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Thank you Sir Marrone, Caldwell and Coughlin for escorting the Jaguars "Out of the Pit of Misery." Dilly Dilly!

This has turned out to be an awesome 2017-18 football season and one that few Jaguars fans, including myself expected after a 3-13 season last year. There’s absolutely no way this season comes together in the manner in which it did without the three headed monster of Coach Doug Marrone, General Manager David Caldwell and Executive Vice President of Football Operations Tom Coughlin. I also have to admit, I wasn’t as encouraged about the Marrone hiring or Caldwell’s contract extension in the beginning as I was about Tom Coughlin returning to Jacksonville. Although "In Tom We Trust" things started out kind of shaky in the beginning, starting with the team not picking up Kevin Beachum’s contract option followed by the Branden Albert fiasco. But, somehow every situation that arose this season worked out in Jacksonville’s favor. All of the front office & coaching hires/extension, free agent signings, draft selections, and subsequent roster moves turned out to be spots on without exception. The one pivotal hire that ultimately changed the trajectory of the Jaguars Organization and this past season was made by the owner Shahid Khan when he hired Tom Coughlin. So, at the end of the day the true praise for such a dramatic organizational turnaround should go to Shahid Khan for having the foresight to bring Coughlin back home. Thank you, Shahid! Go JAGS!

There were numerous aspects from this past season that we as fans can hang our Super Bowl aspirations on; way too many to even attempt to write about in an article, so I won’t. Any true Jaguars Fan would have little to no reason to want to read about our team’s accomplishments and moments of grandeur from this past season anyway, because we’ve savored every one of them throughout the year while etching them into our memories. This past season has left us (the fans) carving for more! We no longer have mere hopes of our Jags being able to reach a .500 winning percentage during a season; we expect a minimum of 10 wins per season from now on, we expect more AFC South Championships, we expect multiple AFC Conference Titles and last but not least we expect a championship parade after bringing The Vince Lombardi Trophy home to DUUUVAAAL!

However, in order to reach those heights and be considered an elite franchise while settling into the normal conversations of football fans as being a top tier team more has to be done. I don’t want our Jaguars to be relegated back into the abyss of utter mediocrity or referred to as a one year wonder. To prevent a lapse back into the Jaguars of past, our team must continue to improve its roster. It has taken over a decade for this team to become relevant again within the AFC & NFL. The Jags are now being included in conversations as Super Bowl contenders, which would have been a punch line just a year ago. All of the new found notoriety and praise is well deserved because it has been earned by the team through hard work. But, the heartbreaking loss to the Patriots in the AFC Championship Game highlighted two key areas of concern to me. The Jags still lack a QB and OL that can get this team to the big dance and bring home The Lombardi. This article will focus on what I believe has to be done in order to build on last season’s success during Free Agency and the Draft.

Let’s start by addressing the proverbial "Elephant in the Room", which is the inadequate offensive line. Yes I’ve started with the OL not the QB position, because at this point there are only two types of Jaguars Fans. Those who believe this past season should be Blake Bortles last season in a Jaguars uniform (I’m one of them) and those who like David Caldwell believe Blake can lead the Jags to a Super Bowl Championship. I’ll address this controversy later, but for now let’s focus on the OL. If you are big on statistics you may be thinking this guy is an idiot. The Jags OL led the NFL with an average 141.4 rushing yards per game, finished 6th in total offense with 365.9 yds/g and only allowed 24 sacks which tied for the third fewest sacks in the NFL. The aforementioned stats are true and undisputable, but what is also true is those stats were padded by a couple of long runs off of trick plays plus big rushing yard games in the first half of the season. That helped the team hang on to the league lead in rushing. While we’re being honest about stats the Jags’ running game was held to only three 100 yds/+ rushing games during the last eight games of the reg. season with the team’s leading rusher Leonard Fournette only registering two 100 yd rushing games during that same time span. In the final two reg. season games the Jags should have dominated their opponents based on having the more talented roster, but loss both games. They didn’t win either game because the OL couldn’t impose its will on the opposing team’s defense in the run offense. Versus the 49ers they were held to 92 yards rushing with Fournette only rushing for 48 yds on 18 car and Blake coming in as the second leading rusher with 31 yds on 5 car. Then in the final game of the season when the Jags could have put our biggest rivals (The Titans) out of playoffs contention they could only mustard 83 rushing yards with Fournette totaling a mere 69 yds on 19 car in a 15-10 loss. The template the Jags were built on is to play great defense then run the ball once a lead is gained to secure the victory. Someone please explain to me why the Jaguars’ offense/offensive line wasn’t able to do what they were assembled to do when it counted the most during the AFC Championship Game? It’s simple, the OL needs upgrading period point blank. Upgrading the OL has to be a priority in free agency. All Pro free agent Andrew Norwell, LG from Carolina would immediately ascend the Jags OL into the top three OLs in the NFL. Last offseason both Patrick Omameh and A.J. Cann should have been replaced; neither was and the Jags weakness at interior lineman was on glaring display during the reg. season and playoffs. Cann’s play improved from the previous year but his play isn’t where this offense needs him to be at this point in his career. The Jags no longer have the luxury of playing one of the easiest schedules in the NFL or playing in the NFL's weakest division. The culture has changed in the organization and it is in win now mode, so the front office has to upgrade the OL or watch the offense crumble under the pressure of one of the toughest 2018 schedules in the league.

NFL teams’ window to win a Super Bowl is very narrow and it doesn’t come along very often nor does it stay open for prolonged periods. That is why 12 out of the 32 NFL franchises have yet to raise the Lombardi Trophy. The Jaguars window surprisingly opened during the 2017-18 season; however no one knows exactly when the window will close. What is known is that our championship caliber defense can be kept mostly intact for the next two years. After that it is anyone’s guess what this defense or the overall roster will look like. I think it is safe to say the Jaguars have at least two more years to win Jacksonville’s first Super Bowl. But in order to win a championship, a team must be honest about identifying and correcting shortcomings during the offseason even if it calls for removing whatever (flawed schemes) or whoever (personnel) is hindering the team from becoming its very best. I believe the OL can be improved with offseason moves via free agency and the draft, but the QBs (Blake Bortles and Chad Henne) must both be replaced in order to keep from derailing the team’s pursuit of greatness.

First, can we please stop with all of the conversations about the Jaguars Salary Cap; the cap situation is fine and will continued to be right where the team needs it to be. If you haven’t realized it yet, we have the best team in the NFL when it comes to managing salary cap and negotiating contracts led by the Czar Tim Walsh. But as a fan, should I really be worried or even care what the cap situation is if my team is contending for or wins the Super Bowl? My answer is a resounding No! Ask any fan of the Super Bowl Champions Philadelphia Eagles if they are worried about Philly’s salary cap situation in 2018 after winning the Super Bowl. Were the fans of the Cleveland Cavaliers worried about the salary cap after winning their first league championship? Consider this; is there a price tag you wouldn’t want the Jags front office to pay for a player that could help this team win a Super Bowl or multiple Super Bowls? Did the Jags pay too much for Malik Jackson, Calais Campbell, A. J. Boyue, or Marcell Dareus? For me, there absolutely isn’t a price tag too high to pay for a player who can help us reach greatness (A Super Bowl Championship).

Blake has been given what in my opinion should be his final opportunity to solidify himself as the franchise QB this past season. I think he failed to secure the position and here are my reasons why. How many times have you ever witnessed a team’s front office and coaching staff make every concerted effort to protect the team from their starting QB who's also a three year starter? That’s exactly how we started the 2017-18 season with Blake Bortles. As a three year veteran, Blake almost loss his starting position in preseason to Chad Henne the guy he replaced in 2014. All season opposing teams DCs focused on stacking the box to stop Leonard Fournette and the run offense, because they didn't respect Blake as a passer. The total disrespect of Blake as a passer by DCs got so blantant that the Rams ran a goal line defense against the Jags offense even thou the Jags weren’t actually on the goal line. How many franchise QBs are game planned in this manner? Why wouldn’t Nate Hackett trust his starting QB to audible out of a play during a game, until late into the reg. season? How many franchise QBs throw two INTs in the final 2:00 minutes of a game when your team is only trailing by 3 points; then has to be bailed out by his defense? How often does a team regularly have to lean on its defense to score points in order to win games rather than lean on its franchise QB and offense? Is this a method of winning this team should depend on? In a QB friendly, pass happy league why can’t Blake pass for more than 300 yards in more than 4 reg. season games? (2 out of 4 games also came against the worst pass defense in the league the Colts) Would you trust a QB who has led the NFL with 64 INTs since entering the league while contributing to multiple team losses; due to his poor decision making in critical moments during games to lead you to a championship? Who would have faith in a QB who goes 12-23 on pass completions during a home playoff game? I wouldn’t and I don’t. I know Blake hasn’t been all bad this season nor has he been all bad his four seasons in Jacksonville; I admit that. What Blake has been is consistently inconsistent during his time in Jacksonville, which isn’t what you want or need in a QB when chasing a championship in a very narrow timeframe where the percentage of success is slim.

Many will argue Kirk Cousin isn’t an elite QB; he hasn’t won a playoff game, his career win-loss record is only 26-31-1, he is overrated and will soon be overpaid, he can’t carry a team to a championship and these are just a few of the multitude of negative comments that have been said about Cousins. What’s shocking about many of the comments on BCC about Cousins is that many of the individuals making them have never watched multiple games that Cousins has played in. I’m a Jags fan through and through DTWD, but I started watching Redskins games this season to make my own assessment of Cousins to determine if he would be a good fit in Jacksonville. He would absolutely be the perfect fit in Duval. Kirk Cousins has played above-average football on a team that was in disarray and less talented compared to the Jaguars roster that Blake played with this past season. He has also been an above-averge QB for four consecutive years. Let me also remind you Malik Jackson and A.J. Boyue weren’t Pro Bowlers and All Pro (A.J.) before they were signed with Jacksonville, Telvin Smith was too small to play LB in the NFL, Jalen Ramsey (All Pro CB) only had one INT in college; can he really play CB in the NFL? Nick Foles was only viewed as a backup quarterback by the league after leaving the Rams that was until he took advantage of his opportunity to shine in the spotlight; now he’s a Super Bowl Champion and MVP. Tom Brady didn’t begin his career as "Tom Terrific" aka "The G.O.A.T" a 5-times Super Bowl Champion and 3-times Super Bowl MVP. The point I’m attempting to convey is, until a player is given an opportunity to excel in the right organization under the right circumstances their true potential can be held back i.e. Kurt Warner, Drew Brees, Nick Foles, Dak Prescott, Jared Goff, Case Keenum, Sam Bradford, and on and on. I believe Cousins joining the Jaguars provides a win-win for both Kirk and Jacksonville. The Jaguars would be making a Cleveland Browns type mistake if they were to decide to pass on entering the Kirk Cousins Sweepstakes in FA.

At this point in the resurrection of the Jaguars franchise there are very few holes in the roster that anyone can point out and say this will hinder this team from challenging for a Super Bowl Championship. Although, there aren’t as many holes as there have been in the past it doesn’t mean there aren’t any. I’ve written about two major deficiency in this article the Jaguars front office need to address. The following positions also need upgrading this offseason (TE, LB, OT, RB and WR) in order for this team to ascend into the conversation of being one of the NFL's elite organizations. The following are the remaining moves I would make during the offseason to prepare for the Jaguars 2018-19 Championship Chase:

Players under Contract that should be Released

1. Blake Bortles, QB

2. Chris Ivory, RB

3. Marcedes Lewis, TE*

4. Brad Nortman, P

5. Mychal Rivera, TE*

6. Carson Tinker, LS

7. Arrelious Benn, WR

8. Rashad Green, WR

9. Micheal Bennett, DT

10. Josh Walker, OG

11. Larry Pinkard

*Team option in contract for 2018 season

Jaguars Unrestricted Free Agents that should be Resigned

1. Allen Robinson, WR (Franchise Tag if a new deal is unable to be completed)

2. Aaron Colvin, CB

Jaguars Players that should NOT be Resigned

1. Paul Posluszny, ILB

2. Chad Henne, QB

3. Marqise Lee, WR

4. Patrick Omameh, OG

5. Jaelen Strong, WR

6. Chris Reed, OT

7. Peyton Thompson, S

8. Tyler Gaffney, RB

9. Shane Wynn, WR

10. William Poehls, OG

11. Matt Overton, LS

12. Corey Grant, RB (Only if he isn’t going to be used more on offense)

2018 Free Agency Priorities: QB, OG, RB

Quarterbacks in order:

1. Kirk Cousins (29), QB, Redskins

2. Tyrod Taylor (28), QB, Bills

Offensive Guards in order:

1. Andrew Norwell (26), LG, Panthers

2. Justin Pugh (27), LG/RT, Giants

Runningbacks:

1. Isaiah Crowell (25), RB, Browns

Positions to address in the 2018 NFL Draft in order of precedence: OG, TE, LB, QB, WR, OT, RB. The players below are listed by positions and order of precedence that I think the Jags should draft and will be available to be drafted by the Jags:

Guard

1. Billy Price, C/RG, Ohio St.

2. Isaiah Wynn, T/LG, Georgia

3. Braden Smith, RG, Auburn

4. Will Hernandez, LG, Texas-El Paso

Tight End

1. Mark Andrews, TE, Oklahoma

2. Troy Fumagalli, TE, Wisconsin

3. Dallas Goedert, TE, South Dakota State

4. Mike Gesicki, TE, Penn State

Linebacker

1. Tremaine Edmunds, ILB, Virginia Tech

2. Rashaan Evans, ILB, Alabama

3. Uchenna Nwosu, OLB, USC

4. Jack Cichy, ILB, Wisconsin

Quarterback

1. Mason Rudolph, QB, Oklahoma State

2. Lamar Jackson, QB, Louisville

3. Riley Ferguson, QB, Memphis

4. Luke Falk, QB, Washington St.

Wide Receiver

1. Auden Tate, WR, Florida State

2. Marcel Ateman, WR, Oklahoma State

3. Equanimeous St. Brown, WR, Norte Dame

4. Jaleel Scott, WR, New Mexico State

Offensive Tackle

1. Kolton Miller, OT, UCLA

2. Brian O'Neil, OT, Pittsburgh

3. Tyrell Crosby, OT, Oregon

4. Jamarco Jones, OT, Ohio State

Running Back

1. Sony Michel, RB, Georgia

2. Royce Freeman, RB, Oregon

3. Rashaad Penny, RB, San Diego State

4. Kalen Ballage, RB, Arizona State

I would select the following draft picks after signing Kirk Cousins and Andrew Norwell during free agency. I based my picks on players I believe will still be available for the Jags picking at the bottom of each round without trades:

1st Rd: 1. Billy Price, OG; 2. Mark Andrew, TE; 3. Raashad Evans, ILB

2nd Rd: 1. Troy Fumagalli, TE; 2. Braden Smith, OG; 3. Dallas Goedert, TE

3rd Rd: 1. Uchenna Nwosu, OLB; 2. Riley Ferguson, QB; 3. Royce Freeman, RB

4th Rd: 1. Riley Ferguson, QB; 2. Rashaad Penny, RB; 3. Jaleel Scott, WR

5th Rd: Traded to Bills for Marcell Dareus

6th Rd: Jaleel Scott, WR

7th Rd: Kalen Ballage, RB

7th Rd: Dimitri Flowers, FB

Bring on your questions and critiques.

FanPosts do not necessarily reflect the views of the authors of Big Cat Country or SB Nation.