The State of the Rebuilding Process: The 2014 Jaguars

by Adam Stites on Jan 7, 2010 5:45 PM EST in Meta-Jacksonville Jaguars

After the 2008 season the roster was in disarray and Gene Smith began his task of rebuilding the team and leading them to a successful future. The roster was completely turned over with 31 new additions and 16 rookies. A good measure of the rebuilding process is finding the players on the roster that look like long-term fixtures and seeing how many have sure futures with the team.

After the 2009 season, how many players could we really say, with confidence, would be playing for the Jaguars in 2014? (Ages at the start of 2014 season in parenthesis)

So after the 2010 season, how many long-term fixtures were added and how many emerged? Meet the core of your 2014 Jaguars:

That has to be, by anyone's standard, a good first year of the rebuilding process. In Gene we trust.

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Well done

The team looks alright for the future. Not great, yet. But I believe we’re on our way.

Vae Victis!

by viator on Jan 7, 2010 6:22 PM EST reply actions

That list actually made me smile, thx.

I've been doing the Fonda workout: the Peter Fonda workout. That's where I wake up, take a hit of acid, smoke a joint, and run to my sister's house and ask her for money.
-- Kevin Meaney(1950's Comedian)

by thatdamnLovett on Jan 7, 2010 11:28 PM EST reply actions

Me too but what about Underwood

by JagSoldier on Jan 8, 2010 6:06 AM EST reply actions

I left Underwood and Jennings off the list

I put the people I felt had a long term future with this team without much doubt. Underwood was easy to omit because we never really saw him play so how could I judge that. Jennings was a tougher omission because he has played well, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Jaguars pick up another talented running back early in a draft and take Jennings’s spot.

by Adam Stites on Jan 8, 2010 10:33 AM EST up reply actions

Nice list, but much work to be done

These 14 players represent only part of the core as there is considerable positional overlap. Don’t get me wrong, it’s great to have 2 solid OTs locked up but 2 mediocre tight ends doesn’t excite me too much (especially considering the fact a young QB will need to be groomed in the near future). Also, spending 7 picks to move up and draft 2 DEs that do not appear on this list is very disappointing.

Here’s to hoping Gene will continue to build out the secondary and D-line through this year’s draft and let someone else gamble on Tebow.

WR- 3, RB- 3, LB- 2, OT- 2, TE- 2, DL- 1, DB- 1

by VTjagfan on Jan 8, 2010 8:48 AM EST reply actions

Yeah it's definitely not done yet

Most of these positions were on the offensive side of the ball, so we’re gonna need to see some good defensive draft picks before we can consider this team a playoff quality game.

by Adam Stites on Jan 8, 2010 10:29 AM EST up reply actions

Whoa.

mediocre tight ends

Who are you referring to?

If hip hop is dead, then it happened the day that Dilla died.
-Akrobatik

by Bestjagfan on Jan 8, 2010 5:57 PM EST up reply actions

Greg Jonse have a little shot for not returning next year!

I think he is an outstanding player but the Jags used him “just” for blokking this year. Hew is a good player; and I think he has a fantastic value. Don’T be surprised if our Darth Geneious will use him for a very smart trade.. (1st round-anyone?)

Other then him I agree; this is a very young core group with unbelivable potentials before them. I’M optimistic…

Life without knowledge is death in disguise

by Zoltan from Budapest on Jan 8, 2010 10:52 AM EST reply actions

FB's

don’t get you very high draft picks, especially if they are injury prone and expensive. Not to mention he hasn’t shown on film to be very versatile. He’s not a great special teamer. He’s not a great ball carrier. He doesn’t have great hands. I think he has average hands if anything. He’s a great blocker in a time in the league when people don’t often use a FB.

by Ewdtrey on Jan 8, 2010 4:24 PM EST up reply actions

Yeah sadly

But the way Koetter don’T use him anything exept blocking make him more average…

Life without knowledge is death in disguise

by Zoltan from Budapest on Jan 8, 2010 9:23 PM EST up reply actions

Well

the truth is, every other role he could admirably fill can be filled by someone better. MJD is a better everything. Rashad is better at running in space and catching the ball. I think even Bolen is a better pass catcher, considering how often he’s been targeted or at least in the plan for being targeted. (On a per play basis.) I think Owens is even a better runner between the tackles, and he also has better speed.

by Ewdtrey on Jan 9, 2010 5:52 AM EST up reply actions

What is missing?

Although I think Gene gets an A+ for the past draftclass what seems to be lacking is a superstar player that has the potential to be a Hall of Fame candidate. The only players in Jags history that had that potential were Jimmy & Fred. We need to get that knock out Defensive player that teams have to game plan around.

by jagswinbig on Jan 8, 2010 11:57 AM EST reply actions

MJD doesn't have that potential?

He’s already 62 all-time in rushing TDs and he’s 24. If he keeps up his pace, he’ll be top 10 in rushing TDs by 28. 2nd place by 32 and could break the record at 33 or 34. Granted the pace will probably slow down at some point, but still he has HoF potential.

by Adam Stites on Jan 8, 2010 12:09 PM EST up reply actions

I think

he was talking about a superstar from Gene’s draft class. If that’s the case, I think it’s safe to say that Eugene Monroe has the potential to be a regular pro-bowl material every year. Hard to call a LT a superstar, but for his position he can be. I also think Mike Thomas and Zach Miller have Steve Smith-like and Antonio Gates-like potential respectively.

by Ewdtrey on Jan 8, 2010 4:29 PM EST up reply actions

If this team could get

a better younger center, a good DE, and a real safety in the offseason then this team would take a huge step forward. Thats a real tall order but its my own opinion anyway.

by JagSoldier on Jan 8, 2010 12:00 PM EST reply actions

Are there any good FA this year?

by Nikola R on Jan 8, 2010 12:50 PM EST reply actions

I was wondering the same thing..

when I stumbled upon this slideshow from si.com:
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/multimedia/photo_gallery/1001/nfl.possible.free.agents/content.1.html

by VTjagfan on Jan 8, 2010 4:55 PM EST up reply actions

Kampman and Ogunleye are the only ones that I could see potentially happening

If those two and Peppers get to the market, that’ll lower the worth of the Kampman and Ogunleye and it wouldn’t be financially unreasonable. At least I hope it wouldn’t be. Those guys could be instant impact guys.

by Adam Stites on Jan 8, 2010 5:05 PM EST up reply actions

As late

as Aaron Kampman’s injury was and severe he might take a while to come back.

by Ewdtrey on Jan 8, 2010 5:14 PM EST up reply actions

Ogunleye

is older, but he can be asset. Could be a nice veteran patch.

by Ewdtrey on Jan 8, 2010 5:16 PM EST up reply actions

Maybe

I think there will be some players out there, but I don’t think Gene will be interested in them.
DE/OLB
Adalius Thomas might get cut, might not fit, and a little old, and becoming injury prone
Derrick Burgess good, but old and falling apart a little
Ray Edwards(Over rated)
Matt Roth could be a great pickup
Shawne Merriman might be more expensive than he’s worth
Aaron Kampman coming off an injury, but will at least be a good starter, might be expensive too

DT
Aubrayo Franklin really good player, probably expensive
Barry Cofield
Tony Brown Has a bit of a nasty attitude, but our DL can probably use a little of that
Gabe Watson
Ryan Pickett
Fred Robbins old and banged up, but could be a patch for a while
Tank Johnson has been a trouble maker in the past, but he’s really starting to play better; and he’s managed to stay out of trouble. May have matured out of being a trouble maker. Still somewhat young too at 28.
Kedric Golston is only an average player, but he’s a hard worker and reliable.

by Ewdtrey on Jan 8, 2010 5:09 PM EST up reply actions