Not that I'm defending Bradley here, but isn't it odd that a defensive coach like Bradley could have the side of the ball that ISN'T his specialty show DRAMATIC improvement from last year to this one?
I mean if he were incapable of improving the side of the ball that falls within his area of specialty, certainly, then, he should be vastly incapable of dramatically improving the side of the ball that ISN'T in his wheelhouse, correct?
So what's the difference? Why did the offense show so much improvement while the defense did not?
Well, you can make the argument that coaching-a change in coordinators and offensive line coaches-did the trick, going from Fisch to Olson and an inexperienced Luke Butkus to Marrone. You could then speculate that a similar defensive coaching overhaul would do the same on the defensive side.
But such a theory would be incomplete without examination of the disparate infusion of talent on both sides of the ball.
If you examined the offense, there hasn't been much in the way of super star talent added on that side of the ball from free agency. Yes, Julius Thomas was a pro bowler in Denver catching passes from Manning, but few expected him to come close to replicating those numbers here, plus injuries slowed his integration into the offense. Beadles is seen as a liability, and the other major free agency addition, Toby Gerhart, is viewed as a complete waste by most Jaguars fans. Most of the talent infusion on that side of the ball-that which is attributable to the improved productivity-has come in the form of the investment of high draft picks. Since Bradley and Caldwell arrived, the Jaguars have invested SEVEN (7) draft picks in the top three rounds on the offensive side of the ball, and had the added bonus of Allen Hurns, an undrafted free agent find. Of those players, only Lee is not a regular starter. The rest are not only starters, but quality, long term starters. The worst of the bunch is Joeckel.
An examination of the defense, on the other hand, tells a different story. In the same time frame that begins with Bradley's and Caldwell's arrival here, the Jaguars have invested three (3) draft picks in the top three rounds of the draft: Cyprien, Gratz, and Fowler. Cyprien has been inconsistent. Gratz has been benched, and their biggest defensive investment in terms of draft choice-Fowler-got injured about 30 minutes into his first mini camp workout. The defense DID get some mid round surprises in Aaron Colvin and Telvin Smith-both of whom are starting, with Smith looking like a Pro Bowl caliber player. Free agency hasn't exactly been a boon to the defense, either. They've signed guys like Senderrick Marks, Ziggy Hood, Chris Clemons, Sergio Brown, and Dan Skuta. None of these guys were viewed as true catalysts when they were signed. They got a decent year out of thirsty something year old Clemons in 2014, who notched 8 sacks, but predictably his productivity dropped off dramatically with age. Senderrick Marks was still in his prime when he came over from Tennessee, and flourished in Bradley's system-until he got hurt and missed most of this year. They signed another Seattle castoff in Red Bryant, who provided size along the DL and great intangibles, but also a lot of age. He stayed a year. Jared Odrick replaced him, and he was never a guy that has generated a lot of sacks or game changing plays. Skuta is okay, but not a game changer. They went after a star caliber safety in McCourty, but he chose to re-sign with new England. Also, because they are free agents, they are typically older, which means they are more apt to show decline over time than improvement.
Considering the comparative lack of investment in the defense, it shouldn't come as much of a shock to see the lack of a similar level of improvement as the offense.
While I have some issue with Babich, I don't think the defense's performance under Bradley and Babich should be judged in an overly harsh manner, especially in comparison to the offense, until you see similar resources dedicated to its improvement.
Worst to 1st. Curse Reversed!
