If you took a break from social media for a few days and just logged in, you will see fans of the Jacksonville Jaguars have changed their AVI for that of a clown with a mustache. So what’s up with that and the hashtags #FireBaalke and #KhlowOut? The first one is self-explanatory, Jaguars fans aren’t happy that owner Shad Khan intends on keeping Trent Baalke as their general manager instead of starting over after firing Urban Meyer. The second one was a product of the decision to keep Baalke but it goes beyond that.
Fans are tired of getting a subpar product week in and week out. Over the last ten years, the Jags have had just one winning season (2017), and as great as it was to see Jacksonville play in the AFC Championship, that was five years ago. Sure, there have been flashes every now and then but not enough to consistently win games.
While you could make the argument Baalke may not have been as bad and has had his fair share of hits. But he has also had several misses, and here are his five worst during his tenure with the Jaguars, both as the director of player personnel and as the general manager.
Jaguars GM Trent Baalke’s big mistake No. 1 – Mishandling the TE position.
It took the Jags several chances to get the tight end position right and they eventually acquired Dan Arnold from the Carolina Panthers but they would have saved themselves plenty of time and effort if they had signed him in free agency to begin with.
After trading Josh Oliver and declining the team’s option on Tyler Eifert’s contract, the Jaguars signed Chris Manhertz as a free agent and selected Luke Ferrell in the fifth round of the 2021 draft. Both players have a combined 12 receptions this season. The team’s brass later signed Jacob Hollister but he’s been inactive for several games and hasn’t had an impact when he’s suited up. James O’Shaughnessy, who came back on a one-year contract, is a solid player but far from a true number one tight end.
O’Shaughnessy has played well in Arnold’s absence, so there’s that. But the Jaguars could have handled their need at tight end better.
Jaguars GM Trent Baalke’s big mistake No. 2 – Drafting K’Lavon Chaisson.
The Jaguars knew K’Lavon Chaisson was a bit raw when they made him the 20th overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft and that’s fine. Sometimes you have to project how a prospect is going to perform at the NFL but it didn’t pay off this time, at least not yet. Last year, analyst Lance Zierleinof NFL Media described the former LSU product as an impact pass-rusher with Pro Bowl potential before last year’s selection meeting, so the Jags weren’t alone on this one.
Chaisson was off to a slow start in his rookie campaign, posting just eight pressures and one sack in the first eight games of the season. But he then caught a bit of fire and logged 21 pressures in the second half. However, the momentum didn’t carry over into 2021 and he hasn’t fared much better than he did last year. He already has more total tackles than last year but hasn’t been responsible for many big play, which is what you expect from a former first-round selection.
The coaching staff switched Chaisson from defensive end to outside linebacker during the offseason, hoping he could make plays from a three-point stance but the Jags are still waiting. The fact that the front office could have drafted Pro Bowl wide receiver Justin Jefferson, safety Kyle Dugger or darkhorse MVP running bac Jonathan Taylor makes Chaisson’s pick look even worse.
Time is running out for Chaisson to make an impact in the NFL. Maybe he does end up figuring things out but there haven’t been many signs during his first two seasons that he will. Sure, Baalke wasn’t the general manager — Dave Caldwell was — but he was still part of the front office that drafted Swiper and he doesn’t get a pass.
Jaguars GM Trent Baalke’s big mistake No. 3 – Giving up on C.J. Henderson.
The Jaguars benefited from trading cornerback C.J. Henderson to the Carolina Panthers, as they got tight end Dan Arnold and a 2022 third-round selection in exchange. However, the team’s brass gave up on him too early, especially when you take into account the former Florida Gator was the ninth overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.
Look, Henderson was far from perfect but he also showed promise as a rookie, appearing in eight games and giving up less than 50 receiving yards in four of them. He also logged a forced fumble and an interception last year. A groin injury prematurely ended his first NFL season but he deserved a legitimate shot at a starting job in 2021. Alas, he underwent shoulder surgery this past offseason and later landed on the COVID-19 reserve list, which affected his development.
In the end, the Jags’ decision-makers decided they have had enough and moved up from him after Week 3 of the current season. You could argue Urban Meyer inherited him and he was no longer a fit. Also, he’s continued to deal with injuries in Carolina but the sophomore corner has gone through a lot this year. You can’t expect him to improve under that kind of circumstances.
Sure, availability is the best ability in the NFL and Henderson has already missed ten games in his two-year career. However, the Jaguars gave up too early on him. It’s possible that he will have a chance to work in his craft and make a leap in 2022 if he’s healthy next offseason.
Jaguars GM Trent Baalke’s big mistake No. 4 – Trading Gardner Minshew.
Trevor Lawrence was always going to be the Jaguars’ starting quarterback from the moment he was drafted first overall earlier this year. But that doesn’t mean Gardner Minshew had to be traded. Sure, the mustache wanted a chance to compete and he wasn’t going to get it in Jacksonville and he’s surely in a better place with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Having said that, there was no reason for the Jags to sign C.J. Beathard in free agency with Minshew on the roster. Although the 2019 sixth-round quarterback went 1-7 as a starter last season, he wasn’t the reason the team just won one game, which coincidentally he started.
Lawrence played better during training camp and has a higher ceiling than Minshew but would have been a solid QB2 in Jacksonville. In his lone start in Philly, he showed he can still play, completing a jaw-dropping 80 percent of his passes for 242 yards with two touchdowns. Keep in mind that the Jags got a sixth-round pick in exchange for him. Unless they find a Pro Bowler with that selection, the trade might not have been worth it.
Minshew was a fan favorite in Duval and he would have provided insurance at quarterback. Why the Jags felt the need to move on from him is anyone’s guess. It’s not as if he couldn’t coexist with Lawrence.
Jaguars GM Trent Baalke’s big mistake No. 5 – Signing Tim Tebow.
As soon as Urban Meyer brought in Tim Tebow for a workout, Trent Baalke should have vetoed the move. The signing had Meyer’s name all over it but Baalke gave it the thumbs up, so he needs to shoulder half of the blame. The former Florida Gator’s motivational skills are second to none but he can’t play, especially tight end. At least not at the NFL level.
It was fun to root for Tebow during training camp. Who doesn’t like an underdog story, that player that makes it in spite of the odds he’s facing? Having said that, the coaching staff should have known this wasn’t going to work out. The former first-round pick gave his everything during his short stint in Jacksonville but effort wasn’t the reason he hadn’t been on an NFL roster since the early 2010s.
Looking back, the Jaguars should have offered Tebow a position in the coaching staff, maybe as a quality control assistant, and have him work his way up. Maybe bring him in as a chaplain or a motivator but not as a player.
In the end, the Jags couldn’t justify keeping Tebow after his outing in the Jags’ first preseason game of the year. He’s gone on to have a nice gig at ESPN. He deserves praise for never giving up and looking for an opportunity to play in the NFL after being away for so long. But the Jags shouldn’t have been the ones that gave him that chance.