Jacksonville Jaguars Free Agency Grade, End of Week 1

Jaguars free agency grades will be spreading around soon enough, so we here at B&T thought we’d jump in a bit early for all of you. It’s only been a few days since the 2015 NFL Free Agency period began and there are still plenty of quality players to be added to teams, but with the work week ending, let’s take a look at how the Jaguars have done.

We’ve already released jaguars free agency grades on each of the individual signings. If you would like to find that, just click here.

Now, onto the team overall.

The key part in analyzing the job that Dave Caldwell has done is to measure himself by his own goals. In his mind, that meant bringing in five free agents to Jacksonville:

Julius Thomas
Jermey Parnell
Jared Odrick
Devin McCourty
Randall Cobb

The Jaguars collected three of those five free agents. The other two, Cobb and McCourty, re-signed with their own teams, the Green Bay Packers and New England Patriots, respectively.

Many teams don’t have that kind of success in free agency. We have to recognize the quality job that Caldwell has done so far. If we base our Jaguars free agency grade on that, then Caldwell has earned himself an A. He’s gotten everyone he’s really wanted. All that DeMarco Murray chatter would have just been an added bonus.

Another thing to consider is the changing national perception of the Jaguars. While many people are still thinking about the Jaguars as the pre-Shad Khan team it once was, it’s clear that the Jaguars have turned a corner. It’s clear that the Jags are an appealing destination for free agents. Jacksonville has one of the most energetic fan bases in the NFL, one of the most dedicated fanbases in the NFL, and players really feel like they are wanted in Jacksonville.

The Jags owe a lot of that changing perception to their fans. A lot of the credit also goes to owner Shad Khan, Caldwell, and head coach Gus Bradley. Khan is doing everything in his power to turn the Jaguars into an integral part of Jacksonville’s culture, increase its international appeal through the London games, and turn the Jaguars into an incredibly marketable franchise. Caldwell has done a good job of bringing the right personnel to the Jaguars to build something great. Bradley’s infectious enthusiasm draws everyone in, from fans to the top-priced free agents. Those three are doing something right each and every offseason and 2015 is no exception.

Yet there are other variables to consider, still. The big one, to me, is how far the Jags’ dollar goes. The team entered free agency with the most cap space available. They had to spend that money and they knew where they were going to. That meant overpaying for potential. From Julius Thomas to Jared Odrick to Jermey Parnell, the Jaguars are literally banking on the fact that those players have the ability to turn in something special with the team. The Jaguars handed out $175 million in contracts among just six players. That’s a lot of money. It’s a big gamble. We don’t know if those players will pan out, but they’ll be making plenty of money while the Jags find out. You have to factor that in when giving the Jaguars free agency grade.

. Free Agency. 1 Week In. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS. B+

At this point, based on the variables I’ve discussed (which are not all-encompassing), I’ve got to give the Jaguars a B+. They’ve turned in solid work and I’m proud of them. They’re gambling, going big and I like that. They went out and got who they wanted. We just need to find out how it all turns out in a year or two.

Next: Latest Jaguars Free Agency Grades & Signings

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