Jacksonville Jaguars Fan Forums

Quote:There were multiple reasons why the defense struggled last year, but the biggest factor was the fact that in most games, they were on the field far too long for their own good. The offense left them in lousy situations more often than not. As a result, the defense simply wore out late in games.


There were certainly areas of concern, but keep in mind that the linebacking corps was missing the starting MLB for a portion of the season, suffered injuries in the secondary, and trotted out a lot of young guys playing on the corners, and at safety. All things considered, we got a glimpse of some decent play from that defense despite the lack of experience and depth, and both of those areas can be resolved this off season.


Injuries impact every team. We lost starters at LB, Safety, and Corner this year at various times, and still managed to keep our inept offense in games until late.


To say Gus' defense didn't work ignores the hand they were dealt and only focuses on the stats. With an improved offense, that should help the defense. With additions to the defense, it should also help to get the unit to the next level.

Struggled? WWJD? What Would Joe Do?http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gc65NC44d...ata_player

Quote:

Wasn't he a 5th rounder?

Not really a failure if he can be a competent back up.


I don't think Brown is the answer, but given the options, he's an upgrade, if even slightly, to what we had.


Maybe we can "nail" FS next year some how...


I think the defense is still taking shape... I think the team as a whole is. Rome wasn't built in a day.

If after 3 seasons we end up competitive and only needing "a couple more pieces" like a FS and MLB I would say the plan is working.


Granted... we'd like to see this defense ranked upper half to call it a good one... but the eye test should tell you that at times it was a really really good unit, hampered by some poor play by the O and ST

Even better. He was actually a 6th round pick and to add to that the only reason why he started was because Winston Guy was that bad.

Quote:Wasn't he a 5th rounder? 

Not really a failure if he can be a competent back up.

 

I don't think Brown is the answer, but given the options, he's an upgrade, if even slightly, to what we had.


Maybe we can "nail" FS next year some how... 

 

I think the defense is still taking shape... I think the team as a whole is. Rome wasn't built in a day.

If after 3 seasons we end up competitive and only needing "a couple more pieces" like a FS and MLB I would say the plan is working.

 

Granted... we'd like to see this defense ranked upper half to call it a good one... but the eye test should tell you that at times it was a really really good unit, hampered by some poor play by the O and ST

 

Josh Evans was drafted at the top of the sixth round of the 2013 draft pick 169.  If I remember right Tom Brady QB of the Patriots was a sixth round pick but that is very rare.   DT Ziggy Hood (Pittsburgh) will be a sixth round Compensated Free Agent to compare.  In my opinion a 1st round pick should start immediately and make a huge impact on the team (ProBowl type player if in the top 5), 2nd round pick should start as well.  A 3rd round usually starts the first season if not the 2nd.  A 4th to 7th round can be used to develop a player that will start the next season but be able to start if a player is truly needed at that role either due to injury or a glaring need.


I guess to say Josh Evans was a faliure is a bit harsh at sixth overall only 2 years ago, I will recant but he certaintly hasnt performed the way Gus Bradley had wanted based on how they treated him last season & by the FA signing.

Quote:Josh Evans was drafted at the top of the sixth round of the 2013 draft pick 169.  If I remember right Tom Brady QB of the Patriots was a sixth round pick but that is very rare.   DT Ziggy Hood (Pittsburgh) will be a sixth round Compensated Free Agent to compare.  In my opinion a 1st round pick should start immediately and make a huge impact on the team (ProBowl type player if in the top 5), 2nd round pick should start as well.  A 3rd round usually starts the first season if not the 2nd.  A 4th to 7th round can be used to develop a player that will start the next season but be able to start if a player is truly needed at that role either due to injury or a glaring need.

I guess to say Josh Evans was a faliure is a bit harsh at sixth overall only 2 years ago, I will recant but he certaintly hasnt performed the way Gus Bradley had wanted based on how they treated him last season & by the FA signing.

Many 6th round picks don't stick around the NFL longer than a few years... many late round picks are depth guys for their careers. Guys always slip through the cracks, and sometimes their success is based on the fact that they are late round picks to really good teams.

 

If Evans is even a Jaguar in 2 seasons I'd say he was a solid 6th round selection.

If he ends up a starter that's quite a good pick.

 

Given the options this team has had... they did what they could.... 

 

I remember when people said Garrard was a failure... but as a 4th round QB... I'd say he did pretty alright. As a 4th and later, no one should EXPECT you to become anything more than a role player.... IF you develop into something, well that's great, and icing on the cake.

 

The Pats did not draft Brady in the 6th thinking that guy would lead them to a dynasty...

They said "eh what the heck, we need a young back up for Bledsoe"

 

and got lucky.

Quote:Josh Evans was drafted at the top of the sixth round of the 2013 draft pick 169.  If I remember right Tom Brady QB of the Patriots was a sixth round pick but that is very rare.   DT Ziggy Hood (Pittsburgh) will be a sixth round Compensated Free Agent to compare.  In my opinion a 1st round pick should start immediately and make a huge impact on the team (ProBowl type player if in the top 5), 2nd round pick should start as well.  A 3rd round usually starts the first season if not the 2nd.  A 4th to 7th round can be used to develop a player that will start the next season but be able to start if a player is truly needed at that role either due to injury or a glaring need.

I guess to say Josh Evans was a faliure is a bit harsh at sixth overall only 2 years ago, I will recant but he certaintly hasnt performed the way Gus Bradley had wanted based on how they treated him last season & by the FA signing.

A 6th rounder even sticking on an NFL roster in any capacity for 2+ years is a long shot. 

Quote:A 6th rounder even sticking on an NFL roster in any capacity for 2+ years is a long shot. 

 

And I think that point is amplified by the fact that the 2013 class was a relatively poor class overall.

Good points on Evans. 


The franchise is saying Dan Skuta was brought in to play OTTO.


Does put into question whom GM Dave Caldwell will draft at #3 as it might not be Fowler Jr.

Quote:Good points on Evans. 


The franchise is saying Dan Skuta was brought in to play OTTO.

Does put into question whom GM Dave Caldwell will draft at #3 as it might not be Fowler Jr.

I am not so sure. I think he, and especially Sergio Brown, were signed cheap enough that it could go either way. They are upgrades on what we had, but not so expensive that they are cemented into their roles if someone comes along in the draft that Dave loves. 

 

Skuta has some experience at ILB too, so he could play OTTO while Fowler/Beasley develop for a year and then shift over to be Poz' long term replacement next year. Drafting Beasley at 3 and then Randall day 2 and letting them marinate a while behind Skuta and Brown for some of this year. Next year Beasley is our full time OTTO, Randall the starting FS, Skuta the starting MLB, and Brown returns to being a rotational guy/ace special teams player.

An interesting stat that I found on ProFootball was that last season the Jaguars were ranked 30th in Pass Rushing Productivity without using the Blitz,

If they do truly plan on having Skuta start at OTTO, Poz at MIKE & Telvin Smith at weak side LB, Tyson Alualu & Odrick sharing ED, Marks, Roy Miller, Ziggy Hood at DT. 

Maybe they are going to draft a LEO to replace Clemons or to share reps with him?

Quote:Good points on Evans. 


The franchise is saying Dan Skuta was brought in to play OTTO.

Does put into question whom GM Dave Caldwell will draft at #3 as it might not be Fowler Jr.

I think there are some thoughts that while Fowler Jr seems to fit the OTTO he could play at either OTTO and LEO.

 

They seem to value versatility so I think no matter who they choose they aren't looking at replacements for this guy, or a piece cuz they missed on this guy...

 

The fronts vary... we could see Skuta at Otto with Fowler at LEO. Fowler at OTTO, Skuta at MLB and Clemons at LEO....

 or some variation....

or if they go with Leonard Williams the front four also has a lot of variations

We could see Odrick, Marks, Miller, Clemons

we could see AluAlu, Odrick, Hood, Williams

Odrick, Marks, Williams, Clemons

Alualu, Odrick, Williams, Davis....

 

Fowler JR could essentially line up all over if we go that route....

which is why here lately, after reading some write ups on BCC and other sites... I think I prefer Fowler over Williams..

 

While Williams can play any position on the D line... Fowler seems is able to play LEO or OTTO, which is both pass rush positions in the D and allows for another good pass rusher to be on the field also, whether its Skuta, Clemons, Davis, Branch, Smith (at least we hope these young guys are "another good pass rusher")

 

 

 

We could see

Almost none of us had GM Dave Caldwell drafting QB Bortles last year, so it wouldnt shock me if he didnt draft Fowler or Williams and went in a direction we dont expect like WR Amari Cooper.

 

In a press interview GM Dave Caldwell admitted he had no real #1 WR on the team despite drafting 2 WRs in the 2nd round whom both became productive during the season & having Cecil Shorts III.  He let Cecil leave for Houston in Free Agency, and he might still draft a WR (but will it be at #3)?

 

Or maybe he goes with DE Shane Ray whom they say compares to Chris Clemons... 

http://www.nfl.com/draft/2015/profiles/s...id=2552451

Quote:Almost none of us had GM Dave Caldwell drafting QB Bortles last year, so it wouldnt shock me if he didnt draft Fowler or Williams and went in a direction we dont expect like WR Amari Cooper.

 

In a press interview GM Dave Caldwell admitted he had no real #1 WR on the team despite drafting 2 WRs in the 2nd round whom both became productive during the season & having Cecil Shorts III.  He let Cecil leave for Houston in Free Agency, and he might still draft a WR (but will it be at #3)?

 

Or maybe he goes with DE Shane Ray whom they say compares to Chris Clemons... 

http://www.nfl.com/draft/2015/profiles/s...id=2552451

 

That's the only Clemons comp I've seen for him, and to me it doesn't make much sense.

 

Just about everyone else has him comped to rush OLBs like Von Miller, which makes him a bad choice for LEO.  Not the best scheme fit for him, IMO.  You could say the same thing for about most of the tweeners in this draft.

 

Let's not get the mindset that Dave will feel forced to make a LEO selection at 3 where there isn't a good LEO fit.  I'm not sure there's a LEO candidate worth the #3 pick.

Wouldnt the best thing be to trade down if he has a decent offer?

hell no, take amari cooper

 

if we fail it sure as hell won't be because bortles doesn't have any targets

 

hurns, arob, lee, blackmon, thomas, cooper

 

come at me NFL

Come at me NFL hilarious!

http://www.rotoworld.com/teams/depth-charts/nfl.aspx

 

The fact that the Jaguars depth chart on a few different sites shows CB House as the starting role with Colvin moving up the ranks (whom I think will truly start on the other side of House) shows that Gratz had fallen from lack of performance last season.  Right now it does have McCray as a starter.

If anyone has NFL rewind, check out the two games vs Houston last season and watch how sensational McCray was in those games. There were a few other games as well, where he read the defenses so well and sniffed out plays before the snap and then reacted with great patience. He is so patient and sees the field very well. He doesn't get the INT's but he locks down his receivers and is really becoming a special player.

Quote:http://www.rotoworld.com/teams/depth-charts/nfl.aspx

 

The fact that the Jaguars depth chart on a few different sites shows CB House as the starting role with Colvin moving up the ranks (whom I think will truly start on the other side of House) shows that Gratz had fallen from lack of performance last season.  Right now it does have McCray as a starter.

Gratz was a 3rd round selection...

 

He could be viewed as a disappointment of a selection if he is relegated to 'dime' duties only... 

He could truly be the first Caldwell cut based on performance as opposed to a late draft selection just being weeded out through competition, i.e Storm Johnson, or a Free agent miss, i.e. Dekoda Watson

This defense must effect the opposing QB more, and talent, not just scheme, is the answer.  As mentioned many times in the thread, free safety and a pass rusher would be the most impactful upgrades.  

 

Evans is OK for a backup, and his draft status properly reflected that at the time.  Unfortunately, the flop known as Winston Guy forced the Jags into starting Evans.  I do believe Sergio Brown will be better than Evans, but I am not convinced he is the ultimate answer at the position.  I hope they find him in the draft.  

 

Skuta was acquired and paid to be the starting Otto LB, and everything said by Gus and Dave supports this idea.  Let's hope he is better than Dekota Watson.  I question why so many think potentially drafting Fowler would mean that Skuta gets moved from the Otto spot.  This makes the assumption that Fowler is solely a potential Otto in this D.  The current Leo guys on the roster are all 6'1-6'5 and between 250-270 pounds.  Fowler is 6'2-6'3 and plays between 260-265.  Fowler, in many respected rankings, place him as the best edge pass rusher in the draft (Mayock included).  He is also mentioned positively at his ability to set an edge and do a good job against the rush.  He sounds like a perfect Leo for the Jags, in addition to being also a fit at Otto.  I would think that if the Jags were to draft him, he would not move Skuta, but would be the young edge rusher from the Leo spot.     

Quote:This defense must effect the opposing QB more, and talent, not just scheme, is the answer.  As mentioned many times in the thread, free safety and a pass rusher would be the most impactful upgrades.  

 

Evans is OK for a backup, and his draft status properly reflected that at the time.  Unfortunately, the flop known as Winston Guy forced the Jags into starting Evans.  I do believe Sergio Brown will be better than Evans, but I am not convinced he is the ultimate answer at the position.  I hope they find him in the draft.  

 

Skuta was acquired and paid to be the starting Otto LB, and everything said by Gus and Dave supports this idea.  Let's hope he is better than Dekota Watson.  I question why so many think potentially drafting Fowler would mean that Skuta gets moved from the Otto spot.  This makes the assumption that Fowler is solely a potential Otto in this D.  The current Leo guys on the roster are all 6'1-6'5 and between 250-270 pounds.  Fowler is 6'2-6'3 and plays between 260-265.  Fowler, in many respected rankings, place him as the best edge pass rusher in the draft (Mayock included).  He is also mentioned positively at his ability to set an edge and do a good job against the rush.  He sounds like a perfect Leo for the Jags, in addition to being also a fit at Otto.  I would think that if the Jags were to draft him, he would not move Skuta, but would be the young edge rusher from the Leo spot.     

Everything I've researched about Fowler says he can play all over. LEO, OTTO, weakside, standing up, hand in the ground...

He just needs to work on his moves....


I like the possibility of having him and Skuta rushing from the same side....

And being able to move Skuta to MLB if Poz is hurt again, Fowler at OTTO, and then a guy like Clemons or Davis at LEO.

 

Versatility seems to be our new team mantra.

Odrick, Skuta, Fowler (OR williams if he's the pick) can all play multiple positions.

 

Trade down rumors have began to pick up steam... and I'm not sure I want to get out of the top 5 where the true top pass rush talent is.

Unless we manage to trade to like 7 and still get a guy like Vic.