(02-24-2020, 10:14 AM)I thought it might be interesting to revisit this now the meat and potatoes of the offseason is done. Let\s see how these questions have been answered. JagJohn Wrote: Having followed the Jags for most of their existence, I can't remember an offseason when there have been so many questions about literally every part of this roster. There is some significant talent on the team, but entering a must-win year for the FO and coaching staff, there are a lot of difficult decisions that need to be made over the next few months. Practically every position group has major questions that need to be answered, here's my shot at adding them all up:

QB

Is Gardner Minshew a legitimate franchise QB? No bigger question than this.
Should the Jags draft a QB early in the draft?
What should we do with Nick Foles?

Well, it appears the Jags are gonna ride or die with Minshew, having turned down the chance to either go after a rookie early in the draft, trading Foles for a 4th (how?!?), and declining to go after one of the many experienced vets on the market. For now, this is Minshew's team. All aboard.

RB

Do we give Fournette the 5th year option?
If not, is this his last year with the team?
Do the young guys behind LF have the potential to take over as starters?

So they didn't give LF the 5th year option, they were actively shopping him before the draft, and it certainly appears this will be his last year with the team. I think the decision not to draft a RB shows the team have a lot of faith in both Armstead and Ozigbo as backups, and Dave said as much after the draft. Adding Thompson as a COP back should allow them to do some different things on offense. Fournette seems to be savvy enough to realize if he wants that big second contract from any team, he'll need to be a model citizen and put up big numbers this year.

WR (Possibly the most settled position group on the team, but with obvious room for improvement)

If teams scheme to take away Chark, do we have other options that teams will need to worry about?

The pick of Shenault in the 2nd gives the Jags a lot of possibilities on offense next year, and should help Chark to face more single coverage. Eifert as a threat over the middle should also help. Collin Johnson also adds a different element to the WR corp. Overall, Gruden has a lot of new skill position players that bring something new to the team, it'll be interesting to see how he utilizes the different pieces next year.

TE

Is Josh Oliver ready to assume a starting role and add a different dimension to this offseason?
Do we go after one of the big names in FA?

So we ended up bringing in a (kinda) big name in Eifert. Eifert, Oliver and O Shaughnessy certainly appear to offer a lot on paper, but the worry is injuries. The same worry that has affected this position for seemingly a long time for the Jags. It would be a surprise to nobody if we are talking about the same thing at the end of the year, but there is certainly potential for this group of TEs to offer more to the team than we usually see around here.

OL
Which players are truly to blame for the underwhelming overall performance of the line in 2019?
Is Cam Robinson still improving as a player, or has he peaked as a mediocre LT?
Would Cam be better at guard? Would he be willing to make the switch?
Is Norwell good / important enough to justify his salary?
Would a rookie LT significantly improve our chances of winning immediately?

One of the most interesting offseason topics, due to the different perspectives of the FO and fans. It quickly became apparent that the Jag's brass were happy to roll with the O-line for another year, to the surprise of many. Obviously, they feel Cam is yet to peak as a player and should be improved now he is fully recovered from his injury. They have clearly placed a high value on continuency, and feel like they have good players on the line who should be able to improve with another year of working together. It'll be interesting to see how, where and when Ben Bartch will be able to fit into this group, although I suspect he'll be brought along slowly. Can this o-line take a big step forward this year? It's possible, but there are many of us who doubt it, with good reason.

DL
How do we fix the obvious problems with run-defense?
Is Dareus an obvious cut for cap reasons? If so, how do we replace him?
Is Bryan ready to step up as a reliable full time starter?
Is Ngakoue worth setting the market for? Is he still willing to make a deal? Do we tag him and make him play or sit out? Or tag and trade?
Is Campbell worth bringing back at his contract price? Would he restructure? How many years does he have left?
Is Smoot ready for a bigger role?

Massive change here, both in personnel and scheme. Seems like we are changing to a 3-4 base, or at least incorporating it more heavily than ever before. We have brought in a couple of big run stuffers in FA, and spent a 3rd on another. Personally, I'm pleased with that approach, and I think they won't be the dumpster fire against the run they were last year. Either way, with so many new faces, a new scheme, and limited offseason opportunities to install it. It's reasonable to think we will see some early bumps in the road on defense, at the very least.

LB
Where should Jack be playing?
Who are the other starters?
Is Q. Williams still seen as a long-term starter?
Does Jake Ryan have anything to offer to this team?
How much should we invest in the LB group as a whole, considering Jack's big contract?

Schobert was a nice addition at Mike, and will become the leader of this defense after the departure of so many vets. That also frees Jack up to be used in a way that will suit his strengths a bit more. We also have nice depth now with a couple of young guys. Again the switch in scheme will be interesting to see develop.

CB
Is Bouye good enough to bring back at his current contract?
Is Herndon actually good enough to be considered a reliable starter?
Who will be the starters?

Another group that is gonna look very different. Henderson better be the player they think he is, and early, or we might be killed in the passing game early and often. Fingers crossed.

S
Is Wilson good enough to be a starter?
Is Harrison actually as good as the perception of him?
Is there any reliable depth at the position?

As of now, it appears that Wilson and Harrison are still the starters. The draft brought in some depth, and it wouldn't be a big surprise to see Wilson in a battle for his job once we get to training camp. Again, seems kind of weak, and I have concerns about the secondary as a whole.

I've undoubtedly missed a few questions, but it's pretty clear there is a whole lot of uncertainty around this team entering this offseason. When that's paired with the need to win now, it puts a whole lot of pressure on this staff to find the right answers to these questions.

I don't think it's impossible for us to turn it around next year, but ultimately we would need the vast majority of these questions to be answered in a positive way. I think we can all agree that that's not how things usually work around here.

Of course, if the answer to the first question on this list (Minshew) quickly becomes a resounding yes, then the other questions quickly seem much less pressing. Again, it seems like a lot to hope for.