(04-10-2024, 10:32 AM)jaglou53 Wrote:

(04-10-2024, 05:00 AM)NFLfandom Wrote: Not sure they need to abandon strengthening other parts of the roster in the draft overall, but this is a draft that the OL needs to be addressed early. No better place to start than pick 17 in the first round. There are no less than 8 offensive tackles that will be picked on night one, that could be DAY 1 starters on this team. How could you pass that up for a CB or WR who may not even see a significant amount of snaps in 2024.

I may be in the minority regarding the need to take an offensive lineman in round 1 (against it), but I'll stick with this opinion unless Cam gets traded or released prior to draft day. To be clear, I've always been a big believer in the importance of having a good offensive line. They set the tone for the team more than any other position and that's why I was very happy when they drafted Harrison with the 1st pick last year. My perspective for this year is based on the belief that the coaches feel that the current line with Morse at center and a healthy Scherff, Robinson and Cleveland is capable of performing at a high level. Whether any of us agree is irrelevant since the coaches decide who will be on the field when the season starts.They didn't just re-sign Cleveland and re-negotiate with Scherff to have them sit on the bench. Even if someone gets hurt, Walker Little is very capable to replace them. 

What will fans say when C.J. Stroud and his 3 excellent receivers torch the Jaguars secondary and their 1st round pick (JPJ, Fuaga, Fautanu, Fashanu, Mims, etc) is not even in the starting line-up and Quinyon Mitchell, Arnold, McKinsty and Cooper DeJean are all starting and playing very well? My guess is that they will be calling for Baalke's head- and with good reason.

A GM would be foolish to release or trade Cam before the draft if the intention is to go OT in the 1st.  You'd instead be working out tentative deals ahead of time with OT needy teams to trade Cam on draft day almost immediately after you've made your selection and you'd probably have Cam already talking to said team about an extension so there's no hold up if you're trying to get a pick back in this draft as part of the deal.  

If we go OT in the 1st I'd love to see us get a late 3rd or high 4th rounder for him in this draft almost immediately after the trade or in the overnight before Day 2 starts. I think there's a lot of value in that range in this draft. I don't know if they could get that for him given his history, but I'd be ecstatic if we could get it after taking OT in the 1st.

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