Quote:Isn't it at least a bit disconcerting that the question is reasonable? One can argue that the '76 Bucs were worse, but only as opinion, not statistically.


 

http://www.pro-football-reference.com/te...m/1976.htm

 

If the new GM and coaching staff are better than the previous ones, shouldn't we expect a team at least marginally better than --- Worst In NFL History?


 

As Hurrricane so aptly points out, if the Jags are NOT purposely playing this poorly, then what does that say about Caldwell / Bradley? Is this the BEST they can do with a scrub team? Oakland won 2 games so far with even less to start off with, and they didn't do it by spending a lot of money.

Actually this is easy to answer.

 

Gene Smith gave a lot of average to below average players huge paydays - Poz, Mincey, Lewis, Henne, Laurent Robinson,  etc.  Caldwell comes in and sees the completely talentless roster and realizes the first thing to do is start clearing the books of the dead money and allow the injury-prone, underperforming players like Cox/Knighton/Smith leave in FA and only sign a few young players to 1 year deals. 

 

If you think this is a one year turnaround and that if we draft a franchise QB next year that we're going to be in the same position as the Colts when they drafted Luck, you're sadly mistaken.  This entire roster is being overhauled and you'll see more players cut.  Henne, Gabbert, MJD, Lewis, Meester, Mincey etc. are all going to be gone.  Huge dead money hits on the salary cap so we aren't just going to spend a fortune next year either.

 

This will be a multi-year rebuild through the draft.  They'll likely extend a few players like Marks and Blackmon, pick up a few cheap free agents, but we're not going to go from being an 0-16 team to a playoff contender in 2014.  A more realistic expectation is 4-12 to 6-10.

 

It's about doing it right this time...

---