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5 moves that sent Jaguars into a tailspin after the 2017 season

By Joshua Cronick

Fans in the stands with cutouts of Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Urban Meyer and Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) at the start of Saturday's preseason game against the Cleveland Browns. The Jacksonville Jaguars hosted the Cleveland Browns for their only home preseason game at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville, Florida Saturday night, August 14, 2021. The Browns led at the half 13 to 0.Jki 081421 Jagsvsbrowns 22
Fans in the stands with cutouts of Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Urban Meyer and Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) at the start of Saturday's preseason game against the Cleveland Browns. The Jacksonville Jaguars hosted the Cleveland Browns for their only home preseason game at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville, Florida Saturday night, August 14, 2021. The Browns led at the half 13 to 0.Jki 081421 Jagsvsbrowns 22 /
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Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Jalen Ramsey (20). Mandatory Credit: Douglas DeFelice-USA TODAY Sports /

Back in 2017, the Jacksonville Jaguars reached the AFC Championship. Most of their core player that made it possible returned the following year, so it was fair to think that they should have no trouble returning to the playoffs in 2018. However, things quickly fell apart, and have failed to win more than six games in a season since then.

While there are many reasons why the Jaguars have struggled to rack up wins over the last four years, here are five moves that sent him into a tailspin after the 2017 season.

1. The Jaguars shouldn’t have traded CB Jalen Ramsey.

There’s no way to sugarcoat this. The Jaguars should have never traded All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey to the Los Angeles Rams in 2019. Shutdown cornerbacks don’t grow in trees but Jacksonville found one with the fifth overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft.

Throughout his career, Ramsey has been someone opposing offensive coordinators have to game plan for every game. Commentators drew attention to his actions with almost every defensive play. In just his second season in the NFL, he earned the first of many All-Pro designations. So why did the Jaguars end up moving on from the cornerback?

Ramsey requested a trade after meeting with the front office early in the 2019 season. In his own words, “Some disrespectful things were said on their end that made me definitely walk out and call my agent as soon as I walked out” Instead of trying to repair their relationship, the Jaguars traded the Florida State product to the Rams in exchange for two first-round selections and an addition fourth-rounder. Those picks turned into cornerback CJ Henderson and outside linebacker K’Lavon Chaisson. Neither of them had the impact Jacksonville expected and the former is no longer with the team.

Replacing a player of Ramsey’s caliber will never be an easy task and the Jags’ secondary suffered a dip in production once he was traded. After a couple of years, it looks like the Jags found a hopeful replacement in Tyson Campbell but took a while to get it right.

Campbell played well in his rookie campaign and will most likely get matched up with top wide receivers in 2022. Playing opposite of him is Shaquill Griffin, who is holding down after signing with the Jags last offseason. Griffin wants to improve his hands this offseason. He told the local media after the Jags’ Week 18 win over the Colts that he wants to work with Trevor Lawerence and the wide receivers to “catch everything thrown his way“.

The Jaguars seem to be set at cornerback heading into the 2022 season but that doesn’t lessen the impact of Ramsey’s departure.

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