Jacksonville Jaguars 2016 Free Agency: Add a safety before the draft
By Daniel Lago
The Jaguars shouldn’t count on the draft to fix their secondary – they need to find answers in free agency.
The Jacksonville Jaguars have a handful of holes on the roster as they begin their offseason, most of which are along the defensive side of the ball. The 5th overall pick of the 2016 NFL Draft is one asset essentially guaranteed to be used to bolster the defense, but free agency is going to be the real fulcrum for the change the Jaguars need before the 2016 season.
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The position being discussed the most by fans and analysts is one that has eluded the Jaguars for the last decade plus – free safety.
Maybe the most important position in head coach Gus Bradley’s scheme, the Jaguars haven’t had even average play at safety over the last 3 years, let alone someone playing at the level of Seattle Seahawks defensive back Earl Thomas. General manager David Caldwell brought up the safety position this offseason, mentioning how difficult it is to find the right guy for this scheme:
"“Finding a free safety is kind of like finding a franchise quarterback – if not maybe more difficult in my estimation”– GM David Caldwell"
This is why so many people are projecting Florida State prospect Jalen Ramsey to the Jaguars with the 5th overall pick. He appears to have the athleticism, range, and instincts the Jaguars covet so dearly in their free safeties.
That’s all well and good, but there’s a non-zero chance the Jaguars don’t even have the option of Ramsey. The top 5 of the draft is completely unsettled, and if both the Cleveland Browns and Dallas Cowboys pass on a quarterback, I don’t see how Ramsey makes it to the 5th pick.
The Jaguars know this and that’s why I would be shocked if they didn’t add a safety in free agency. I don’t think they’ll chase an expensive guy who won’t be available anyway like Eric Berry; instead I see them going after a veteran like Eric Weddle or a boom-bust guy on a prove-it deal.
That boom-bust guy is Cleveland Browns safety Tashaun Gipson, the 5th ranked safety free agent according to Pro Football Focus:
"The big question here is which Gipson are you getting? The 2014 version that was one of the best free safeties in the NFL and had a top-10 coverage grade, or the 2015 version that was all too often out of position and had a bottom 10 coverage grade. The truth is, probably somewhere in between, as the entire Browns’ defense was in shambles last season. At only 25 years of age, Gipson’s asking price may not be worth that risk."
Gipson was one of the best defensive backs in football in 2015, covering the entire back end and producing a litany of interceptions. The Jaguars have been one of the worst teams in the league in terms of intercepting the football, particularly with their safeties.
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Yes, Gipson is an injury risk but his upside is enormous. If his play approaches anything near his 2014 form, the Jaguars would have the foundational piece for their defensive secondary without having to use a high draft pick to acquire him.
Gipson should be one of the early targets as soon as free agency begins.