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1. It is okay to view free agency as both a success and a failure
Now that everybody has had time to digest the Free Agency period, I think everybody should be able to put the knee jerk hot takes away and see it for what it is.
One side of the argument loved what the Jaguars did in free agency. Malik Jackson, Tashaun Gipson, and Prince Amukamara are huge upgrades over Tyson Alualu, Sergio Brown, and Aaron Colvin.
On the other side of the argument, the Jaguars did not add a single edge rusher. They are going into the draft with Dante Fowler, Ryan Davis, and Chris Smith as their top three LEOs. That is a major issue for so, so, so many reasons.
It is okay to be in the middle in this argument. You can think the Jaguars made some great signings but for whatever reasons they didn't add to their biggest need. And it doesn't even matter what the reasons are because at the end of the day you still do not have any LEOs.
And that is the reality of the free agency period. It is not negative, it is the truth. They made great signings but still didn't address everything they needed to. It is okay.
2. Shaq Lawson makes a ton of sense at No. 5, so get used to the idea
I will have a post on this soon enough, but I am behind the idea of drafting Shaq Lawson. And it seems the Jaguars are interested too.
The reasoning is simple: If the three first-tier defenders (Myles Jack, Jalen Ramsey, and Joey Bosa) are off the board by No. 5, then Lawson is the best fit as a player. He is at the top of the second tier of defenders and makes much, much more sense than someone like Buckner or Hargreaves.
Just think about it.
3. DeForest Buckner makes zero sense for the Jaguars
The Jaguars list of defenders who can play inside on third down include Malik Jackson, Sen'Derrick Marks, Jared Odrick, Ryan Davis, and Michael Bennett.
And people are entertaining the idea of drafting somebody else to add to this rotation. Unless this is now an alternate universe where you can line up four people in the B-gaps on pass rushing downs then Buckner makes no sense for the Jaguars.
4. I think Luke Joeckel played a lot better in 2015 and I also think Kelvin Beachum is a great signing
Outside of his horrid Week 17 game, I liked how Joeckel played in 2015. He wasn't ever dominating or very good. There were not even long stretches of good. But he was at the least serviceable, which is a big step up from how he played in 2014.
With that said, I think the Beachum signing is huge. At best, Beachum helps bring out the best in Joeckel who realizes he has to play for his job for the first time in his career and he takes a step forward. At worst, Beachum proves to be better than Joeckel and the offensive line improves at left tackle. This is simply a win-win.
A big part of being a successful team is moving forward from players at the right time. That doesn't give you some immunity because at the end of the day you still made a mistake by picking the player, but you limit the damage done to your team if you cut ties at the right time.
If Joeckel is still not making the right progress by his fourth camp, then it should be time to move on. And Dave Caldwell appears prepared to do so.
5. Weekly follow suggestions
Most of you should already be following Chaps (@UncleChaps) but if you aren't, do so.
Don't be that guy who is listening to the Schefters and the Glazers of the world when Chaps is standing right in front of you.
.@UncleChaps impersonated Jay Glazer —and ESPN reported it as real news. https://t.co/5rnADBqxsS pic.twitter.com/jIwOgfPGat
— SB Nation (@SBNation) March 10, 2016