Jacksonville Jaguars outside of top ten in ESPN’s future power rankings
By Billy Long
Is the window of opportunity a small one for the Jacksonville Jaguars looking ahead?
It is well know by now that the Jacksonville Jaguars are set up for a run at a title this season, after an appearance in the AFC championship in 2017. An elite defense and a revamped offense make the Jaguars are prime candidate for a return trip to the postseason.
But how does that stand up for the next few seasons, 2018 and beyond? ESPN released its future NFL power rankings, taking into account how well teams are positioned for the next three seasons, and Jacksonville checks in at number eleven. The ranking criteria is a mix of roster, quarterback, front office, draft and coaching:
"Why they’re here: We often fixate on front-line talent in sports for reasons that are implicit: superstars dazzle in ways that create lasting memories. But football is the ultimate team sport, and the layers of depth that the Jaguars have created on defense are remarkable, supplementing such stars as Jalen Ramsey, Calais Campbell, Telvin Smith and Myles Jack(among others). Ultimately, doubling down on Blake Bortles this offseason (he signed a three-year extension) is the reason Jacksonville checks in here, with Bortles still facing his share of critics. — YatesBiggest worry: Bortles was a concern last year, and continues to be a concern going forward. While executive vice president of football operations Tom Coughlin and coach Doug Marrone have done a tremendous job of implementing a run-first, play-action-focused offensive attack designed to produce more defined passing windows for Bortles, the fact remains that when teams know he is going to throw it (third down), and when the pressure is on (blitz), he is one of the worst QBs in the NFL in terms of passer rating, and that simply isn’t going to be good enough for this team to take the next step. — Riddick"
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"What could change for the better: The defending AFC South champs need continued improvement from Bortles to brighten an already positive outlook. Jacksonville ranked last in quarterback outlook with Bortles earning $17.4 million per year on a depth chart featuring Cody Kessler and Tanner Lee behind him. — Sando"
Surprise, Blake Bortles is the ire of all three analysts’ commentary in the three categories. I’m not suggesting Bortles doesn’t have room for improvement, mainly finding consistency, but I have a hard time buying into this repeated premise that the quarterback is holding back his team this much.
The Jaguars were already on the doorstep of a Super Bowl appearance last season with Bortles at the helm, why with new additions on offense and Leonard Fournette with a year under his belt, should the team not have the pieces to finish the job now?
Overall, the Jaguars have arguably the most talented roster in the league heading into this season. Jacksonville is a young team, with a ton of guys with bright futures, particularly on a league leading defense. Difficult decisions will have to be made regarding contracts on the defense, and some veterans will be out in the coming years, but I don’t agree with the notion that the Jaguars are not a top ten team for the next three seasons.