4 offseason moves that will make Jaguars fans change their stance on Trent Baalke
The Jacksonville Jaguars failed to make the playoffs or win the AFC South in 2023. General manager Trent Baalke may want to point fingers at the coaching staff as much as he wants and downplay his role in the team's regression but he most definitely played a part.
Fans rightfully want to see Baalke walk the plank because he hasn't performed his job to the best of his capabilities. Last year, he had the chance to make upgrades to the roster throughout the offseason but stayed put. That dearth of urgency came back to haunt the team when injuries exposed their inadequate depth.
That said, not every move Baalke has made since becoming the general manager full-time in 2021 has been awful. In fact, he's hit it out of the ballpark several times, finding key contributors such as offensive tackle Anton Harrison or wide receiver Christian Kirk, to name a few, over the last three years. And if the embattled general manager wants his seat to cool down next year, he should make the next four moves.
4. Giving Josh Allen a top-market extension
Giving Josh Allen a new contract should be a no-brainer after proving he's one of the top pass rushers in the NFL. Then again, Trent Baalke doesn't seem to be bothered that the Jaguars' best defensive player isn't pleased they have yet to begin contract talks. Maybe the general manager isn't operating with a sense of urgency because he knows he could use the franchise tag on Josh Allen and buy himself more time to get a deal done.
If that's the case, Baalke should be upfront with Allen, but the truth is that striking a deal shouldn't take that long if both parties want to make it happen. Just last year, Rashan Gary got a contract that will pay him an annual salary of $26.8 million. Allen is as good if not better than Gary, so the Jaguars shouldn't mind giving him a top-market contract. The sooner they do it, the cheaper it will be and the faster they can turn their attention to fixing other holes.
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