Can Gus Bradley and Dave Caldwell Still Attract Top Free Agent Talent?
By Luke Sims
Gus Bradley and general manager Dave Caldwell have done a good job turning the Jacksonville Jaguars from a black hole of mediocre talent to an attractive landing place for talented players who want a shot at more snaps.
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Owner Shad Khan has helped with that a lot too.
That has led to players like Sen’Derrick Marks, Chris Clemons, Zane Beadles, Alan Ball, and others to want to come to Jacksonville and make the leap to competitor as a key cog in a young team.
As fans of the Jaguars, we know it’s going to be a long climb to relevance and success for the Jaguars. We know that 4-12 ad 3-13 records are to be expected in the first two years of a massive, much-needed rebuild. We also know that the Jags are a young, developing team that needs players to progress quickly if they want to be contenders.
But not all of those young players will become the above average pieces the Jaguars need.
Some new young players could be the answer in the draft.
What the team really needs, though, is some quality veteran talent that can lead the way for young players to follow in their footsteps. They need more players like Marks, Ball, and Beadles. Players that could be cornerstone pieces for this franchise and can also help develop other cornerstone players.
For that, the Jags must turn to free agency.
Gus Bradley and Dave Caldwell must be the key sellers to those potential free agent acquisitions. The team’s website is going through some possible targets but it’s all for naught if the head coach and general manager can’t sell a rebuilding team to those players.
As we look forward to free agency and get excited about adding talent to the Jaguars, we have to keep rooting that Bradley’s upbeat personality and Caldwell’s strong reputation can draw in the players the Jaguars need.
Can they continue to sell the Jags after a combined 7-25 record in two seasons?
Honestly, it’s going to be a lot tougher.
If anyone can do it, though, it will be Gus Bradley and Dave Caldwell. They know what they are selling (i.e. a rebuilding team) and they know that they have a lot of nice, young pieces currently. The only way this team can go is up.
Now, which free agents will want to help the Jaguars get there?