The Jacksonville Jaguars finished 1-15 in 2020 but it wasn’t a one-year thing. In fact, they have had just one winning season in the last ten years, so in order to shake things up, the organization hired Urban Meyer as their head coach this offseason.
So far, the Jags look like a different team. While they kept players such as left tackle Cam Robinson and defensive end Dawuane Smootfd from hitting the free-agent market, they also made a few splash signings and brought in wide receiver Marvin Jones Jr., safety Rayshawn Jenkins, and cornerback Shaquill Griffin.
Furthermore, this Jacksonville team used the first overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft on Trevor Lawrence, their quarterback of the future, and added a few more prospects that should turn into building blocks, such as running back Travis Etienne.
All in all, the Jaguars have more talent and depth than they had last year and look like a different team in Meyer’s short tenure at the helm. On the other hand, the rebuilding process hasn’t been flawless and the organization has made a few mistakes along the way. Now, keep in mind that all teams have slip-ups, but the best ones are able to lessen their impact and find a way to work around them.
The Jags will surely be able to overcome these gaffes but that doesn’t mean they should be ignored. If anything, they need to be brought up, so they don’t make them once again. Here are the team’s worst mistakes in the (short) Meyer era.
The Jacksonville Jaguars shouldn’t have hired Chris Doyle.
Besides hiring Urban Meyer, the Jaguars gave their coaching staff an overhaul. While they kept a few members from the previous regime, such as offensive line coach George Warhop, they also made a few additions and most of them look solid on paper. Nevertheless, there was one that stood out and not necessarily for good reasons.
The Jaguars announced all their coach staff additions at the same time, including director of sports performance Chris Doyle, who was the strength coach at Iowa. Right out of the gate, his hire raised questions, as Doyle was accused of racist remarks and abuse at Iowa.
When asked about it, Meyer said the team performed due diligence and felt comfortable with Doyle’s addition to the coaching staff. However, he ended up resigning, and looking back, this situation could’ve been avoided.
If the Jaguars’ brass really vetted Doyle, why did they move on from him anyway? If he was such a great asset to the team, the backlash shouldn’t have mattered. On the other hand, it’s possible they didn’t really think it through and didn’t think of the consequences Doyle’s hire would provoke. Regardless of whose idea it was to bring Doyle aboard, the team’s brass dropped the ball on this one.
Doyle is/was arguably one of the best strength coaches in the U.S. but he comes with baggage and if the Jaguars did their homework on him, they should’ve known it. Why not get the second or third-best strength coach in the country? The team didn’t hire someone else to fill Doyle’s vacancy but Anthony Schlegel is the head strength and conditioning coach. Was the gap between Doyle and Schlegel that big? Either way, it doesn’t justify Doyle’s hire.
The Jacksonville Jaguars didn’t properly address the tight end position.
Yes, the Jaguars’ roster is in better shape than it was last season. Putting aside the addition of Trevor Lawrence and a handful of other difference-makers, the team’s brass made sure to add depth this offseason, so if Jacksonville suffers injuries in the 2021 season, they won’t have trouble overcoming them.
Before free agency started, head coach Urban Meyer said the Jags would focus on bolstering their offensive line and revamping their cornerback room. After all the acquisitions the team has made, it’s fair to say they accomplished their objective. On the other hand, Jacksonville didn’t tweak their tight end unit much even though Meyer acknowledged that upgrading the group was a priority too.
The Jaguars moved on from Tyler Eifert but failed to find an adequate replacement. They signed Chris Manhertz in free agency and re-signed James O’Shaugnessy but neither of them is a number-one tight end. Jacksonville also drafted Luke Farrell in this year’s selection meeting but he’s more of a long-term project and won’t have an instant impact.
Meanwhile, the Jags passed up Jonnu Smith and Hunter Henry in free agency. While neither of them is an upper-echelon tight end, they would surely have been an upgrade. Also, the team had the chance to draft Pat Friermuth with their second-round pick in this year’s selection meeting but opted to take Stanford offensive tackle Walker Little.
Farrell and Little could eventually develop into solid pros, but the Jaguars’ decision not to upgrade their tight end room may come back to haunt them, and speaking of tight ends…
The Jacksonville Jaguars shouldn’t have ever considered Tim Tebow.
“Tim Tebow is a winner”, “he won the Heisman as a sophomore”, “he helped Florida win two National Championships”, “he’s in the best shape of his life”.
By now, you might’ve heard all the reasons why the Jaguars should sign Tim Tebow, and this Jacksonville team is getting the spotlight for even considering it. This is even more surprising when you take into account that he hasn’t even agreed to a deal. Urban Meyer, appearing on The Chris Collinsworth Podcast, said the team would meet Sunday and would make a decision.
And all this noise… for a player that may not even make the team? Tebow was a great motivator, a competitor, and a winner in college but all those attributes didn’t help them much in the NFL, as he lacked a crucial one, talent.
As great as Tebow was at the collegiate level, his skill set didn’t carry over to the pros, and was out of the league after just three seasons. Nowadays, he’s making a comeback but he’s making the switch to a tight end after declining to do it years ago.
At best, the 2010 first-round selection will be a third-string tight end. Nobody is betting against him, and he should definitely give it a shot if that’s what he wants. However, the odds are not in his favor. Tebow never lacked the heart or the passion, he just couldn’t play. Will things be any different in Duval?