How does Gardner Minshew change the Jaguars approach to the Draft?

Keeping Minshew as the Starter Helps Other Need Areas

It is time to address something that the coaches and general manager believed last offseason. The Jaguars are much more than a quarterback away from a Super Bowl run, or even a playoff birth for that matter.

Admittedly I will say I thought this defense was good enough to carry us into the playoffs with above-average quarterback play. After this season, I realize it’s time to stop living in 2017. This defense, although it has some very solid pieces like Josh Allen and Yannick Ngakoue, has a lot of holes. While the linebackers were destroyed with injury, the interior of this defensive line at times was eaten alive this year.

The secondary has a lot of issues as well. If the Jaguars draft someone this year they would struggle behind a suspect offensive line, a defense that struggles to get off the field, and pretty much no tight end at all. Unless this is a player like Russell Wilson, Patrick Mahomes, or Lamar Jackson, at most it will result in nine wins and a possible wild card spot or division championship if the AFC South is weak.

It does not look like that will happen.

Keeping Minshew as the starter means the Jaguars can either draft offensive linemen to protect the quarterback and open up running lanes, or help on defense that will this unit move back toward its 2017 status. The fact the Jaguars have two first round picks means they can choose to fully commit to one or the other, or improve on each side of the ball.