07-21-2016, 01:46 PM
Quote:Smith made some bad decisions, but the expansion level talent of our roster that the article references was in part created by Caldwell as he gutted the team when he took over. I have no problem with the tactic because I'm fine with the longview that Caldwell was committed to. It just finally needs to start paying off and it's looking like it will.The Jaguars were not in as bad of shape as you think after 2008. Were in cap hell, made some bad FA pickups. Honestly, a bit of a retool and I think the team was fine. Gene completely gutted the roster and started from the bottom. made it his own team and bad drafting landed us where we ended up under him. Look at those drafts, we literally have 1 player remaining from those 4 years. 3 of his 9 selections in 2009 are still in the NFL, 1 of his 6 selections in 2010 are still in the NFL, in 2011 3 of his 5 sections ( traded all his picks for Gabbert) are still in the NFL, however, ZERO are starting for their new teams. One of those picks set the franchise back for years in Blaine Gabbert. In 2012, 3 of his 6 picks are still in the NFL. One is a over drafted overrated punter, the other was a bust for a 2nd round pick in Branch and I dont know how we let Marshall go. Also, his first round pick in that draft is no longer in the league for substance abuse issues.
Bad drafting will land you in bad situations. Thats been the Jaguars problem since the Coughlin area. Gene screwed the team over royally. 8-8, 7-9, 5-11, 2-14. The results under Gene Smith in order under his 4 years in charge. Look at his first two seasons and compare them to his last two. Logically, one can assume that the team was not in that bad of shape in the first two season, 2008 was a fluke and we needed to get our cap back in check and let go of some dead weight free agents. In my opinion, had we simply retooled the defense, shored up the offensive line and surrounded Garrard, or even Gabbert to an extent with talent, I think the team would of been in a hell of a lot better shape than what we got. His last two seasons, you can totally see the changing of the team. It was Genes team and it showed. Bad drafting, bad acquisitions and poor execution and the team steadily declined over his reign.
I feel like Gene wanted to be like Money Ball. He thought he was the smartest man in the room and could build a roster from cast offs and players from smaller schools. He thought he could "beat the system" per say. It does not matter where you go to school or who you are, if you have talent, the scouts will find you.