Dave Caldwell is the 14th best general manager in the NFL says Rosenthal
By Daniel Lago
Jacksonville Jaguars general manager David Caldwell is finally reaping the rewards of his personnel decision, making him the 14th best GM according to one analyst.
As we gear up for the 2018 NFL Draft, fans of the Jacksonville Jaguars have to feel fairly confident. General manager David Caldwell has been steering the wheel for five years now and it’s fair to say he’s started to find his stride.
After overcoming a horrific draft class in 2013 – a historically awful class overall, not just for the Jaguars – Caldwell has put together a string of solid drafts and outstanding free agent hauls.
The roster has been completely turned over from Caldwell’s first year and the the Jaguars arguably have the most talented team in the NFL heading into 2018.
That’s nice on paper, but Caldwell is coming off his first winning season as a GM and was likely on the hot seat if things didn’t come together last year.
In his GM power rankings, Gregg Rosenthal over at NFL.com gives Caldwell some credit for the team’s success in 2017, but he’s afraid Caldwell doomed himself with a certain QB.
"Is a five-year rebuilding plan worth it if the first four years result in 15 wins combined? The answer for Caldwell will come in the next few seasons. Can the Jaguars prove their breakout 2017 campaign (which ended in an AFC title game appearance) wasn’t a fluke? Five straight seasons drafting in the top five eventually resulted in landing Jalen Ramsey and Leonard Fournette, while Caldwell used free agency brilliantly to fill out the best defense in football. Credit goes to owner Shad Khan and executive VP Tom Coughlin ( brought in last year) for not blowing up the front office. The team’s undying faith in quarterback Blake Bortles, however, could still hamstring all the fine work Caldwell has done."
Rosenthal may be right, Bortles could torpedo all the work Caldwell has done to get the Jaguars to this point.
Thankfully the likelihood this year is that Bortles is serviceable or better in his second season under offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett.
It’s also very likely Caldwell will find a fall back option in this year’s draft, perhaps as early as the first round.
Caldwell has a long way to go before can really consider himself one of the best general managers in the NFL. One good season is nice, but the best team builders find themselves competing year in and year out. 2018 is about taking another step forward and if the Jaguars do, Caldwell deserves a lot of the credit.