Jacksonville Jaguars: 2016 NFL Draft talk starts now
By Luke Sims
The 2016 NFL Draft becomes the primary focus for the Jacksonville Jaguars after losing to the Atlanta Falcons in Week 15.
The Houston Texans beat the Indianapolis Colts to rise to 7-7.
The Colts fell to 6-8.
The Jacksonville Jaguars fell to 5-9.
It would take a tremendous amount of good fortune for anybody to believe the Jaguars can get into the playoffs.
So with the postseason effectively dead due to the 23-17 loss, it’s time to turn our eyes to the 2016 NFL Draft.
The focus this year for general manager Dave Caldwell will be the drafting of a much better defense. That all started with 2015 first round selection Dante Fowler Jr. who unfortunately missed the season, becoming injured on his first day of practice.
There are a handful of positions that need addressing on the defense, chief among them are middle linebacker, defensive end, and securing a top-flight secondary player.
The Jags still don’t know what they have in injured rookie safety James Sample or Fowler at defensive end. Hopefully they can both turn into the playmakers that they hoped when drafting them.
It will be intriguing to see what the team does approaching the linebacker position. Paul Posluszny is a tackling machine and continues to prove his value as the captain of the defense. That said, he isn’t the athletic, rangy player that the modern NFL demands due to the quick passing game. A liability in coverage, the Jags could focus on replacing him this offseason.
There are still a couple weeks of football left to play and all hope isn’t over as the Jags continue their growth and assessment of the season. There’s no doubt that the defense needs an influx of talent or changes with the schematic approach and coaching. Hopefully the 2016 NFL Draft will yield some better results.
Will it be someone like safety/cornerback Jalen Ramsey coming to Jacksonville or someone else?
Next: Jags lose a tough one against the Atlanta Falcons
What position do you think should be the biggest focus?