The Jacksonville Jaguars failed to live up to expectations one year after winning the AFC South and beating the Los Angeles Chargers in Super Wild Card Weekend. While offensive coordinator Press Taylor has gotten lots of flak for the offense's performance in 2023, many reasons contributed to the team's downfall.
The Jags recognize defensive coordinator Mike Caldwell didn't have his players ready to compete every Sunday, so he rightfully got the boot. They also dismissed a couple of offensive coaches, hoping chances to staff will lead to better results. Having said that, general manager Trent Baalke also played a role in the Jaguars' lackluster end to the season. While he hit it out of the ballpark by signing Brandon McManus and drafting Anton Harrison, Baalke also had a handful of blunders.
Some of the moves Baalke made last offseason could still pan out, but it's fair to say that these three mistakes held the Jaguars back in 2023.
3. Not properly addressing the left guard position
Ben Bartch found his way, a fourth-round pick in 2020, progressively got better and eventually found his way into the starting lineup. He entered the 2022 season as the starter at left guard but dislocated a knee injury that cut his year short. The expectation was that he was going to make a full recovery and be back in time for the 2023 opener. Although the former St. John Johnny did manage to return, he wasn't at full strength and was eventually benched.
Tyler Shatley and Walker Little took turns at left guard before the Jaguars traded for Ezra Cleveland at the deadline. However, injuries to both Little and Cleveland kept a revolving door at the position. Had the Jaguars added depth in the offseason, it wouldn't have probably been an issue. Waiting for Bartch to get back wasn't inherently a bad decision. The issue was that the Jaguars didn't have a backup plan in place.
Dalton Risner spent most of the offseason unsigned, or Baalke could've traded for Cleveland earlier in the season. Either way, left guard was and is still a question mark.
2. The Jaguars let Arden Key walk in free agency, didn't adecuately replaced him
Defensive end Arden Key needed a bit of time to put it all together but he finally reached his stride when he joined the San Francisco 49ers in 2021, registering a career-best 6.5 sacks after logging a combined 3.0 the previous three years. Following his breakout season, he signed a one-year deal with the Jags. The former LSU Tiger picked up where he left off and had yet another productive campaign.
Although Key only had four sacks in Jacksonville, his versatility to line up at different spots across the defensive line gave his teammates favorable matchups. Despite his impact, the team's brass let him walk in free agency, and he proceeded to join the division rival Tennessee Titans. Letting him hit the open market wasn't necessarily a bad decision. The trouble started when general manager Trent Baalke neglected to find an adequate replacement.
The Jags flirted with the idea of signing Yannick Ngakoue but ultimately passed. They then hosted Calais Campbell and Jadeveon Clowney for visits but neither one signed. Similarly, they showed interest in trading for Danielle Hunter throughout the offseason but didn't pull the trigger. All Campbell, Clowney, and Hunter went on to have successful campaigns.
Granted, it might've been expensive to trade for Hunter but he would've been worth it, having posted 16.5 sacks in 2023. Clowney wasn't nearly as dominant but still enjoyed one of his best seasons with the Baltimore Ravens, tying his personal best of 9.5 sacks. All it took for the Ravens to sign him was a $2.5 million deal. Key himself had a good year, tallying 6.0 sacks in Titans uniform.
While there's no guarantee these players would've posted the same production in Jacksonville, all of them could have helped the Jaguars. As good as Josh Allen and Travon Walker were in 2023, they could've been much better if they had had a third non-K'Lavon Chaisson to round out their rotation.
1. Drafting Brenton Strange and Tank Bigsby with back-to-back picks
The Jaguars kept most of their 2022 core together because they thought they had enough pieces in place to take the next step after making the playoffs and winning the AFC South. It turned out to be a crass miscalculation, as they proved they didn't have enough talent to go toe-to-toe with the best teams in the league. Losses to the San Francisco 49ers, the Cincinnati Bengals, and the Cleveland Browns exposed their flaws.
Teams like the Niners themselves kept loading up on talent. Even though they had built a formidable front four, they still traded for Chase Young. Meanwhile, the Jaguars opted to take a conservative approach in the offseason. The fact that they didn't address needs with most of their draft picks didn't help matters. Nobody will deny drafting Anton Harrison 27th overall was a hit, but Jacksonville's second and third-round picks left much to be desired.
Some players need time to develop. The aforementioned Arden Key is proof. However, you expect your early-draft picks to have an impact as soon as possible, and tight end Brenton Strange and running back Tank Bigsby barely moved the needle for the Jaguars in 2023.
Neither Strange nor Bigsby were starters but they saw minimal playing time behind Evan Engram and Travis Etienne, respectively. And when they got chances, they didn't always take advantage of them. Leaving aside their lack of production, the Jaguars could've drafted players that address immediate needs. An interior offensive lineman would've been welcomed. A third pass rusher behind Josh Allen and Travon Walker would've been great.
Rightfully, general manager Trent Baalke has gotten flak for his inactivity last offseason. If he and the Jaguars want to bounce back, they will then need to get to work in the upcoming months, or else, run the risk of missing the playoffs for the second straight year.