What’s Next: Analyzing the Jaguars’ Roster

The Jacksonville Jaguars are like any other team at this point of the year, albeit with more things on their plate.  The team hired a new general manager last week, is hunting for a new head coach, but also needs to continue the evaluation of their own team as well as potential players from the CFL and NCAA.  Presumably the scouting department (the guys who are evaluating and will continue to evaluate new talent) will remain similar to the way it has been organized in the past – the Jags have a good group of scouts – so the evaluation of the team’s current players should be receiving a major focus from David Caldwell.  Even without a new head coach hired to contribute to the process, I doubt that Caldwell is not already beginning to figure out which guys can be building blocks and which guys can be kicked to the curb.

Our own David Johns did an article on which Jags free agents deserve to stay, but the trimming of the roster will go well beyond just letting free agents walk.  Brad Barrell had a good article asking who the Jags can build around on offense.  Based on the assessments presented, and my general agreement with them, it looks rather bleak for Caldwell during his evaluation of current talent.

The analysis will probably be constant and go through many steps.  Caldwell’s predecessor, Gene Smith, was a fan of high character guys with high motors.  Caldwell wants winners and he wants football players that help the Jaguars to win.  No longer will the Jags be acting like an NFL non-profit helping less talented players learn what it’s like to play in the big leagues.  If you aren’t good at your position, I doubt you get the second and third chances to show you may be worth something like Smith did during his tenure.

There are many holes for the Jaguars:

• CB (at least one)
• WR (a third one)
• DE (everybody? 4+)
• DT (2+)
• G (at least one)
• RT (at least one)
• C (at least one)
• OLB (at least one)
• FB (Do we need one?)
• QB (at least one)
• RB (at least one)

I could easily have listed every position on the team.  I’m ok with where safety is at – I’m assuming Chris Prosinski gets canned and someone else is brought in – and I like where tight end is at, but almost every other position needs help.  Some, like running back depth, are less important than others, like defensive ends who deserve to be on the field.

In the time to come there will be 2013 NFL Mock Drafts, roster evaluation pieces for both defense and offense, and there will be continual discussion on whether Blaine Gabbert can actually be an NFL quarterback.  Ultimately, the only opinions that will really matter will be those of Caldwell and whomever becomes the head coach of the Jaguars.  Even then, it’s Caldwell’s word in the end.  I think he is seeing the same holes that I’ve listed above.  He may even be seeing more!  If that’s the case, then this rebuild may be even larger than anticipated.

There are a lot of players who won’t be in Black and Teal next year.  That process is already beginning.

– Luke N. Sims

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