(04-30-2020, 11:36 PM)Bullseye Wrote:

(04-30-2020, 03:37 PM)Firesky Wrote: Just fyi, Caldwell didn't want to hire Bradley. Khan interviewed Gus and just fell in love; Caldwell wanted to hire Greg Roman (his former college roommate iirc) who had experience with a run first offense and we still had MJD & no QB at the time. Joeckel was a bust but in hindsight that entire 2013 draft was talent starved, I also think that Tony Khan's analytics handcuffs the front office at times when he gets tunnel visioned on "his guys", Tony Khan believed that having a RT in Joeckel across from Monroe at LT would give Gabbert more time to throw (2.1 seconds average in 2012; and when Gabbert had 2.6 seconds to throw his stats/passer rating was significantly better) Bradley also demanded a SS be drafted high bc he needed his Kam Chancellor 2.0 to run his Seattle Cover-3 defense. Caldwell stated in post draft interviews that Darius Slay was the top guy on his board but was railroaded into picking Cyprien (reading between the lines).

As bad as the Bortles pick was in hindsight, his other picks that draft were pretty good: Allen Robinson, Telvin Smith in the 5th. His 2016 draft was stellar: Jalen Ramsey, Myles Jack, Yannick Ngakoue, & Sheldon Day (until Coughlin cut him in 2017 bc "numbers game" and he went on to be a key player for the Niners DL in their run to the SB this past year). Then TC took over and ruined the roster/momentum that was built (there's no chance Caldwell selects Fournette top 5 or Taven Bryan at all if he's at the helm). With TC gone I thought Caldwell had a good draft this year although obviously it's beyond premature as they haven't played a game.

I think Caldwell has earned this year to see what he can do; as a GM he wasn't given his choice of a HC to hire initially, and then TC was brought in essentially handcuffing his ability to GM, and even now he inherited Marrone from Coughlin & still hasn't gotten to pick "his" coach. Not to mention most of the talent DC acquired Coughlin ran out of town with his draconian ways. Caldwell may not be Ozzie Newsome but he's miles better than Gene Smith & Shack Harris were. I'm not super angry he was retained bc he did kind of get a raw deal here with all the chaos that's gone on since he was hired.

I do not trash him for the entire 2014 draft, just Bortles.  That 2014 draft was pretty good.  I remember most Jaguars fans on the board lauded the draft in its immediate aftermath.  I do wonder who he would have drafted in 2017 & 18 had TC not have been hired.
While he may not have drafted Fournette, he may not have drafted Watson or Mahomes, either.

Though I think he is a good drafter, I have serious doubts about his ability to turn this around fast enough to keep the job beyond this year, unless the entire team exceeds expectations to a large degree.  If the team ends up with Trevor Lawrence, a new GM will end up drafting him.