Jacksonville Jaguars: 3 Players that should be targeted for 2018
By Larry Brake
There are three players who the Jacksonville Jaguars should target for the 2018 season.
The Jacksonville Jaguars have gone from bad to much better. Last season, Jacksonville won three games and lost thirteen. Currently, the Jaguars have clinched a playoff berth and have possibly win the AFC South. What happened to facilitate the drastic change?
Owner Shad Khan brought Tom Coughlin back as executive vice president of football operations. Dave Caldwell was retained as the team’s general manager. Doug Marrone was promoted to the head coach position.
Jacksonville signed three top free agents. Calais Campbell and A.J. Bouye have elevated the Jaguars defense to new heights. Barry Church has filled the void at safety.
The 2017 draft brought three budding stars due to Caldwell’s player evaluations. Leonard Fournette is the power back that Marrone wanted. Cam Robinson has protected Blake Bortles blind side all season. Dede Westbrook is emerging as a reliable receiver.
Since Jacksonville wants to be a perennial contender, decisions have to be made concerning the roster. Players get hurt or are unable to perform at a high level because of getting older. Like it or not, teams are loyal to all players unless there is a better player available.
Jacksonville might want to draft a tight end for the future. Oklahoma’s Mark Andrews should be on the Jaguars radar due to his big play ability. Andrews caught 58 passes for 906 yards with eight touchdowns. He stands six foot five inches and weighs 254 pounds. He could be an immediate impact player.
Jarvis Landry becomes an unrestricted free agent in 2018 due to his rookie contract expiring. He is leading the Miami Dolphins in receptions with 98. Injuries have diminished the Jaguars depth at wide receiver. Landry would be Bortles top target.
Fournette has missed games this season due to nagging injuries. The Jaguars need another quality running back. Isaiah Crowell is a free agent after this season. In four years with Cleveland, he has rushed for 3053 yards and has caught 95 passes for 771 yards and 22 combined touchdowns. He could be a younger version of Chris Ivory.
Next: 2018 NFL Mock Draft: No first-round QBs edition
Jacksonville will probably keep Bortles through the 2018 season. Upgrading the tight end, wide receiver, and running back depth should be high on the Jaguars to-do list. Jacksonville should consider these three players for next season.