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The Jacksonville Jaguars just completed one of their most intriguing NFL seasons in recent history, with a bevy of controversy stemming from their former head coach Urban Meyer. Meyer had several allegations and the stories cloud his short tenure with the organization, so this version of fixing franchises will look slightly different. 

The main goal of our rebuild, as highlighted in our Lions edition, is to use this upcoming offseason and turn the Jaguars into playoff contenders. And as a reminder, here are my rules:

• Trades will be extremely limited. I do not know the value teams place on certain assets, so I will limit myself to 2 hypothetical trades. 
• Free Agents: I will propose some free agent signings, this all hinges on players willing to come to the franchise as real life issues may prevent some of the signings.

Step one: Cleaning up the front office

The first step may seem logical, but this is the step that so many teams miss. If you haven’t figured it out already, we’re talking about finding a new head coach. If someone with a rebuilding mindset were to take over the Jags, there is only one person they should hire after the departure of Urban Meyer, and that is Chiefs offensive coordinator: Eric Bieniemy. The 52-year old OC for the chiefs has had success in the NFL, and is well respected amongst players. He has been rumored to make the leap to a head coaching position for the past 2-3 seasons, and now could be the time. The Jags have potential in so many positions besides number 1 overall pick Trevor Lawrence. A duo of young RBs coming off injury, a hodge-podge group of wide receivers that are talented yet inconsistent, and a load of young players have not yet proven themselves on this roster. There is a lot of upside to this team, so Bieniemy could unleash Lawrence’s potential as well as unlock the hidden abilities of some young talent. 

Step two: The NFL draft

As for the NFL draft, the Jags hold the number 1 spot. The only logical choice at this pick is Kayvon Thibodeaux. Thibodeaux is an athletic edge rusher with the raw talent to wreck offensive lines from day 1. However, he admittedly is more raw than rumored top pick Aidan Hutchinson. The potential is what should draw the Jaguars to draft Thibodeaux, as the youth movement in Jacksonville truly starts to take shape with franchise cornerstones on both sides of the ball. They already have a proven talent at defensive end in Josh Allen, so adding Thibodeaux would cause offensive lines across the league to panic, which is a good thing for Jacksonville.

At pick 33, the pick has to be a playmaking WR. If Jameson Williams is available, after tearing his ACL in the national championship, he’s the pick here. A top 15 talent before the injury, Jacksonville should take the risk on Williams if he falls to day 2. If he is not available, they should look for John Metchie out of Alabama instead. Metchie is a speedy WR that found success in a loaded WR room over the past three seasons with the Crimson Tide, so adding a WR to a returning DJ Chark puts the team in a position to succeed. 

Step three: Free agency and trades

This is where the risky moves begin. Jacksonville may need to pull the trigger on an offensive lineman, however the pressing need is going to be on the defensive side of the ball. Taking a swing at a veteran CB in free agency or via a trade might not be a bad idea. There are nmany free agent options for corner backs but, the person they should be looking at is Desmond King. King was a top tier CB for the Chargers in 2019, and is currently on the Texans. He played well in Houston on an expiring deal, garnering 3 interceptions. Given the fact that he is only 27 years old, it only makes sense for the Jaguars to go after him. Besides, who wouldn’t want an elite corner opposite from Shaquill Griffin?

The final piece the Jaguars should acquire is Chargers linebacker: Kyzir White. White is 26 and coming off a season with nearly 150 tackles, 2 forced fumbles, and 2 interceptions. Adding White will help set the defense up with an athletic linebacker to counter the vicious rushing attacks in the division, featuring Derrick Henry and Jonathon Taylor. Jacksonville has needed a dynamic linebacker on defesne because their current core is just not getting the job done.

Recap

Lets go over what we have done to revamp the Jaguars. We replaced Meyer with a competent head coach, revamped their defense, and added an offensive weapon puts the Jags in a good spot to push for a wild card team in the 2022-23 season. If Bieniemy is able to unlock Trevor Lawrence and the rest of the young core, the Jags could find themselves in a position to return to the success of the 2017 team. Although success in Jacksonville has not been found over the last couple of years, it’s clear that the Jaguars have the potential to return to their 2017 form and could very well be seen as a contender within the next 5 years. Whether that actually happens or not, only time will tell.

Author: 50shadesofjj#6991 (discord)

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