JaguarsTalk: Improvements the Jacksonville Jaguars need for 2022
JaguarsTalk: We pride ourselves on settling disputes. It seems we have done it again here, with this gem of a column.
There has been a lot of talk surrounding this upcoming Jacksonville Jaguars season, and rightfully so. Being at the bottom of the barrel for so long makes one either delusional about the prospects that lie ahead or thoughtfully examine the current state of the franchise to ascertain a logical path to success. We here at JaguarsTalk like to think that our ascertaining skills are top notch, therefore the latter category fits us like a glove. Understanding that we may also throw in a dab of delusion from time to time, you will no doubt see we know exactly what we’re talking about when it comes to which group of players on this 2022 Jags team needs to improve most.
It has been written by many an expert that almost every area of the Jaguars football team is the area that needs the most work, or biggest overhaul, if you will. The problem is that I, and several others, have a difficult time believing that every position on a team, even the worst team in the NFL, is the position that needs the most improvement. It is not possible for experts to disagree so drastically, unless of course those experts were trying to reach a word count. Remember when you were in school and you were assigned a paper that needed to be 1000 words long, or five pages long, or some random length which made no sense. It would seem to me that the importance of a paper would be found in the content and not the length. If the content was worthy then it wouldn’t matter the number of words. So while I find it tough to believe that several experts all disagree on the position needing the most improvement for JAX to be successful, I do find it easy to believe that a column was needed, it needed to be a certain length and it needed to not be repetitive. Fans don’t want to read paragraph after paragraph about the same position group. Thus I can certainly see how every expert may not have necessarily disagreed but instead divvied up the positions so each could write as to why that particular group needed improvement. This way the column was “column” length and readers got many different perspectives on the entire team. The issue isn’t necessarily with the content of these types of columns but instead the premise. They should be titled something more along the lines of “experts tackle each position's need for improvement.” But what do I know? I will say this, because you the readers feel slighted, we here at JaguarsTalk decided to provide this column. A column that truly cover’s the one, singular area of the 2022 Jacksonville Jaguars that needs to improve the most for the team to be successful next season (sort of).
We will break the column into two segments because if you have read previous columns, and you really should as they are all top notch bathroom material (I say bathroom material because many lightyears ago I worked at a financial firm in Boston and whenever one had to use the restroom it was always plastered with printed copies of Bill Simmons’ The Boston Sports Guy), then you will know that I have already answered this question, in a way. The area that needs to improve the most for ANY team to be more successful is the defensive front seven. I won’t bore you with the details, as they are in previous writings, suffice it to say, the better you pass rush the better your team as a whole performs. Followed ever so closely by your offensive line. If you can give your QB a little time and make some small holes for your running backs then you don’t need Jerry Rice, Michael Irvin and Art Monk as your wide outs. Nor would you require Walter Payton and Barry Sanders in your backfield. I would argue if there is a hole to run through then you or I could run through it. Four yards and a cloud of dust will get you a first down every time. No team with a great front seven and great offensive line needs great position players. They just need efficient ones. So my first answer to the area that needs to improve the most for 2022 success will obviously be the defensive front seven. If you want to drill down even deeper into that group, I would say the most important of that group would be the edge rushers followed closely by your inside linebackers. Great edge rushers will hurry the quarterback, eliminating a lot of the opponents playbook and great inside linebackers will stuff a run and take away the quick over the middle passes relied upon when quarterbacks are hurried. One might say, it is obvious that the Jaguars upgraded their front seven, ten fold, four sure (two much?). They are stacked with potentially great linebackers and D-linemen. Jacksonville substantially upgraded their offensive line as well, the second most important part of a winning football program. Their offseason moves in this regard should have Trevor Lawrence able to make a sandwich in the pocket (I don’t know where it came from but that is one of my favorite sayings. I over use it but I don’t care . I picture a sliced turkey breast, lettuce, tomato and mayo sammie, in case you were wondering). So the offensive line, to me, is an easy answer to this question. We don’t like to take the easy way out here at JaguarsTalk.
Now, assuming that the defensive seven additions and the offensive line additions perform on grass as they do on paper, it eliminates the need for great improvement in a couple of other areas. We don’t need an amazing quarterback. As I’ve said before, look at the list of Super Bowl winning quarterbacks, at least half, if not more, were merely good. Trevor Lawrence already fits that bill. The bonus for Jacksonville is that he is going to be a much better quarterback than last year, but Jacksonville won't need him to be great in order to be successful. Hell, Jacksonville won’t need Lawrence to be great to even make the playoffs. Efficiency is all the Jags will need from Lawrence, even though I have a sneaking suspicion he will be much better than just efficient.
Likewise, Jacksonville won’t need greatness from the wide receiver crew. Much like the QB position, the Jaguars will need efficiency. I believe that Jacksonville has achieved this with their offseason acquisitions and draft. Many have expressed concern about a lack of a number one receiver and they are correct. JAX doesn’t have a true number one, per se, but I’d take a handful of Wes Welkers, Hunter Renfroes and Cole Beasleys. Hell, even Cooper Cupp was not considered great until last season. The Jaguars again, on paper, have satisfied this requirement. The same holds true for the running back situation. Jacksonville has at least three really good running backs. Etienne, Robinson, and maybe Snoop Connor. They are definitely better than you or I hitting the hole but like I stated earlier, if there exists a hole to hit then even an average running back can get four yards.
So where does this leave us? Where do we need to see the most improvement in order for the Jaguars to see success? Well, it is the NFL after all. In the NFL you will find the best of the best. It’s like Miramar but without the callsigns. Because of this, you have to assume going in that the hard deck for each hop consists of a great front seven and great offensive line on every team. Assuming this, the Jaguars can’t follow Commander Heatherly below ten thousand feet when he calls ”no joy.” So, what is our team to do in order to pull away from the pack? I’d argue that the greatest improvement will need to be seen in the defensive back category. I’ll paraphrase Brent Martineau, Action Sports JAX Sports Director, because he nailed it on Jaguars.com. He wrote that Andre Cisco has the talent and ability, but hasn’t had a chance to show us anything, and Rashawn Jenkins hasn’t been 100% healthy. Who knows, Jacksonville may very well have great safeties and DBs already, it’s just that they haven’t had the chance to showcase that talent yet. What will help them tremendously is that newly put together, tougher than nails, amazingly talented, dominating defensive front seven (at least on paper).
Bottom line is that the biggest improvement has to be by the defensive front seven and then the offensive line. Jacksonville knew this and really addressed both issues very well. It is our opinion that those are the two most important groups in football, period. It is the unsung big men that allow for all of the other positions to do their jobs more easily and look good doing it. When you see a DB with a lot of interceptions it’s because they have great edge rushers. When you see a running back with 1000+ yards rushing, it’s because of their great O-line. When you see a quarterback with 40+ TDs it’s because they have the time to, say it with me, make a sandwich in the pocket. At the risk of repeating myself over and over redundantly again I will lay out the order of improvement importance for the 2022 Jacksonville Jaguars:
Defensive front seven - CHECK
Offensive line - CHECK
Defensive backs - need to show improvement
Quarterback - If 1 and 2 hold true then he need only be efficient - lowercase check
Wide Receivers/Tight ends - lower case check
Running Backs - lower case check
Kicker - I mean, really, you have one job.
Coaching staff - already Super Bowl caliber - CHECK
I suppose I could have started this column with the above list and called it a day, but much like others in the business, I too have a word count to reach. If you have anything to add, that comment section below is your chance to achieve your own personal word count. Take advantage while you can.