Coming off the 2017 AFC Championship, it seemed like the Jacksonville Jaguars were about to become a perennial contender. However, the wheels quickly fell off and they weren’t able to recreate their postseason magic. Even worse, they failed to win more than six games the following three seasons, which prompted the team to move on from head coach Doug Marrone.
Looking back, you could attribute the Jaguars collapse to a multitude of factors. Tom Coughlin’s outdated leadership methods certainly play a role, and so did their inability to find stability at the quarterback position. Also, the team was unable to retain its playmakers and started dismantling their roster in 2019, when they traded cornerback Jalen Ramsey to the Los Angeles Rams for two first-round selections and a fourth-round pick.
The ‘Jags’ didn’t stop there and traded cornerback A.J. Bouye, safety Ronnie Harrison, defensive ends Yannick Ngakoue and Calais Campbell last offseason. While some of those moves might’ve been justified, it’s unlikely Jacksonville would’ve been worse than they were last season.
On the bright side, the Jaguars now have the first overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft and are projected to have $73 million in cap space. With a new regime now in place, the team should consider bringing back a few of their former players this offseason. Here are a few that make sense.
Kelvin Beachum could fortify the Jacksonville Jaguars offensive line.
You could argue Kelvin Beachum’s one-year stint with the Jaguars in 2016 was unspectacular and you would be mostly right. However, he started 15 games and allowed just three sacks and four pressures on 92 percent of the team’s total snaps on offense. Pro Football Focus gave him a 61.4 grade, which isn’t bad but isn’t outstanding either.
Since then, Beachum has never graded lower than 67.0 and has remained pretty healthy. Last season, he started all 16 games for the Arizona Cardinals and played in every offensive snap. He’s scheduled to become a free agent and the Jaguars should consider bringing him back.
Although the former seventh-round pick played left tackle in Jacksonville, he seems better suited to play right tackle a position the Jaguars could upgrade this offseason, as Jawaan Taylor struggled last season after having a solid rookie campaign.
Even if Taylor gets back on track, Beachum could provide depth, which the ‘Jags’ will need if they want to avoid running out of healthy players. PFF projects the offensive tackle will get a one-year contract worth $4.5 million this offseason, which sounds affordable when you consider how solid he’s been in the last four years.
Could the Jacksonville Jaguars and Ngakoue mend their relationship?
It’s true that defensive end Yannick Ngakoue didn’t leave Jacksonville on good terms. His social media quarrel with Jaguars Senior Vice President of Football Technology & Analytics Tony Khan caught everyone’s attention last offseason and his instance to be traded might’ve left a stain on his relationship with the team
However, the ‘Jags’ should consider mending their relationship with Ngakoue and bring him back. Head coach Urban Meyer, who is trying to install a different kind of vision, could convince him things have changed since he left. During his four-year tenure in Jacksonville, the defensive end logged 122 tackles (17 for a loss), 37.5 sacks,14 forced fumbles, and even two interceptions.
Even though Ngakoue played for two different teams last season, he still amassed eight sacks and four forced fumbles, numbers the Jaguars would surely welcome. Teams in the open market may be wary of the fact the former third-round pick has played for three different teams. Although there will be other defensive ends in the open market, the Jaguars know him well and know what he’s capable of doing. Khan would need to approve the signing, but unless the relationship is beyond repair, the team needs to give it a shot.
The Jacksonville Jaguars need to consider bringing Allen Robinson back.
Looking back, it made sense for the Jaguars not to re-sign Allen Robinson back in 2018. Even though he hauled in 80 receptions for 1,400 yards and 14 touchdowns in 2015, his production took a dip the following two years. On the other hand, most of former general manager David Caldwell’s roster decisions were questionable, and parting ways with the wide receiver might not have been the best in retrospect.
Since signing with the Chicago Bears, Robinson has caught 255 receptions for 3,151 yards and 17 touchdowns. Moreover, he’s only dropped six passes in the last three years, has the most contested targets since 2018, and has done it with inconsistent quarterback play.
Robinson will be one of the most coveted free agents in the open market and will likely demand top compensation for his services. Nevertheless, think about how formidable the Jaguars’ wide receiver cops would be with Robinson playing alongside DJ Chark Jr and Laviska Shenault Jr.
The Jaguars may have more pressing needs this offseason but the opportunity to reunite with the Penn State standout is worth discussing. It’s not often that a top-echelon wide receiver hits the open market, especially one the team knows well.