Signing priorities:

1. Allen
2. Ridley

Tag Allen, work something out long term mid summer like they did with Engram this year.

Ridley, that's a tough one. Not sure how you go about establishing a baseline for where he should be contract wise. It can and should be done. I am just curious what it will all look like on paper. 

Allen is going to more than likely command top three - five money from the OLB position. If he gets some crazy [BLEEP] sack total around 18.0+ he's probably asking for numero uno money.

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"What do I know of cultured ways, the gilt, the craft and the lie? I, who was born in a naked land and bred in the open sky. The subtle tongue, the sophist guile, they fail when the broadswords sing; Rush in and die, dogs - I was a man before I was a king."

Signing priorities:

1. Allen
2. Ridley

All day.

Very possibly. Never said it as the gospel, just that it was reported.

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So for happen sake he does get 2-3 more big games and finishes around 70 balls and 1000 yards. His camp wants a deal bigger than what we gave Kirk, are you paying him?

Kirk's deal will be 2 years old when it's time to negotiate one for Ridley. 
It has no bearing. The market will decide what Ridley gets paid. 

My decision on whether or not to pay Ridley comes down to what he does to finish the year in terms of impact, and what we are able to do with the cap to retain other players whose impact will be weighed against Ridley's impact. 

How many impending free agents do we keep and how many we can afford depends on much more than a 70 catch 1000 yard stat line. 

If we keep winning games and see this offense finally hit a stride - I'd do everything in my power to keep that going into 2024. And I'd pay the going rate for Ridley's services if I can afford it and justify how that affects other expenditures.

You’re right. So Ridley will most likely want into the 20’s. Not sure I’d want to give him that if it meant keeping us from signing offensive line help or even retaining Foye.

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Signing priorities:

1. Allen
2. Ridley

All day.

Kirk's deal will be 2 years old when it's time to negotiate one for Ridley. 
It has no bearing. The market will decide what Ridley gets paid. 

My decision on whether or not to pay Ridley comes down to what he does to finish the year in terms of impact, and what we are able to do with the cap to retain other players whose impact will be weighed against Ridley's impact. 

How many impending free agents do we keep and how many we can afford depends on much more than a 70 catch 1000 yard stat line. 

If we keep winning games and see this offense finally hit a stride - I'd do everything in my power to keep that going into 2024. And I'd pay the going rate for Ridley's services if I can afford it and justify how that affects other expenditures.

You’re right. So Ridley will most likely want into the 20’s. Not sure I’d want to give him that if it meant keeping us from signing offensive line help or even retaining Foye.

I think there are ways to keep Allen and Ridley and another guy if they work Trevor's new deal over 5 or more years and spread out the money. Oluokun has a year left on his deal at 21 mil next year. 

Allen
Ridley
Ezra Cleveland 
McManus
Agnew

Those are the five impending free agents of most interest as things stand. 

I bet they find a way to keep at least 3 of them if they continue to contribute meaningfully.

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It's really to hard to say what we will do with still more than half a season to be played. Have to see how all these guys finish the season.

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Absolutely. And I like Ridley. I think best case is extend Josh and franchise Ridley. A lot of football left though.

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He is opening things up because defenses are treating him like a threat he hasn't been this year. Once defenses stop doing that and realize he's running poor routes and struggles to be consistent then he will stop being a decoy. I'm not saying we should flat get rid of him but if he wants top dollar he needs to show top dollar production which he isn't close do doing right now.

 You're a hater and don't know what you're talking about

I fail to see how acknowledging his inconsistent play and feeling we shouldn't pay him like a number 1 if he isn't out playing our number 2 makes me a hater. I would love for him to start lighting it up but if he keeps playing like he has it would be foolish to pay him top dollar. He's also most likely going to want a long term deal which cost us a pick.

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I mentioned this in September.  But I'll explain it again in November for ya'll to figure it out...

Ridley has been out of NFL play for a year and half at least.  The dude is still getting acclimated to the speed, the complexity, and the pain of playing in the NFL.  Ridley has gotten better and better over the last 3 games.  Let's give him time to get settled into being back into the NFL.

Ridley is a high caliber human being.  He's not a Watson rapist.  Ridley is a good dude that had a taste for gambling.  But it's clear he's able to accept his short falls and is working to be a better person.  Let's give him time to excell.  He's gonna pay off.  I have no doubt.

Kirk, Engram, Zay, ETN, all in Ridley's ear?  This dude is gonna explode in December.  Mark my words

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 You're a hater and don't know what you're talking about

I fail to see how acknowledging his inconsistent play and feeling we shouldn't pay him like a number 1 if he isn't out playing our number 2 makes me a hater. I would love for him to start lighting it up but if he keeps playing like he has it would be foolish to pay him top dollar. He's also most likely going to want a long term deal which cost us a pick.

This offense not kicking on all cylinders is affecting that I believe. To me it feels like they are on the cusp of grasping the issues and fixing them. We shall see how it goes. But even when this offense gets kicking, I don't know that we will ever really see one consistent #1 with all the weapons we currently have. That's a whole lot of mouths to feed. Which isn't necessarily a bad problem, until its time to resign guys. I like all of our current guys and would hate to see us lose any, but its the nature of the game. 

I just hope Baalke keeps this in mind. Players with the mindset of being a "team player" should be who we are looking to go after in the draft or F/A. We aren't gonna be able to pay everyone their full worth or more, in some cases each year.

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I fail to see how acknowledging his inconsistent play and feeling we shouldn't pay him like a number 1 if he isn't out playing our number 2 makes me a hater. I would love for him to start lighting it up but if he keeps playing like he has it would be foolish to pay him top dollar. He's also most likely going to want a long term deal which cost us a pick.

This offense not kicking on all cylinders is affecting that I believe. To me it feels like they are on the cusp of grasping the issues and fixing them. We shall see how it goes. But even when this offense gets kicking, I don't know that we will ever really see one consistent #1 with all the weapons we currently have. That's a whole lot of mouths to feed. Which isn't necessarily a bad problem, until its time to resign guys. I like all of our current guys and would hate to see us lose any, but its the nature of the game. 

I just hope Baalke keeps this in mind. Players with the mindset of being a "team player" should be who we are looking to go after in the draft or F/A. We aren't gonna be able to pay everyone their full worth or more, in some cases each year.

The problem with the offense not hitting on all cylinders is not the ballhandlers. It is the fact that our O line, particularly the interior, has been trash. That’s about to improve. Getting Little back and adding Cleveland makes a big difference. The weak link is Fortner. He straight up needs to be replaced in the off season.

If the improved line gives Trevor .5 more seconds, the routes will fully develop and he won’t have to rush his reads or run for his life. THEN watch this offense! It’s going to be a thing of beauty.


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Fix the O-Line!

This offense not kicking on all cylinders is affecting that I believe. To me it feels like they are on the cusp of grasping the issues and fixing them. We shall see how it goes. But even when this offense gets kicking, I don't know that we will ever really see one consistent #1 with all the weapons we currently have. That's a whole lot of mouths to feed. Which isn't necessarily a bad problem, until its time to resign guys. I like all of our current guys and would hate to see us lose any, but its the nature of the game. 

I just hope Baalke keeps this in mind. Players with the mindset of being a "team player" should be who we are looking to go after in the draft or F/A. We aren't gonna be able to pay everyone their full worth or more, in some cases each year.

The problem with the offense not hitting on all cylinders is not the ballhandlers. It is the fact that our O line, particularly the interior, has been trash. That’s about to improve. Getting Little back and adding Cleveland makes a big difference. The weak link is Fortner. He straight up needs to be replaced in the off season.

If the improved line gives Trevor .5 more seconds, the routes will fully develop and he won’t have to rush his reads or run for his life. THEN watch this offense!  It’s going to be a thing of beauty.


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Agreed, bringing in a guard is what I was referring to as getting a grasp of the issue and trying to fix it. Excited at the potential for sure!

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I believe Franchising Ridley would keep the compensation to a 3rd rounder wouldn’t it?

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This offense not kicking on all cylinders is affecting that I believe. To me it feels like they are on the cusp of grasping the issues and fixing them. We shall see how it goes. But even when this offense gets kicking, I don't know that we will ever really see one consistent #1 with all the weapons we currently have. That's a whole lot of mouths to feed. Which isn't necessarily a bad problem, until its time to resign guys. I like all of our current guys and would hate to see us lose any, but its the nature of the game. 

I just hope Baalke keeps this in mind. Players with the mindset of being a "team player" should be who we are looking to go after in the draft or F/A. We aren't gonna be able to pay everyone their full worth or more, in some cases each year.

The problem with the offense not hitting on all cylinders is not the ballhandlers. It is the fact that our O line, particularly the interior, has been trash. That’s about to improve. Getting Little back and adding Cleveland makes a big difference. The weak link is Fortner. He straight up needs to be replaced in the off season.

If the improved line gives Trevor .5 more seconds, the routes will fully develop and he won’t have to rush his reads or run for his life. THEN watch this offense!  It’s going to be a thing of beauty.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Yeah - I've long held this opinion. The OL issues neuter the potential of offense. Run and pass. 

There are other problems at times, but this is the primary reason our pass game hasn't really blown up yet. 

Imagine what it would look like if ETN didn't have to create 80% of his lanes by breaking tackles or redirecting the intended play. 
Imagine what it would look like if Trevor had a pocket to step into.
Imagine what it would look like if the QB wasn't taking a shot or avoiding one on half of the plays requiring 2 measly seconds.

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I mentioned this in September.  But I'll explain it again in November for ya'll to figure it out...

Ridley has been out of NFL play for a year and half at least.  The dude is still getting acclimated to the speed, the complexity, and the pain of playing in the NFL.  Ridley has gotten better and better over the last 3 games.  Let's give him time to get settled into being back into the NFL.

Ridley is a high caliber human being.  He's not a Watson rapist.  Ridley is a good dude that had a taste for gambling.  But it's clear he's able to accept his short falls and is working to be a better person.  Let's give him time to excell.  He's gonna pay off.  I have no doubt.

Kirk, Engram, Zay, ETN, all in Ridley's ear?  This dude is gonna explode in December.  Mark my words

Hogwash.

By this statement, anyone coming back from a year-long injury should be fatigued, unfamiliar with play calls, routes, and endurance when they return. We don't see any of that happening. A few weeks of rust, maybe, but dude's been going since he was reinstated. If he's still getting his legs under him, he'd have showed up to camp looking like a couch potatio.

He's fine. He's not nursing hammies or ankles or taking practice days off to recuperate. He's just not the only option we have when Trevor drops back. We aren't calling on him to be a 100-catch, 1400-yard receiver. That's fine, too!

Dude certainly may explode in December. But it ain't gonna be because he finally has 12 games under his belt.

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I would hope he'd take a reasonable deal to stay in Jacksonville and not just look for a big pay day with a bad team.  Which is what he'll get if he is asking for elite WR money.

He missed almost 2 years worth of game checks.  I share your hope, but he's going to want to make up those lost paychecks as best he can and I wouldn't blame him.  This is probably his last big bite at the apple as well.

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For whatever struggles Ridley has had or is perceived to have had this year, can any of you imagine, with Zay's injury, what our offense would look like and be relying on without him?

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I would hope he'd take a reasonable deal to stay in Jacksonville and not just look for a big pay day with a bad team.  Which is what he'll get if he is asking for elite WR money.

He missed almost 2 years worth of game checks.  I share your hope, but he's going to want to make up those lost paychecks as best he can and I wouldn't blame him.  This is probably his last big bite at the apple as well.

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For whatever struggles Ridley has had or is perceived to have had this year, can any of you imagine, with Zay's injury, what our offense would look like and be relying on without him?

I fully expect him to demand 20+. I don’t think he gets that here.

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The Ridley contract negotiations will be very interesting. Currently, 11 receivers are averaging $20 million dollars over the course of their contracts. It would not be unreasonable at all for Ridley to demand that amount if he has a strong 2nd half of the season. Zay Jones' injury concerns must also factor in to how much the team will be willing to pay Ridley. The big contracts that Trevor Lawrence and Josh Allen are about to receive will make it difficult to give huge contracts to other players, especially since they are currently paying Kirk big money and will need to pay Tyson Campbell before too long. Without doing all the math, the release of Robinson, Scherff and Jenkins following this reason should enable the team to re-sign Ridley for a reasonable amount ($17-$20 million/year with incentives). The value of a true number 1 receiver cannot be over-estimated and Ridley is a number 1 receiver, in my opinion. Let's not forget the days when the Jaguars had to rely on receivers like Mike Sims-Walker, Cecil Shorts, Reggie Williams, Matt Jones and D.J. Chark to threaten opposing defenses. Even with a quarterback as good as Lawrence, this team needs a true number 1 receiver to reach its offensive potential.

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The Jags currently owe the Falcons their 2024 4th round pick, but at Ridley's current rate of production that will become a 3rd.  Then the 3rd becomes a 2nd if the Jags and Ridley agree to a new contract. 

Unless I'm misunderstanding something, it's more costly for the Jags to sign him than it would be for a new team to sign him.  If so, that means it's almost certain he doesn't sign here.  If he does well he will get more money from a new team, not from the Jags, right?

Not necessarily. I think the jags play will be to tag him.  This would retain him another year but they only have to give ATL a 3

If he signs the franchise tag that would be signing a new one year contract.

So it would still cost us a 2nd.

Ultimately, you want to get a multi year contract for that 2nd.

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Signing priorities:

1. Allen
2. Ridley

Tag Allen, work something out long term mid summer like they did with Engram this year.

Ridley, that's a tough one. Not sure how you go about establishing a baseline for where he should be contract wise. It can and should be done. I am just curious what it will all look like on paper. 

Allen is going to more than likely command top three - five money from the OLB position. If he gets some crazy [BLEEP] sack total around 18.0+ he's probably asking for numero uno money.

The baseline for Ridley would be the contracts of players who had similar production prior to getting a new contract.

What he will command will be based on how well he plays the rest of the season.

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Not necessarily. I think the jags play will be to tag him.  This would retain him another year but they only have to give ATL a 3

If he signs the franchise tag that would be signing a new one year contract.

So it would still cost us a 2nd.

Ultimately, you want to get a multi year contract for that 2nd.

I don’t believe that’s correct.

And also, I doubt Ridley will happily sign the tag. Even if your premise is correct, I highly doubt Ridley will have signed the tag by draft night and wouldn’t be considered an extension by any means.

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The Ridley contract negotiations will be very interesting. Currently, 11 receivers are averaging $20 million dollars over the course of their contracts. It would not be unreasonable at all for Ridley to demand that amount if he has a strong 2nd half of the season. Zay Jones' injury concerns must also factor in to how much the team will be willing to pay Ridley. The big contracts that Trevor Lawrence and Josh Allen are about to receive will make it difficult to give huge contracts to other players, especially since they are currently paying Kirk big money and will need to pay Tyson Campbell before too long. Without doing all the math, the release of Robinson, Scherff and Jenkins following this reason should enable the team to re-sign Ridley for a reasonable amount ($17-$20 million/year with incentives). The value of a true number 1 receiver cannot be over-estimated and Ridley is a number 1 receiver, in my opinion. Let's not forget the days when the Jaguars had to rely on receivers like Mike Sims-Walker, Cecil Shorts, Reggie Williams, Matt Jones and D.J. Chark to threaten opposing defenses. Even with a quarterback as good as Lawrence, this team needs a true number 1 receiver to reach its offensive potential.

Kirks cap hit will also be near 20 mill. I doubt we can afford two 20 mill receivers without major sacrifices

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All day.

You’re right. So Ridley will most likely want into the 20’s. Not sure I’d want to give him that if it meant keeping us from signing offensive line help or even retaining Foye.

I think there are ways to keep Allen and Ridley and another guy if they work Trevor's new deal over 5 or more years and spread out the money. Oluokun has a year left on his deal at 21 mil next year. 

Allen
Ridley
Ezra Cleveland 
McManus
Agnew

Those are the five impending free agents of most interest as things stand. 

I bet they find a way to keep at least 3 of them if they continue to contribute meaningfully.

Cut:
Ridley
Agnew

Sign another Zay Jones ascending receiver for less money. Drafter another pass catching TE and receiver. Trevor can keep the offense humming with Kirk and Engram and some emerging talent. For example, there’s a tall WR whom everyone liked in training camp, but I’ve forgotten his name already because he’s hardly seen the field this year. 

Don’t extend Olukun. Ride out his deal and tag him the following year if Lloyd still is not an adequate replacement. 

You’ve got to make tough calls. Like the Eagles used to have great success with - cut/trade players right at the downside of their peaks. This requires some advanced metrics to project the likely descent point at every position group.

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"I am only an average man, but by George, I work harder at it than the average man." - Teddy Roosevelt