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We’re just a couple of days away from 2018 and it’s time to reflect on all that 2017 gave us. The Jacksonville Jaguars are good again, we’re hosting a playoff game, our defense is performing at historically high levels, and the future looks bright in terms of free agency and the draft next offseason.
Before we turn the page on this year, let’s revisit the most popular stories from 2017.
10. Marcell Dareus traded to Jaguars from Bills
Good morning! The #Jaguars did a good thing last night and traded for the run-stuffing Marcell Dareus: https://t.co/iMpvpRyfJ5 pic.twitter.com/Ii2XYx8J6r
— y-Big Cat Country (@BigCatCountry) October 28, 2017
We gave up a sixth-round draft pick for a run-stuffing defensive tackle that will almost certainly help us during our playoff push. Go Jaguars!
9. Did Jalen Ramsey go looking for A.J. Green after ejection?
Did Jalen Ramsey go looking for A.J. Green after his ejection and then have to be forcibly removed by police? (Yes.) https://t.co/ZEz1rJWZQl pic.twitter.com/r7KyUrSMsg
— y-Big Cat Country (@BigCatCountry) November 5, 2017
Right before halftime, Jalen Ramsey and A.J. Green were both ejected for a fight during a play that looked far more egregious for Green than Ramsey, but it’s whatever because the Jaguars went on to dominate and the Bungles just bungled.
Shortly after, our good friend Uncle Chaps reported that Ramsey had to be removed from the visitor’s locker room after searching out Green and screaming at him.
Did this really happen? Did Jalen really go looking for Green only to verbally berate him before being forcibly removed by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office?
The real question is — would anyone be surprised if it did?
8. Shad Khan would ‘absolutely’ be okay with team signing Colin Kaepernick
#Jaguars owner Shad Khan would "absolutely" be okay with team signing Colin Kaepernick https://t.co/OUWVZer5YZ pic.twitter.com/Qgj0CeGOvN
— y-Big Cat Country (@BigCatCountry) August 24, 2017
I still would be okay if we signed Colin Kaepernick, to be honest.
7. Allen Robinson after Blake Bortles pass: “F***ing keep that s**t in bounds, bro!”
VIDEO: Allen Robinson after Blake Bortles pass: "F***ing keep that s**t in bounds, bro!" https://t.co/smiHaPH5CA pic.twitter.com/W4MHB4nnRt
— y-Big Cat Country (@BigCatCountry) August 15, 2017
Still my favorite story from 2017.
6. 2017 NFL undrafted free agent tracker
#Jaguars have signed UDFA wide receiver Keelan Cole out of Kentucky Wesleyan College. https://t.co/w3TLuX9pBy pic.twitter.com/DGMwsFzDbE
— y-Big Cat Country (@BigCatCountry) April 30, 2017
Who knew that when we posted this in April that a little-known wide receiver from Kentucky Wesleyan would be making big plays as the team makes a push to the playoffs?
5. NFL determined Michael Bennett was ‘diving for the football’
NFL determined Michael Bennett was ‘diving for the football’ because they’re lying cowards who think you’re dumb https://t.co/Jfa8fnuChs pic.twitter.com/dlOnqwr6V8
— y-Big Cat Country (@BigCatCountry) December 13, 2017
Michael Bennett sucks, dude.
So does the NFL.
4. 6 quarterback options to replace Blake Bortles
6 quarterback options to replace Blake Bortles https://t.co/ptzCYDlQOf pic.twitter.com/pd1NKm8zvA
— y-Big Cat Country (@BigCatCountry) August 16, 2017
Y’all remember the preseason and how bad Blake Bortles was? I mean, forget the early season games — he was pathetic in the preseason, so bad in fact he was getting benched in Week 3. And as angry as you all got at us throwing articles like this out there, it got a little attention from a certain Pro Bowl cornerback.
3. Should Tom Coughlin call the Giants about Eli Manning?
Should #Jaguars Tom Coughlin call the #Giants about Eli Manning? https://t.co/5EBMjfriY9 pic.twitter.com/CJd7KEjVKJ
— y-Big Cat Country (@BigCatCountry) October 10, 2017
The Jaguars were ascending but Blake Bortles was an anchor and clearly holding this team back. There was a rumor that the New York Giants wanted to offload Eli Manning and we asked if that was a good idea or not.
2. 2017 NFL Draft: Post-free agency mock draft (3.0)
.@zach_goodall has his post-free agency mock draft where he tries making sense of what the #Jaguars are going to do. https://t.co/yFu1DaZbQx pic.twitter.com/Pwi2SOUlVd
— y-Big Cat Country (@BigCatCountry) March 13, 2017
Yup. The Dark Ages. When mock drafts were how we filled our page click quotas. At least we had Leonard Fournette all along, right?
1. 2017 Jacksonville Jaguars free agency: Day 1 live blog
.@ryaneatscake, @MattHoffmanNFL, and @AlfieBCC live blogged Day 1 of free agency. Catch up on everything #Jaguars! https://t.co/xlqUlGHX2w pic.twitter.com/N5LPBp1ZnY
— y-Big Cat Country (@BigCatCountry) March 10, 2017
Day 1 of free agency was a whirlwind this year and it was more impactful than we could have possibly imagined at the time. Calais Campbell, A.J. Bouye, and Barry Church were the headliners, but the drama of wrestling with teams over H-back Rhett Ellison and seeing Sen’Derrick Marks leave made this the most popular story of the year on Big Cat Country.
Happy New Year!