(01-19-2020, 03:27 AM)JagswinJagswin Wrote: (01-18-2020, 11:00 PM)JagJohn Wrote: So you say the jags can be competitive next year... And then list 9 players on the roster with massive question marks over their heads. IMO it's irrationally optimistic to have any expectations that this team can be truly competitive next year. And by competitive I mean competing for a Superbowl, because if it's not that, then what are you competing for?
You're right, WR is less of a need than many other positions. We are totally adequate at the position. The question is, would being more than adequate help our young QB (or any QB) develop into a top player? If so, maybe that's the best thing for the future of this team.
When I say competitive, I mean playoffs. By your evaluation every year there are 30 teams that shouldn't even bothered playing because they didn't make it to the Superbowl.
Of those 9 I listed they were only there because of the cap hit but realistically, only 4 or 5 were positive contributors for the season (Dareus, Campbell, Bouye, Jack, Norwell- Arguably). The others absence wouldn't be noticed much and could get just as much from a rookie or FA. With 9 draft picks and 4 picks in the first 3 rounds there is a lot of talent there.
Wouldn't the QB having time to pass the ball or the RB not getting hit in the backfield not help the QB more than another WR? IMO if the OL and TE get fixed next year, that can fix the offense to be competitive. Are there other places that need upgrading? Certainly, but if the OL doesn't get fixed it doesn't matter who the new offensive coordinator is or if the Jags have the next Michael Irvin.
When I say competitive enough to be 'competing for the superbowl', that doesn't mean only the two teams who play in the SB. It means any team who, at the start of the season, has enough talent on the team that making it to the Superbowl is a realistic target. There are probably around ten teams each year that can realistically say that (and many of them are usually in that group year after year due to QB). Of course, having the talent to make it to the SB provides no guarantee of success (see Dallas 2019). Occasionally there are surprise teams, like the tacks this year, us in 2017, where everything lines up right, but obviously they are the exception to the rule.
That's where I want to see the Jags, as a permanent fixture in those top ten or so teams that have a reasonable chance of making it to the SB every year. The best way to do that is to have a top-level QB. The best way to have a top-level QB is to build a structure that gives your QB the absolute best chance to succeed (and of course finding the right guy). Hence, why I'm arguing for building the offense up as much as possible, even at the expense of the defense.
As for your WR vs O-line debate, if you have actually read this thread you would see I'm not proposing one or the other, I want both. I couldn't agree with you more about improving the O-line and TE talent on this team. I also think adding elite WR talent such as Jeudy or Lamb at 9, or Ruggs at 20 (there are plenty of other options in this draft), could take our offense from 'good enough' to legitimately good.
