Jacksonville Jaguars among teams to watch in 2016
By Luke Sims
The Jacksonville Jaguars have waited a long time to be among the sexy dark horse picks in the offseason, but it seems their time has finally arrived.
After three lackluster years under head coach Gus Bradley and general manager Dave Caldwell, the Jacksonville Jaguars may finally be ready to emerge as one of the better teams in the NFL. The support for the team is swelling.
For all of the Jaguars fans who have persevered through this time, congratulations! While it’s too early to anoint the Jags as winners of the 2016 season, it’s clear that the narrative surrounding the team is changing. No longer do people continually pester the team and its fans about moving rumors and, instead, the look to is to an increasingly positive future.
These types of assessments abound right now. One recent article at Fox Sports sticks out for it’s title “Jacksonville and the seven teams most underrated teams entering 2016” which clearly draws on the Jags as a highlight among peers. Also featured in that article are the Oakland Raiders (massive fan base), Los Angeles Rams (sexy move back to L.A.), the Houston Texans (division winners and J.J. Watt), and the Minnesota Vikings (11-5 season and Adrian Peterson), but it’s the Jags that are the draw of the title.
It isn’t so much that the Jags are possibly going to be good again. That’s expected after years of a rebuild. But the team has become a bit of an attraction recently. It isn’t just “that other AFC South team.” Now it’s the team of quarterback sensation Blake Bortles, dominant receiver Allen Robinson, and future All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey. The talent and the way the team has performed (even in recent losses) has turned the Jags around.
Things are looking up, Jags fans. The bright future we’ve all wanted may finally be arriving.
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It’s the offseason and there is a ton of optimism across the league, but it’s worth noting the stark departure the 2016 offseason is from the past. While the goals for 2016 are modest (just get to .500 or better) the narrative speaks even more highly of the team. It’s an exciting time!