(02-04-2023, 01:14 PM)Caldrac Wrote:

(02-04-2023, 11:12 AM)Cleatwood Wrote: He’s playing on his 5th year option. If he produces and has a year where those pressures lead to more sacks, I’ll give him the contract. 

In this league, you need 2 (or really 3-4) really good pass rushers to win. It SHOULD be Walker and Allen.

Agreed. Goes back to what Caldwell and Co. decide to do defensively. Should they go to a more traditional 4 - 3 base or continue to ride out this odd, 3 - 4 front thing they had going on all year with Walker doing 2 point stance stuff. 

I really think they [BLEEP] up evaluations last year on defense. Still pisses me off what they did with Walker, Lloyd and Williams. At this point it really feels like it should have been:

Allen - Walker - Fatukasi - Key in a 4 - 3 set full time. With Lloyd at weakside, Oluokon at mike and Muma at strongside. Just aggravating that we mismanaged this personnel IMHO. Williams was obviously the better option on the outside all along as well. Hope they get this [BLEEP] figured out moving forward before free agency even starts next month.

One of, if not the most important off-season decisions will be which defensive scheme to utilize as their base next season. It does appear that the current roster is more suited to the 4-3. No one can know for sure whether Walker can develop into a 10 sack per season Edge rusher playing at the same spot as 2022-23. However, those with much more knowledge than me on this question tend to believe the answer is "no" and that extending this "experiment" into the 2023-24 season would hurt the defense. 

If the above is true and Caldwell does go to the 4-3 base defense, Walker could play either DE or DT, depending on the situation. The team should still either draft or sign in free agency at least one defensive lineman/pass rusher. I like the versatility that Arden Key possesses and hope they re-sign him. If I'm Trent Baalke, I let Taylor walk and don't re-sign Robertson-Harris. By making these moves and re-structuring 2 or 3 high-priced contracts, the team could then afford to pay Engram and Key and one other high-priced free agent. Baalke could then go after Daron Payne giving the Jaguars a line of:

Walker.- Payne- Fatukasi- Allen (with Hamilton and Key as primary rotational players)

Walker could move inside on obvious passing downs and I believe the pass rushing problems would disappear. I like your linebacker group and really believe Lloyd will improve greatly next season. He did not have a pre-season and the linebacker position is one of the toughest to learn as a rookie.

Some may be skeptical that the team will be able to afford Payne, but teams seem to be able to "find" enough money to sign high-priced free agents by re-structuring other contracts plus the salary cap does go up next season. It is hard to believe considering our recent history, but Jacksonville will be a popular destination for free agents as long as Lawrence and Pederson remain with the team. Why not go "all out" to sign one of the top free agents who will only be 26 years old?

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