Jacksonville Jaguars: How long could success last?

Do the Jacksonville Jaguars have what it takes to become a perennial contender?

Before we get too far ahead of ourselves, let’s get this out of the way: The Jacksonville Jaguars are still not a winning team in the NFL.

Struggling for .500 should be the goal for 2016 and, possibly, even beyond 2016. It’s too early to say the Jags are a playoff contender or a dominant team even in their own division. But the optimism has swept most of us up and there’s no way we’re backing down from the growing expectations placed on a group of young players that are still struggling to win games.

So, when I read an article like Andrew Long’s at NFL Spin Zone, in which he claims the Jags are built for long-term success, I take it with a grain of salt. Yes, things are looking up overall. Yes, the offense is exciting. Yes, the build up of three seasons may finally deliver something.

If we assume the Jaguars are going to have success over the long run (whether head coach Gus Bradley is at the helm or not) just how much success will they have? How long will it last?

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Long wisely doesn’t say a decade or even five years, leaving the reader to question just how long the Jags could be competitive for. I’ll go bolder.

If the Jaguars find themselves above .500 are they are finally “built” then they should be competitive for at least four years in a row.

It’s a bold prediction and in no way based on the past record of the team, but if there is finally a a break through in 2016, it’ll open a window of competitiveness that the Jags haven’t seen in ages. The season has many winnable games (per ESPN) and if they win just a few more than that prediction, they have the staying power to be something.

With plenty of young players locked up for the coming years, including quarterback Blake Bortles, wide receivers Allen Robinson and Allen Hurns, defensive players Telvin Smith, Jalen Ramsey, and Malik Jackson, the Jags have a base on which they can comfortable foresee high-level production over a significant portion of the next half-decade.

Four years is not a long period of time in the scope of the NFL, but many teams find themselves in personnel Hell as they try to keep a competitive roster together while staying under the salary cap. The Jags are well under and have key players locked up already.

If they break out, expect it to be a long run.

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