(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?
How much improvement do I see from Lawrence in 2023? I think he will win 10 or more games. I think he will throw 4 to 6 more TDs with the addition of Ridley, Strange, and Washington. His sacks should stay around the same, along with his completion percentage. Yards per attempt should also stay the same. His interceptions should be around 10 or less. I also think he will get more MVP votes than last year.
How will RB shake out and who is the odd man out? I think they keep 4. Etienne put up 1431 total yards in his first season as the starter. Bigsby will get plenty of action and I think he is going to be fun to watch. Hasty will be the RB3 and they will keep Johnson. Conner and Ollison will be the odd men out.
What do I expect from Ridley? I think he will have something around 55 receptions 950 yards and 4 or 5 TDs in his first season back with a new team. He should fit in nice with Kirk, Jones, and Engram.
Do I think the Jaguars will sign Engram to a long term deal? They have to.
How does the OL shake out? Right now Little is listed as the Jaguars starting RT. Robinson is listed as the starting LT and Harrison is listed as the backup LT. I think that is how it will end up. If anyone wants to know why I think that…I just do. I’ve went back and forth for a while and I’m exhausted and explaining. If they swap spots, whatever, but I think it shakes out with Little as the RT. If Harrison struggles at LT, I think he will have a longer leash depending on how he plays. There is still a chance Robinson could be the starting LT once he serves his suspension. Bartch is listed as the starting LG and Wells is the backup RT. Hodges is the 3rd RT.
I don’t think FB Derek Parrish will make the team, but he should sign to the practice squad and might get a call up here and there depending on who we play that week and what the game plan could be. He won’t sniff a snap on defense.
Does Harrison have the strength to play RT? I think he has the makeup to play LT. The question is does Little have the strength to play RT. I hope he does.
And no, I don’t think Harrison will play guard.
