(06-16-2023, 12:11 PM)Caldrac Wrote:

(06-16-2023, 11:03 AM)Bullseye Wrote: This is the time of year many football fans like me hate.  There's no football happening.  Mini camps are over.  Training camps are about a month away from opening.

Aside from the occasional signing of a vet looking to catch on with a team before training camp, or the occasional arrest/suspension of a player, there is typically very little football related news to satisfy the football withdrawal most of us die hard football fans are enduring. 

Basically the only things to mitigate the cravings during this time are internet clips, the annual preseason football mags, and message boards like this one.

Understanding this is a beyond herculean task akin to bailing out the Titanic with a coffee mug, here is one of my attempts to take a little of the sting of football withdrawal by trying to stimulate discussion.

The following is a questionnaire/survey that raises issues and questions going into training camp.  As always, your thoughts and analysis are welcome.

1.  Quarterback-Under the guidance of Doug Pederson, Trevor Lawrence made considerable strides from his rookie year struggle, more than doubling his TDs and reducing his INTs by half, and tripling the team's win total from 3 in his rookie year to 9 wins, a divisional title a win in the playoffs and divisional round appearance.  For the first time since his college days, he will be in the same offense in back to back years.  Question:  How much improvement, if any, do you see from Trevor Lawrence this year?

2.  Running back-Travis Etienne rebounded from a lis franc injury that kept him sidelined the entire 2021 season to rush for over 1000 yards last year, once he took over the starting RB duties from James Robinson, who was traded away to the Jets.  Robinson was replaced by JaMycal Hasty, who gave the team some decent reps last year, including a long TD run against the Colts.  The Jaguars also drafted Ole Miss RB Snoop Connor last year.  This year, Baalke and Pederson added RB D' Ernest Johnson, a free agent who played in a talented and crowded Cleveland backfield, and 3rd round draft pick Tank Bigsby out of Auburn. 

Question:  How will the RB postion shake itself out?  How many do you expect them to keep?  Who is/are the odd man/men out?

Sub question:  The Jaguars final draft pick-whose name escapes me at the moment (apologies to him)-is envisioned as a FB.  Does he make the final 53 man roster?


3.  Wide Receiver:  Despite a ton of criticism for the signings of Zay Jones and Christian Kirk,both players were instrumental in Trevor Lawrence's ascent to near elite status, silencing those critics.  (Full disclosure:  I had my share of doubts about the signings.  I heartily and gladly eat crow.  Midway through last year, Baalke and Pederson traded for Falcons' WR Calvin Ridley, who was serving a year long suspension for violating the league's policy on gambling.  This was following a half year sabbatical he took for reported mental health issues.  By all accounts, Ridley has looked like his pre suspension self in mincamps and OTAs.  But it's rare that a player can be out for a year or more, return to action and play at or near the level he played pre absence.  (Hall of Fame RB John Riggins is the most notable example the leaps to mind). 

Question:  What do you expect from the receiving corps as a whole this year and from Ridley in particular?

Subquestion:  Assuming Ridley can return to his pre injury & suspension form, how does the trio of Ridley, Kirk and Jones compare to other notable receiver groups in team history, like the 1996 group (Jimmy Smith, Keenan McCardell, Andre Rison/Willie Jackson) or 2017 (Marquise Lee, Allen Robinson, Allen Hurns).

4.  Tight End:  One of last year's most pleasant surprises was the play of Evan Engram, who went from a bust with the New York Giants to an integral weapon in the Jaguars attack last year.  Some may argue that Engram gave the Jaguars the best receiving threat at TE in team history, ahead of Marcedes Lewis, Kyle Brady, et al.  He has been absent from OTAs and minicamps trying to get a new contract.  The team has applied the franchise tag.  This aside, there are some changes, most relevant is the addition of Strange from Penn State.

Question:  Do you think we re-sign Engram to a new long term deal by the start of training camp, or will Engram play the whole year under the tag?

5.  Offensive line-  Pederson' and Rauscher's blocking schemes led to a very good year for the offensive line last year. Cam Robinson had his best year at LT since 2017.  After being out most of his last two years of college due to injury and the Covid-19 and a transitional rookie year, Walker Little played well at RT (and LT when Cam Robinson was injured late in the season).  Scherff had a good year by Jaguars G standards, but he was hampered by injuries last year.  Once again, Tyler Shatley came to the rescue due to injury and provided some good snaps.  Then rookie Luke Fortner manned the C position decently.  Since then, we learned before the draft that Robinson is facing a possible six game suspension for violating the league's steroid policy.  A suspension would leave Walker Little continuing at LT, rookie Anton Harrison moving in at RT.  At least that's how it worked out during OTAs.

Question:  How does the OL shake out in Cam Robinson's absence?  Does Little continue at LT or does he return to the right?  Does Harrison have the strength to be successful at RT...or possibly to shift inside to LG should Shatley and/or the unproven Blake Hance falter?  What about when Cam Robinson returns?

1. I expect big things out of Lawrence in year three of his career, with him entering year two with Pederson. I legitimately think he'll be in the MVP conversation and race this season and I think we'll see a herculean leap in terms of his TD's increasing while his turnovers significantly go down. I think his overall yardage will go up as well as his completion percentage. I think he's going to make Kyle Brandt look like a damn fool for putting him in tier six. Expect more and more big plays out of him. Almost Peyton Manning like if I am being honest. 

2. I think the RB room looks crowded as it stands, but, by the time the regular season starts, I think we'll see Etienne - Bigsby - Hasty. By all accounts from what I have seen and heard locally. Bigsby has stood out as a physically gifted player and you would think that aspect of him will translate well once the pads go on and the rounds go live. I believe Parish makes the team as our FB and ST's player. His size, speed and career as far as moving around on both sides of the football are impressive and it speaks volumes to his intelligence as a player and his willingness to work and be a team player. 

3. I expect this receiving core to build upon what it did last year with Lawrence. It's also Kirk's and Jones' 2nd year now with him and in this system. Ridley is supposed to be that alpha on the outside so it should take even more pressure off of Kirk and Jones in the pecking order of things. As cited in the first question, as Lawrence's numbers and natural progression occurs? So to will his teammates around him. I would say historically with Ridley in this mix and the expectations he has set for himself with Lawrence? This is probably the best receiving core we have had in franchise history since the 1990s and the sky's the limit. 

4. I really don't foresee Engram getting a long term deal done here. I think they'll let him play out on the tag in 2023, take the wait and see approach with him and test out what happens with Josh Allen. If Josh Allen has a great year off the edge? You're going to want to more than likely allocate that money over into his new deal potentially instead of getting tied up with Engram. Especially if Ridley turns heads and turns out to be a monster on the outside. You can only spread the football around to so many people on offense. Strange being selected where he was selected also does not bode well for Engram's longevity here in Jacksonville. 

5. LT is Little's job to lose IMHO. Robinson coming back shouldn't have too much weight on their decision making short of Little struggling clearly and Robinson having one more year left. I could see them replacing Little if he struggles via the draft next year already just like they did with Taylor's job in selecting Harrison back in April. Robinson could find some starting time though at LG. I think that's still a position of concern with Bartch returning from injury and Shatley really being our only true back-up to Fortner at Center. We can't spread ourselves too thin across that unit.

1.  I too expect big things out of Trevor Lawrence this year.  I can see more consistency overall from him.  I do not see uneven performances that we got in his rookie year and the irst part of last year.  This is his 3rd year in the league...his second in Pederson's system.  This is his second year with Kirk, Jones and Engram and his first with Ridley in the mix. He even has playoff games experience.  I also think the schedule will lend itself to improvement.  We are likely facing no fewer than 3 rookie starting QBs this season:  Richardson in Indy, Stroud in Houston, and if the season starts of =f roughly, I could see Tennessee starting Levis.  We play the NFC South, andd that, too is a division in transition.  Carolina is likely starting a rookie at QB and Atlanta may start a 2nd yeat guy.  I could see thos offenses potentially struggling as these young signal callers try to learn the NFL game and get their feet under them.  That, in turn, will put more pressure and burden on their respective defenses, which should benefit the Jaguars offense.  The tough stretch features strong offenses in Kansas City, Cincinnati, Buffahole, Baltimore, and depending on how thigs go, you could add Cleveland New Orleans and Pittsburgh to that.  The passing game will have to be on point against these teams for the Jaguars to be competitive.  Finally, the remaining games (Tampa, Carolina, and Atlanta are clearly winnable, and should feature at least two games featuring teams that may be playing for a draft position by season's end.  As long as Lawrence and the offense remain healthy, Lawrence should be more productive this year.

2.  I think from top to bottom, this is a good group.  I don't think it's as good as the 2007 duo if FT and MJD, but I believe all are capable of giving us quality production with extended carries.  Connor seems to be the exception to this.  At no point was I overly impressed with Connor last year.  I see him as the odd man out and the Jaguars keep at least 3 RBs.

2a (subquestion):  I don't have a clue as to whether they will keep a FB this year., or if Parish is the guy if they do.

3.  I am expecting considerable improvement this year for a few reasons.  Kirk and Jones will be in their second year's in the offense and with Trevor.  They should have a better grasp of the scheme than they had last year, and they and Lawrence know or have a better idea of how they will think given certain defenses.  Minimally, this group will be bolstered by the addition of Ridley.  At minimum, a rusty Ridley should be an improvement over what Marvin Jones offered last year.  But if he's anything close to what he was in Atlanta, this trio will certainly be among the best in the league.  Will Ridley be rusty, or will he be as productive as ever?  If he's at the lower end of that spectrum, I'd rate this trio a distant second behind the 1996 group and ahead of the 2017 group.  If Ridley is at the top of his game, returning to his 2020 form, it'll be close between 2996.  But it's a capable group no matter where you might place them out of those three receiving corps, and that will bode well for the team.

4.  I'm not sure if Engram will be re-signed by training camp or not.  The team is facing a lot of key players who could leave via free agency next year and we may not be able to keep everyone.  But if I had my choice, Engram would be retained for at least another year.  I may 

5.  My initial thoughts are that I think Walker Little should step in at LT and perform well.  He played the position in college, and each time he has played LT in the NFL-including in last year's playoffs-he has performed well.  Having gotten all of the rust off, he should play better this year. I also think Harrison has the size and athleticism/feet to be an asset at RT.  Having seen mostly highlights of him, I don't know how legit the concerns about his power are, so I don't know how good of a run blocker he can be.  But since his primary task will be to provide protection for Trevor Lawrence, I think he is up to the task.  I DO wonder how things will play out for the remainder of the year once Robinson comes back from suspension.  Naturally it'll depend on the health and performance of the OL at the time.  Assuming the OL is healthy and performing well, I don't think they will make any changes.  If, however, the team is not playing well, or they have a T banged up, Robinson gets PT upon his return.  Perhaps a more interesting question is what happens at LG in case of injury or poor play.  One interesting development happened at OTAs when Little got snaps at LG. I've no doubt Little could slide in at LG if needed, though clearly I would prefer him at T at this point.  However, moving Robinson or Harrison slide inside would be a bigger question.  Robinson has always played LT, and seemed pretty emphatic speaking against possibly moving inside.  Might he be more flexible knowing he has a PED suspension and free agency coming?  Harrison poses a different question-that of his power.  Does he have the strength to play inside.  Many of the pre draft scouting reports I've read indicated Harrison lacks strength.  That's NOT what you want inside.

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