Jacksonville Jaguars Off To Encouraging Start in 2022
By Adam Laviano
Keeping GM Trent Baalke wasn’t such a bad decision after all
As the offseason developed, a variety of personnel decisions the Jaguars made were heavily scrutinized, such as the team’s wide receiver situation. Many fans wanted the front office to make a splash move by trading for one of the league’s top receivers that weren’t happy on their teams like Deebo Samuel or D.K. Metcalf.
Others wanted the team to invest some draft capital and select one of the top prospects early in the draft. Instead, the team signed veterans Christian Kirk and Zay Jones. At the time, several talking heads said the team overpaid these guys, but so far that looks to be far from the truth.
The team’s brass was also able to add tight end Evan Engram on a one-year prove-it deal, which so far looks to be a steal. All in all, the Jags got rid of some of the offensive skill players that hadn’t lived up to expectations and replaced them with proven veterans. This strategy allowed the team to invest heavily in the defensive side of the ball during the draft and surrounds Lawrence with more experienced and effective targets.
The Jaguars also let a few familiar faces walk this offseason such as linebacker Myles Jack and wide receiver DJ Chark Jr. Both players performed well during their time in Jacksonville but the front office decided to move on and it looks like a smart decision. Their departures paved the way for free agent acquisitions such as the previously mentioned receivers, linebacker Foyesade Oluokun, and others.