Jaguars Thorough Roster Evaluation Will Limit Overreaction
By Luke Sims
Jan 18, 2013; Jacksonville FL, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars new general manager Dave Caldwell reacts at a press conference at EverBank Field. Mandatory Credit: Phil Sears-USA TODAY Sports
The Jacksonville Jaguars have been ramping up toward free agency, like the rest of the NFL, over the last few days. Releasing safety Dawan Landry and cornerback Aaron Ross were bold moves by the new regime headed by GM Dave Caldwell and head coach Gus Bradley. It has taken a while for the Jaguars to begin cutting players because they came in and had to do full roster evaluations.
Recently, in an interview with Sports Final Radio, Caldwell mentioned that the Jaguars will not be overreacting to holes in the roster. The Jags have previously mentioned that they will not be pursuing top-tier free agents and now they have displayed prudence in addressing the deficiencies on the roster. This is what Caldwell had to say when asked about some things he gleaned from his time with the Atlanta Falcons:
"I think two things; One is being prepared and ready for any situation or scenario. I know in Atlanta we did some bold things. The second is just to have patience and don’t overreact to a situation of a roster deficiency and try to fit a square peg into a round hole."
The Jags ran into some trouble, trying to take players like Laurent Robinson to fill a void even though he was not a perfect fit for the hole. The Jags will not overreact like that and instead will focus on finding the right fits at the right positions. With so many holes on the roster, it seems that the Jaguars could pickup literally anybody and fit them in at least one spot. Unfortunately, that isn’t exactly true and Caldwell knows it.
The Jags have done their homework and know, coming into free agency, what the needs are and what type of player they want to plug in. If the type of player they want isn’t available, the Jags are going to be patient and willing to wait to get the man they want.
Expect a bigger plan to emerge as the team begins bringing in free agents this week.
– Luke N. Sims
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