Fisch was a gamble I guess.
He lost on that one - though it was more Bradley's call than his.
️Caldwell has done very little wrong in my mind besides letting Daryl Smith walk when he'd have stayed pretty cheap.
His hits/misses ratio in draft and free agency are well above average among GMs and he's got good guys making smart contracts that make re-signings easier.
Dude's a godsend if you ask me. Especially after Smith.
His biggest gamble is a commitment to complete rebuild. He knew that this team, which was often criticized for shaky support, would lose a lot of games. If he had elected to keep some aging/ mediocre veterans he may have increased the win total and allowed himself/ Bradley less pressure during the transition. However, because he stripped the roster to the bone he was able to gain a lower position in the draft and gather a free agent war chest which has been useful the last two offseasons.
His gamble appears to be working.
I'd say drafting Ramsey was a gamble.
Cornerbacks picked top 5 since 2004:
Patrick Peterson
Jalen Ramsey
So out of that 60 top 5 picks since 2004 only 2 of them including Ramsey have been corners. You expect him to be an all pro at his position being drafted that high.
Bortles was a gamble as a player but positionally drafting a QB in the top 5 is the norm, same with Fowler and Joeckel. DE's and LT's go almost every year in the top 5.
Quote:️Caldwell has done very little wrong in my mind besides letting Daryl Smith walk when he'd have stayed pretty cheap.
I think Caldwell is great and has done 98% positive things for the Jags but I actually think letting Brandon Marshall walking was a mistake in hindsight. He'd have been a great understudy to Poz. Though if Jack reaches his ceiling out I think Jack will be a much better player.
I don't think you guys are taking into consideration enough that Joeckel is still just 24 years old.
Some players.....and OL especially ......can take a few years to really get where they need to be.
Everyone is assuming Beachum is just that much better(and maybe he is) but he is also "three" years older
than Luke and hasn't started near as many games in his career to this point.
The best thing for the Jaguars is that Joeckel hits his stride this year or next and ends up having a solid
12 year career for us......whether at LT or LG.
He doesn't have to be Boselli to be valuable to us.......he just needs to be a middle of the pack O lineman.
Quote:I don't think you guys are taking into consideration enough that Joeckel is still just 24 years old.
Some players.....and OL especially ......can take a few years to really get where they need to be.
Last season at this time I tried making the point that these kids between 20-23 years old come out at very different places in their maturity and development physically.
For instance - Joeckel still looked like a baby faced kid in his third year just beginning to add real bulk, whereas Bortles came out early half-bald with a beer-gut looking like somebodies drunk uncle at Thanksgiving.
It IS possible that Joeckel is finally hitting his stride physically and can really get stronger now.
Just a thought.
Quote:I don't think you guys are taking into consideration enough that Joeckel is still just 24 years old.
Some players.....and OL especially ......can take a few years to really get where they need to be.
Everyone is assuming Beachum is just that much better(and maybe he is) but he is also "three" years older
than Luke and hasn't started near as many games in his career to this point.
The best thing for the Jaguars is that Joeckel hits his stride this year or next and ends up having a solid
12 year career for us......whether at LT or LG.
He doesn't have to be Boselli to be valuable to us.......he just needs to be a middle of the pack O lineman.
Welcome to the board, Luke!
Gus Bradley by far. And still a risk with tons of penalties that go hand and hand with bad coaching.
Fielding an insufficient replacement for Curtis in the Cat Suit.
Caldwells biggest gamble is hiring a unproven Gus Bradley..
His worst mistake
Bradley
Then
Joeckel
Henne
Passing up an all time great in the draft for Bortles. Teddy/Manning/Brady/Montana
This is a good question but the answer is obvious. I think the biggest gamble was how we drafted Myles Jack. Every other team that needed a linebacker could have beat us to him. What if the Cowgirls picked Jack instead of Jaylon Smith? I am sure many posters would have been livid at Dave Caldwell for not trading up into the first round. Then we traded up anyway, costing ourselves a chance to get the guy Baltimore selected with that pick LOL
Quote:Passing up an all time great in the draft for Bortles. Teddy/Manning/Brady/Montana
Are you kidding me?
Biggest gamble has been the coach.
Biggest gamble of this year is gambling that the offensive line will get better by signing beachum and nobody else realistically.
Quote:Biggest gamble has been the coach.
Biggest gamble of this year is gambling that the offensive line will get better by signing Beachum and nobody else realistically.
Actually our offensive line is looking much better in the preseason.
His biggest gamble is hiring a rookie head coach to oversee the total rebuild of one of the worst rosters in modern football.
In my opinion, the biggest gamble was easily Bortles. Even if Gus doesn't pan out as head coach, Dave will still be around to pick the next coach because he hit on the most important position in football. Rarely are GMs able to pick another QB if they whiffed on the first one.
Quote:In my opinion, the biggest gamble was easily Bortles. Even if Gus doesn't pan out as head coach, Dave will still be around to pick the next coach because he hit on the most important position in football. Rarely are GMs able to pick another QB if they whiffed on the first one.
Wrong. A general manager can draft a quarterback every year if he wants to. Using your logic, Gene Smith would have been fired after the 2011 season for picking Blaine Gabbert.