The Jacksonville Jaguars are considered, by many, to have been winners in the first week of free agency with the signings of Malik Jackson, Tashaun Gipson, and Chris Ivory. However, they failed to address their biggest, and most important need.
When free agency started, the Jacksonville Jaguars had the most cap space among the 32 teams in the National Football League. Over a week later, and with seven players signed, the Jags still have the second most cap space in the league.
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The team added some bright, young, talented players, which include defensive tackle Malik Jackson of the Super Bowl Champion Denver Broncos, former Pro-Bowl safety Tashaun Gipson of the Cleveland Browns, and running back Chris Ivory, formerly of the New York Jets. The Jaguars also added veterans Prince Amukamara, punter Brad Nortman, and offensive linemen Kelvin Beachum and Mackenzy Bernadeau.
From a talent perspective, the Jaguars are a much better team than they were at the end of the 2015 season. However, they still have one glaring need and weakness that general manager David Caldwell failed to address in the free agency, and that was the pass rusher position.
Alfie Crowe of Big Cat Country said back in late January,
"“On Jaguars Thursday with Jeff Lageman on 1010XL, Caldwell sat in on The Gus Bradley show and spoke a bit about the season and going forward.Lageman asked Caldwell if it was safe to assume that pass rusher was the team’s number one priority, while talking about the 2016 NFL Draft, and Caldwell interrupted him to say he wouldn’t call it the number one priority.A hint at Jalen Ramsey, perhaps?But, anyway, Caldwell did follow that up saying that there will be an “influx” of pass rushers added to the team.”"
Where are those pass rushers at?
In fact, that may be the one position that the Jaguars are worse off at now then they were in 2015. Chris Clemons and Andre Branch are both gone, though they only combined for seven sacks all season. The Jaguars were not able to lure Olivier Vernon to Jacksonville or Robert Ayers.
Instead, the team is going to rely heavily on Dante Fowler, who will essentially be a rookie entering 2016 after missing all of the 2015 season with a knee injury.
Though Fowler was the number three overall player selected in the 2015 draft, do not expect him to record double digit sacks coming off of a torn ACL and in his first year playing.
Malik Jackson, Sen’Derrick Marks, and Jared Odrick have shown ability to rush the passer, but that is not their natural position and it’s not on a consistent basis.
The Jaguars got to the quarterback only 36 times in 2015. Jared Odrick was the leader of the pack with five and a half. Aaron Colvin, a defensive back, was the team’s leader in this category most of the season.
The Jaguars currently are counting on Fowler, Ryan Davis, and Chris Smith to get to the quarterback. Davis, was an undrafred player out of Bethune Cookman college who has 11 sacks in four seasons. Chris Smith has just three and a half sacks in two seasons.
The Arizona Cardinals, who also needed a pass rusher, recently acquired Chandler Jones via trade with the New England Patriots. The Cardinals gave up a second round pick and former first round pick turned bust Jonathan Cooper.
The Jaguars were believed to be one of the teams in the mix for Jones’s services, who racked up 12 and a half sacks in 2015.
The Jaguars could have easily given up their second round pick, which was much higher than the Arizona Cardinals.
Anyway, expect the Jaguars to go defensive end in the first few rounds. I can see the Jaguars landing either Jalen Ramsey or Myles Jack at number five overall, and then turning their attention towards Emmanuel Ogbah, Shilique Calhoun, or Noah Spence.
The Jaguars were near the bottom of the league in pass defense last season. It doesn’t matter if the Jaguars signed Amukamara and Gipson and draft Jalen Ramsey. How are any of those guys supposed to cover opposing wide receivers when the quarterback has all day to throw?
The only way the Jacksonville Jaguars will become a playoff team, and serious contenders, in 2016 is if they can rush the passer on a consistent basis.
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Luckily, there is still a long time from now until kickoff weekend, so let’s hope Caldwell has a plan up his sleeve.