organization. But this is a challenge for the Jaguars’ fan base as well. Many said they wanted a new QB before they would make it back into the stands. Well, the QB has arrived, so that excuse is no longer valid. With Los Angeles attempting to acquire a new franchise, the Jaguars fan base must support its team. But to show that support, there must be a new season, so…

• I think the owners and players must realize the longer the unrest continues, the more harm will be done to the NFL. I think the players are in a much worse situation. The paychecks aren’t coming and based on what appears to be the norm for spending habits in the NFL, I think they will feel the need much sooner than they think. But the owners have a lot to lose, as well. I bet Zygi Wilff in Minnesota is suffering for the same reasons many of the players will soon. At the draft, you could see that the fans are passionate about the game but want a resolution soon. They are the ones who support the league. Don’t wait until they start looking to project that passion somewhere else.

-Zoltan Paksa