ESPN thinks Jaguars have the worst roster in the league

The Jacksonville Jaguars are still in the middle of a roster rebuild, but ESPN thinks they have a much longer way to go than most of you might.

According to ESPN's Sam Monson, the Jaguars have the worst roster in the league. 32nd out of 32 teams. The bottom of the barrel. No one is worse. The biggest loser. A cata-oh, you get it.

So, what did Monson have to say about his decision to rank the Jaguars last?

32. Jacksonville Jaguars

Top five players: Brandon Linder, Julius Thomas, Sen'Derrick Marks, Jared Odrick, Ryan Davis

Starters who should be upgraded: Roy Miller, Chris Clemons, Paul Posluszny, Allen Hurns, Marqise Lee, Luke Joeckel

Analysis: The Jaguars have some good players, including Linder, Marks, Odrick and Thomas. Here's the problem: Two of those four came over in free agency and have yet to play a down for the team, and only Linder makes it into the high-quality grading bracket.

The key pieces that were supposed to turn the franchise around -- Joeckel, Blake Bortles and Johnathan Cyprien in particular -- have all fallen well short of expectations thus far. In Bortles' case, the team at least knew he would be a long-term project and never intended to start him as a rookie, but the signs were not good in his first year. He will need to make a major leap forward as a sophomore to help the team out.

I don't get it. I really don't. Do the Jaguars have one of the worst rosters in the league? Sure. Do they have the worst? Nope. In fact, they don't even have the worst roster in their division.

Do you mean to tell me that the Tennessee Titans have a better roster? Oakland Raiders? Tampa Bay Buccaneers? Two of those three teams will have a rookie quarterback starting Week 1, I'd argue the Jaguars have better lines on both sides of the ball, and better receiving options than all but the Buccaneers.

NFL players don't play in a vacuum. You can't objectively grade Player X vs. Player Y without taking into account the entire rest of the team, which is what it looks like Monson is doing. The greatest detriment to the Jaguars offense last year was rookie quarterback Blake Bortles. An improved cast of receivers, offensive lineman, and an early second-round running back, not to mention an offensive coordinator more suited to his strengths, will improve Bortles and the rest of the offense, no?

Yes, the offense is bottom-five bad. But the defense is in the top half of the league. No, the Jaguars aren't good. But No. 32? Nah.