I'm not at the point where I hate this draft, but I'm the least enthused about this draft (TL aside) since the Gene Smith drafts.

There are some things that can change my mind.

If Campbell becomes a Pro Bowl player and Little upgrades one of the T positions, this draft changes dramatically for me.

But right now...I'm meh about it.

I'm feeling the opposite of that.  The first two picks are guys I never dreamed we could get on this team.  The rest?  Wait and see.  But Lawrence and Etienne?  Fantastic.  

I apparently have a different opinion of Travis Etienne than most other posters around here.  I think he's a really special player.

Please see my response in the other thread.

Short version here:

I've nothing against Etienne whatsoever.   If utilized properly, he can be an electric player for us.  The question is "will he be utilized properly?"

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Worst to 1st.  Curse Reversed!

Why is everyone so down on good blocking TEs?

Jags haven't had even one really good one in years, even 2 possibly guys this year is worth it. Plus just because they are known for blocking doesn't mean they absolutely cannot catch.

Sure they cannot run a seam route or be a Kelce/Gronch mismatch, but good offenses can still use them in versatile schemes.

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Why is everyone so down on good blocking TEs?

Jags haven't had even one really good one in years, even 2 possibly guys this year is worth it. Plus just because they are known for blocking doesn't mean they absolutely cannot catch.

Sure they cannot run a seam route or be a Kelce/Gronch mismatch, but good offenses can still use them in versatile schemes.

We're not, provided they can also get open and catch passes.

The Jaguars now have a young franchise QB.

I want him to have as many viable targets as possible, including at TE.

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Worst to 1st.  Curse Reversed!

Why is everyone so down on good blocking TEs?

Jags haven't had even one really good one in years, even 2 possibly guys this year is worth it. Plus just because they are known for blocking doesn't mean they absolutely cannot catch.

Sure they cannot run a seam route or be a Kelce/Gronch mismatch, but good offenses can still use them in versatile schemes.

I love the idea of another blocker to protect TL. However, we already picked up a blocker TE in free agency so a lot of us were hoping for someone who was a good ball catcher and offensive weapon.

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Our final 2021 selection is WR Jalen Camp from GA. Tech.

NH3...

Apparently he has a monster pro day and has all the measurables you want. He didn't have much production on a bad Georgia Tech team.

No need to be Salty Bruh. I simply stated that he was Our Last Pick of the 2021 NFL Draft. Nothing More.

NH3...

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"AZANE"

Let's be honest TE position has been cursed in Jax since Lewis left. Just having 1 guy to block is not enough to increase the odds of one working out and not getting injured.

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Yeboah is a FA

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A lot of the announcements for Free Agents signings are coming out now. I haven't seen anything for the Jags yet. The Eagles did sign QB Jamie Newman, so that may eliminate them for getting Gardner. Also, I had read that they were asking a higher price for Ertz, than other teams wanted to give. That may help explain why he hasn't been traded yet.

Tom Pelissero is posting all of the free agency news on Twitter, if anyone wants to check out his Twitter account. So far teams like the Bears, Chiefs and Eagles are having the most activity regarding free agency signings.

Tom Pelissero on Twitter: "Former Alabama LB Dylan Moses is signing with the #Jaguars, per source. He’ll start out on the non-football injury list and continue rehabbing his knee." / Twitter

ETA: The Jags have just made their first free agency signing for this year.

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Yeboah is a FA

Can we please sign him...

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Yeboah is a FA

Can we please sign him...

I read he just signed with the Jets.

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Can we please sign him...

I read he just signed with the Jets.

Yeah. Don't remind me. Ugh.

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Let's be honest TE position has been cursed in Jax since Lewis left. Just having 1 guy to block is not enough to increase the odds of one working out and not getting injured.

I agree, a blocker is great. But wouldn't it also be nice to have someone like Gronk, Witten, etc. who can catch the ball and help out the offense that way? We've got none of those right now.

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Let's be honest TE position has been cursed in Jax since Lewis left. Just having 1 guy to block is not enough to increase the odds of one working out and not getting injured.

I agree, a blocker is great. But wouldn't it also be nice to have someone like Gronk, Witten, etc. who can catch the ball and help out the offense that way? We've got none of those right now.

I really like Tyler Davis. Hopefully he is healthy this year.

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I'm feeling the opposite of that.  The first two picks are guys I never dreamed we could get on this team.  The rest?  Wait and see.  But Lawrence and Etienne?  Fantastic.  

I apparently have a different opinion of Travis Etienne than most other posters around here.  I think he's a really special player.

Please see my response in the other thread.

Short version here:

I've nothing against Etienne whatsoever.   If utilized properly, he can be an electric player for us.  The question is "will he be utilized properly?"

Post script:  In today's press conference, Urban Meyer indicated that Etienne would be cross trained at WR.  This indicates to me that they will be creative in getting him involved in the offense and producing match-up issues.

I am feeling a little better about the utilization concerns.

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Worst to 1st.  Curse Reversed!

Please see my response in the other thread.

Short version here:

I've nothing against Etienne whatsoever.   If utilized properly, he can be an electric player for us.  The question is "will he be utilized properly?"

Post script:  In today's press conference, Urban Meyer indicated that Etienne would be cross trained at WR.  This indicates to me that they will be creative in getting him involved in the offense and producing match-up issues.

I am feeling a little better about the utilization concerns.

My guess is on early downs, he will play WR. Then on 3rd, he will move to the backfield.

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Let's be honest TE position has been cursed in Jax since Lewis left. Just having 1 guy to block is not enough to increase the odds of one working out and not getting injured.

I agree, a blocker is great. But wouldn't it also be nice to have someone like Gronk, Witten, etc. who can catch the ball and help out the offense that way? We've got none of those right now.

Of course. but the reason they are coveted is that there are less have been like less than 10 reliable ones in the 20 years or so.

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I agree, a blocker is great. But wouldn't it also be nice to have someone like Gronk, Witten, etc. who can catch the ball and help out the offense that way? We've got none of those right now.

Of course. but the reason they are coveted is that there are less have been like less than 10 reliable ones in the 20 years or so.

So who did you think was a "only ten in the last 20 years" level TE that was available to us? Pitts fits that category but we never had a chance on him. I don't think there were any epic TE prospects in the draft. 

I wish we'd gone for a TE earlier in the draft, even though this year's available choices weren't that great. We should have given TE a higher priority, but I don't think there were any choices that rose to the level you're describing.

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Of course. but the reason they are coveted is that there are less have been like less than 10 reliable ones in the 20 years or so.

So who did you think was a "only ten in the last 20 years" level TE that was available to us? Pitts fits that category but we never had a chance on him. I don't think there were any epic TE prospects in the draft. 

I wish we'd gone for a TE earlier in the draft, even though this year's available choices weren't that great. We should have given TE a higher priority, but I don't think there were any choices that rose to the level you're describing.

You are mis-reading my post. I'm not saying there was any TE they should have targeted in this draft.

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I agree, a blocker is great. But wouldn't it also be nice to have someone like Gronk, Witten, etc. who can catch the ball and help out the offense that way? We've got none of those right now.

I really like Tyler Davis. Hopefully he is healthy this year.

I don't think Meyer likes him and that's part of why he's low on the TE room.

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I was very surprised we did not select at least one OG in this draft. Next season I expect that we're gonna have to draft several offensive linemen, as we have a lot of expiring contracts at the position. Cam Robinson, Andrew Norwell, A.J. Cann, Tyler Shatley and Will Richardson will all be UFA's at the end of 2021. Brandon Linder is entering the final years of his back-ended deal and will likely either be cut, traded or have his deal re-structured at the end of the season, since he has an $8.5 million cap hit this year and a $10 million cap hit in 2022 with no dead money. We have to deal with all of this as well as the fact that Jawaan Taylor was statistically the worst starting OT in the NFL in 2020 allowing more pressures than any other OT, so a decision will have to be made about him as well.

I sincerely hope Little is able to be a good pro, because we're going to need him. I have a feeling our offensive line is going to look very different in 2022 than it does in 2021. That is a lot of expiring contracts all at once and very little depth. It just seems odd that we didn't deal with this problem in free agency or much in the draft.

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