Don’t let the 2-12 record (or -99-point differential) fool you — Jacksonville is not far away from being in the playoffs.
They have two things going for them: 1) a young defense, led by a future superstar in Jalen Ramsey, and 2) a winnable division.
Here would be my steps to put the Jags on the road to that goal:
STEP ONE: WASHING THE BORTLES STINK OFF
We gave Blake Bortles a chance, but this isn’t working out.
Whenever I criticize Blake Bortles on Reddit, Jags fans defend him and say that he can be salvaged with a better coaching staff and a better offensive line.
Admittedly, I haven’t seen every snap of Blake Bortles like die-hard Jags fans have, so take this with a grain of salt. However, when I watch Bortles, I don’t see a future star. I don’t see a future starter. I see a quarterback who is slow to react, slow to release, and whose inconsistent mechanics make for inconsistent accuracy.
I’m not sure what’s more likely, Bortles becoming a quality NFL-starter, or Oklahoma City point guard Russell Westbrook catching “The Big O” in triple-doubles.
Rather than go into a coaching search with the question hanging over the franchise’s head: should we keep Bortles? Should we move on? It would help streamline the process to know the plan at QB. In my mind, that’s moving forward without the idea of Bortles under center.
STEP TWO: THE COACHING SEARCH
After Gus Bradley’s failures, the organization appears to want a veteran coach to replace him. Given that, it’s no surprise that the top candidates have apparently been Tom Coughlin and Mike Smith, two solid old coaches with a history of success, and ties to the franchise.
Personally, I like the idea of bringing Coughlin back into the fold in some capacity. However, at 70 years old, he’s a short-term solution at best. Rather than hire him as a head coach, I’d consider the idea of bringing him on as a GM or consultant.
In terms of the actual head coach, I’d prefer a fresher face, regardless of what happened with Bradley. I’d also lean to an offensive-minded coach, given the makeup of the league right now. Rookie coaches Adam Gase, Dirk Koetter, and Ben McAdoo have all had success in their first years, and the Jags could use a similar hire to help spark their passing game.
With that in mind, I’d target a relative unknown (outside of my posts): Chiefs co-offensive coordinator Matt Nagy. He’s only 38 and only in his first year as coordinator, but he’s a rising star in the profession. Nagy comes from the Andy Reid University of Coach Development, which specializes in developing young quarterbacks.
He may not have head coaching experience, and may not have earned his Jags stripes, but he may just be the right coach for the future.
STEP THREE: FILLING OUT THE STAFF
If the Jags do hire Nagy (which is unlikely, I know), their first instinct would be to pair him with a veteran defensive coordinator.
However, there are a few up-and-coming defensive assistants that I prefer more. Carolina Panthers DB coach Steve Wilks immediately jumps to mind. Already designated with an “assistant head coach” tag, Wilks is more than ready for a coordinator job and comes from a system not dissimilar to the Jags.
The Nagy – Wilks tandem would be a dangerously inexperienced pair, which may give Jags fans heartburn after the Gus Bradley era. However, if you surround them with enough veteran assistants, you could capture magic in a bottle.
STEP FOUR: PLUGGING THE LINE
Outside of QB, the Jags’ biggest hole has been their offensive line. The line’s improved under Doug Marrone (Bortles has only taken 30 sacks so far, down from 51 in 2015). I’d try to keep Marrone around in the same role and keep that improvement going. Still, this unit is a work in progress.
That’s compounded by the fact that former top pick Luke Joeckel is a free agent. Given his draft pedigree, he may yield a decent sized free agent offer.
Personally, I’d try to replace Joeckel instead. He didn’t work out at tackle, and I fear that he doesn’t have that grit and toughness to excel at guard.
Once again, the Jags have cap space to play around with (and could have more with some cuts to older d-linemen like Roy Miller). With that, I’d target at least one high profile offensive lineman.
One that jumps out would be Dallas guard Ronald Leary, whom has bounced in and out of that stacked o-line lineup. Leary’s a great run blocker that may have priced himself out of the Cowboys’ plans.
The other lineman that I’d target — and may prefer, actually — is Detroit tackle Riley Reiff. Reiff played left tackle early in his career, before sliding over to right tackle this past season. He doesn’t have ideal length for the left side (hence the move to right), but that versatility would be a huge boon to the Jags. Reiff can play either tackle position, and would project as a superb guard as well. He can plug any hole in the line for the team.
The Jags have the money to land Reiff (or Leary) and would be well served to do so.
STEP FIVE: FINDING THAT QB
Oh right, quarterback. It’s silly to suggest that the Jags should bench Blake Bortles without coming up with a plan on how to replace him.
To me, the Jags do have a clear route there: the draft.
Most likely, the team will have the #3 pick in the draft, behind other QB-needy teams Cleveland and San Francisco. However, the Browns and 49ers have trainwrecks of a roster. If they draft a QB, they may be dooming that poor kid to failure.
The Jags, on the other hand, have a decent roster cobbled together, not to mention a pair of young weapons in Allen Robinson and Marqise Lee. More than the Browns or 49ers, they’re in a position to select a QB in the draft.
Of course, nailing which QB to take is the difficult part. Right now, there are three quarterbacks being floated around in first round consideration: Notre Dame’s DeShone Kizer, UNC’s Mitch Trubisky, and Clemson’s Deshaun Watson.
Kizer and Trubisky have limited experience, which scares me as a fake GM. On the other hand, Watson has a long history of success in college. The presumptive #1 pick has seen his stock suffer mightily during this junior season, with many experts saying he’s only a 2nd round pick right now.
I’m not so sure about that. After all, Watson’s started for nearly three years, and kept the Tigers in title contention. Sure, there are concerns about his interceptions this year, and concerns about how he’d translate from a spread system. But keep in mind: those are the exact same concerns that plagued the top 2015 signal callers Jameis Winston (who was turnover-happy as a junior) and Marcus Mariota (who came from a gimmicky college system). Both turned out just fine. Watson has the same type of leadership traits, and enough arm talent to succeed in the NFL. In a system that caters to his strengths — that I believe a smart coach like Matt Nagy could provide — he can be a centerpiece for a quick-hitting and explosive offense.
The other QB to keep an eye on would be Texas Tech’s Patrick Mahomes. He’s only seen as a 2nd rounder himself right now, but he has a big arm and may rise up the charts. Again, there are system concerns there, but he may have more upside than other top QBs in the class.
It’s not a loaded QB class, but there are some legitimate candidates here. If I was the Jags’ GM, I’d study them all and try to find one that you can get behind.
I don’t see the point in getting cute and waiting until Round 2 or 3 to try and take Watson or Mahomes (or whomever they fall in love with). Given their high pick, the Jags should be able to land a potential starter for their offensive and defensive line in Round 2 and 3 anyway.
Conclusion
At the start, I claimed that the Jacksonville Jaguars aren’t far away from a playoff spot. Of course, the two things they need — a coach and a QB — are the most critical. If they nail both, they could be one of the brightest young teams in the league.
