:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/9571705/20130118_jla_ap4_563.0.jpg)
While both Dave Caldwell and Gus Bradley are still very young faces of the Jaguars franchise, they've been in contact with many players during their careers. Caldwell had plenty of experience as a scout for the Indianapolis Colts before joining the Atlanta Falcons. Similarly, Bradley was a head coach at North Dakota State before joining the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as a linebackers coach and, eventually, the Seattle Seahawks as a defensive coordinator.
Of the many free agents set to hit the market on Tuesday afternoon, here's a list of players that have ties to Caldwell and/or Bradley:
| Name | Team | Pos. | Age | 2012 PFF rating |
| John Abraham | Atlanta Falcons | DE | 34 | +18.4 |
| At age 34, Abraham hasn't slowed down much and has managed to stay a productive pass rusher. While he would be a solid fit as a LEO, Abraham doesn't offer much more than Jason Babin, though, and seems like a very unlikely target. | ||||
| Devin Aromashodu | Minnesota Vikings | WR | 28 | +2.7 |
| Aromashodu's connection to Caldwell is a pretty small one as the receiver was brought in and started just one game for the Colts in 2007, Caldwell's final season with the team. He has since developed into a decent backup receiver that provides solid blocking in the run game, but not a whole lot more. | ||||
| Sam Baker | Atlanta Falcons | OT | 27 | +12.5 |
| One of the premiere offensive tackles on the free agent market, Baker would be a very surprising target for a team like the Jaguars that is already very set at left tackle. | ||||
| Atari Bigby | San Diego Chargers | S | 31 | -7.8 |
| A defensive back for the Seahawks in 2011, Bigby has the size and play-style to fit in at strong safety in Bradley's defense; however, his play has declined and he no longer offers much more than could be found from a younger player. | ||||
| Michael Boley | New York Giants | LB | 30 | -8.6 |
| Boley's final season with the Falcons was Caldwell's first and at the time he was playing much better football. He is now a pretty replaceable player that wouldn't make much sense for Jacksonville. | ||||
| Alan Branch | Seattle Seahawks | DT | 28 | -0.1 |
|
If Terrance Knighton leaves the Jaguars, they're almost definitely going to need to find a nose tackle that can fill in for him. Among the candidates would be Branch, a huge DT that proved he can play in the role in the Seahawks defense for the last two seasons. |
||||
| Keith Brooking | Denver Broncos | LB | 37 | -6.3 |
| The former-Falcons linebacker is 37 and no longer a good player. He very well may not be signed by any team, let alone one that is looking to rebuild. | ||||
| Patrick Chukwurah | Seattle Seahawks | DE | 34 | -0.9 |
| Chukwurah has experience with Bradley in both Tampa Bay and Seattle, but was out of the league from 2009-2011 and wasn't added to the Seahawks roster until the postseason. He's simply not a candidate for the Jaguars. | ||||
| Michael Coe | Dallas Cowboys | CB | 29 | +1.9 |
| A former-Jaguars defensive back, Coe was with the Colts in Caldwell's final season with the team, but has since become a journeyman cornerback. While he certainly isn't going to be the savior for a secondary, he could play a role and is a solid option. | ||||
| Craig Dahl | St. Louis Rams | S | 27 | -6.1 |
| Dahl has not been on an NFL team with Bradley or Caldwell, but he did play safety for North Dakota State under Bradley. Not a particularly great fit in Bradley's defense, Dahl has developed into a full-time starter, albeit a sub-par one. | ||||
| Dwight Freeney | Indianapolis Colts | DE | 33 | -0.5 |
| Freeney was a stalwart in the Indianapolis defense during Caldwell's time with the team and would have been a fantastic fit in Bradley's defense at that time. While he likely still could provide decent contributions as a LEO, he doesn't make sense as a fit with the Jaguars. | ||||
| Dylan Gandy | Detroit Lions | G | 31 | 0.0 |
| Gandy was a member of the Colts during Caldwell's time there, but he didn't make much of an impact then and he didn't make much of an impact for the Lions either. His signing would be very surprising. | ||||
| Matt Giordano | Oakland Raiders | S | 30 | -4.2 |
| Another player that was on the Colts during Caldwell's time there, Giordano isn't a game-changer, but isn't horrible either. He doesn't offer much more than a younger player could. | ||||
| Brent Grimes | Atlanta Falcons | CB | 29 | -1.3 |
| Once upon a time, Grimes was a big deal and warranted the franchise tag. Now after two injury-riddled seasons, the cornerback is not nearly as in demand. Not exactly a scheme fit, if the Jaguars are looking to take a chance on an injury-prone veteran, Derek Cox makes much more sense. | ||||
| Ben Hartsock | Carolina Panthers | TE | 32 | +5.3 |
| The Jaguars don't have much of a tight end option behind Marcedes Lewis; however, a 32-year old doesn't seem like a likely scenario. | ||||
| Kelvin Hayden | Chicago Bears | CB | 29 | -2.9 |
| Yet another player that was with the Colts during Caldwell's time there, Hayden is a decent cornerback in a pinch, but players of his quality can be found in final roster cuts at the end of training camp. | ||||
| Geno Hayes | Chicago Bears | LB | 25 | +0.8 |
| Hayes was with the Buccaneers during Gus Bradley's time as the team's linebackers coach. After a strong start to his career, things turned south for Hayes and he didn't see many snaps in the Chicago defense in 2012. A reunion with Bradley could actually make sense for the still, very young Hayes. | ||||
| LeRoy Hill | Seattle Seahawks | LB | 30 | +4.8 |
| A long-time solid starter for the Seahawks, Hill might make sense if: A) He wasn't 30 years old and B) A legal trainwreck who has had quite the legal troubles in recent years. | ||||
| Chris Hope | Atlanta Falcons | S | 32 | -5.3 |
| Another player that has seen better days, Hope's play has steadily dropped off and there's no reason that it won't continue to do so after he turns 33 in September. | ||||
| Chris Houston | Detroit Lions | CB | 28 | +7.4 |
| While he's a good cornerback, he isn't the greatest scheme fit and even if he did come to play in the Jacksonville defense it would be as a nickel cornerback, a position they seemingly have filled with Mike Harris. | ||||
| Lawrence Jackson | Detroit Lions | DE | 27 | -1.9 |
| Jackson wasn't the most consistent defender for the Lions in 2012, but he had flashes of brilliance and looked like a complete player at times. A former Seahawks defensive end, he left Bradley's scheme to go to a more traditional 4-3 defense and wouldn't be the greatest fit for the Jaguars. | ||||
| Michael Jenkins | Minnesota Vikings | WR | 30 | -2.0 |
| Jenkins was a big-time playmaking receiver for the Falcons, but has since fizzled and was cut by the Vikings to purge the large contract he received from them. Relatively set at receiver, a move for an aging veteran like Jenkins would be surprising. | ||||
| Jason Jones | Seattle Seahawks | DE | 26 | +5.1 |
| An up-and-down player during his five seasons in the NFL with the Titans and Seahawks, Jones could definitely make sense as a player that the Jaguars could look to bring in as a rotational player in the 5-tech role. Still young and not too expensive, Jones is a guy that could certainly be reunited with Bradley. | ||||
| Ryan Lilja | Kansas City Chiefs | G | 31 | +6.8 |
| While Lilja has continued to be productive during his long career, it's been a little too long and he's closer to retirement than he is to his best playing days. | ||||
| Chris Maragos | Seattle Seahawks | S | 26 | +0.3 |
| In his three years in the NFL, Maragos has played a combined 44 snaps, but that could mean that the Jaguars find a player with experience in Bradley's system and hey...Chris Prosinski is still on the team so an upgrade is always possible. | ||||
| Todd McClure | Atlanta Falcons | C | 36 | +6.7 |
| The Falcons' version of Brad Meester isn't a possibility for the Jaguars. | ||||
| Clinton McDonald | Seattle Seahawks | DT | 26 | +1.8 |
| Another player like Jason Jones that has been inconsistent during his career, McDonald is a guy that could make sense as a rotational 3-tech with experience in Bradley's defense. | ||||
| Nate Ness | Carolina Panthers | CB | 26 | 0.0 |
| In his four seasons in the NFL, Ness has switched teams nine times including two stops with the Seattle Seahawks. At 6-1, 190 pounds, Ness could find a home with the Jaguars, a team that is completely devoid of cornerback depth. | ||||
| Chris Owens | Atlanta Falcons | CB | 26 | +4.9 |
| A solid and consistent nickel cornerback, Owens isn't great but he isn't bad; however, he wouldn't make much sense for Bradley's defense. | ||||
| Michael Palmer | Atlanta Falcons | TE | 25 | -0.3 |
| Much more of a run blocker than a pass catching tight end, Palmer isn't a game-changer but he is a young player that Caldwell has some familiarity with. | ||||
| Mike Peterson | Atlanta Falcons | LB | 36 | -1.1 |
| Another former-Jaguars player, Peterson found a home with the Falcons after his time with the Jaguars expired, but a reunion would be surprising for the veteran. | ||||
| Barrett Ruud | Houston Texans | LB | 29 | -1.7 |
| A big free agent just a couple years ago, Ruud suddenly looks like a journeyman linebacker that hasn't been able to find a home. The Jaguars signing Ruud to reunite him with his former-linebackers coach. | ||||
| James Sanders | Arizona Cardinals | S | 29 | +1.3 |
| Sanders was a versatile safety for the Cardinals that played effectively as both a free and strong safety after one year with the Falcons in 2011. However, in Bradley's defense that often employs a single-high safety and a box safety, he doesn't fit either role particularly well. | ||||
| Jake Scott | Philadelphia Eagles | G | 31 | -4.6 |
| The former-Colts guard has seen better days and seems unlikely to find a job, let alone one with a team dedicated to a youth movement. | ||||
| Lawrence Sidbury | Atlanta Falcons | DE | 27 | -0.6 |
| Sidbury has been a career backup for the Falcons, who has shown flashes of potential, at times. A possible fit in the 5-tech role of Bradley's defense, Sidbury could be a fit for the Jaguars. | ||||
| Brandon Stokley | Denver Broncos | WR | 36 | +10.2 |
| Stokley was productive for the Broncos, but plenty of that was thanks to Peyton Manning. It would be surprising for the 36-year old to be excited about coming to join Blaine Gabbert, Chad Henne and co. | ||||
| Will Svitek | Atlanta Falcons | OT | 30 | 0.0 |
| In his time with the Falcons, Svitek was a solid backup at both the left and right tackle spots before an injury ended his 2012 season before it began. He doesn't make a whole lot of sense for the Jaguars. | ||||
| Darryl Tapp | Philadelphia Eagles | DE | 28 | +2.7 |
| Tapp played with the Seahawks before joining the Eagles, but fits much better in a more traditional 4-3 defense. A solid defensive end, he's not quick enough as a pass rusher to be a LEO. | ||||
| Marcus Trufant | Seattle Seahawks | CB | 32 | +1.1 |
| Trufant was a solid cornerback for the Seahawks for a long time, but wasn't the lengthy, press defensive back that Richard Sherman and Brandon Browner are, leading to a reserve role for the veteran. As such, it wouldn't make sense for a Bradley reunion. | ||||
| Michael Turner | Atlanta Falcons | RB | 31 | -3.4 |
| The Jaguars have a need at running back, but a slow and aging running back isn't much of a fix. Similarly effective players could be found in the later rounds of the draft. | ||||
| Vance Walker | Atlanta Falcons | DT | 25 | +7.6 |
| A 7th round pick in the 2009 NFL Draft, Walker has slowly developed into a very good young player for the Falcons and could be the perfect blend of a player that Caldwell has familiarity with and fits well in Bradley's defense as a 3-tech. | ||||
Keep reading:
• Rebuilding the Jaguars is for the long haul, not 2013
• Who the Jaguars should sign in free agency
• List of all the Jaguars free agents
• Defensive line free agent primer