Jacksonville Jaguars: Offseason Panic Mode 2021 Edition

It seems like the Jacksonville Jaguars are in a constant state of rebuild. How can a team that never seems to elevate from expansion team status still be in panic mode?

Can Urban Meyer Make the Transition?

There have been plenty of college coaches to make the switch to the NFL. Most of them bring a lot of new ideas but fizzle out when it comes to overall turnaround. The Jaguars should be singing this familiar tune after their last coach, Doug Marrone, failed to turn them around. To be fair, he was an NFL coach, then was a head coach at the college level, then transitioned to NFL head coach.

Meyer has a much better track record at building up a program though. The real issue is who he decides to hitch his wagon to in his first draft. Will his college philosophies bring wins to Jacksonville?

Draft the Right QB?

Urban Meyer has already had plenty of success with Justin Fields. He’s also stated he’d loved to work with Trevor Lawrence. Lawrence is the better prospect of the two but bringing in the right QB now is no different than when they were an expansion team. They need the right setup to build around. Lawrence is the hot prospect but Fields knows his style? Six in one hand, half a dozen in the other. No matter how you look at it, this decision determines his future.

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Rebuild That Defense

Jacksonville had a defense that almost took them to the Super Bowl. Blake Bortles played well enough to keep the Jaguars in the hunt and their defense made up for any mistakes. If they can build a top-quality defense, it gives whoever they choose at quarterback a better chance to succeed. Without having to hang their head for mistakes, the quarterback can go out and attack the field without fear of failure.

Culture Change

The Jacksonville Jaguars have spent years being one of the worst teams in the NFL. Now they’ve got the coach to pull them out, the draft stock to make adjustments, and the cap space to spend. The only thing left to do is change the culture surrounding the team. They need guys who want more than the Florida lifestyle. They have to get the talent that wants to be the face of an entire franchise and who convinces his teammates to put the team first. They’re at a breaking point and this needs to be the year they break the cycle.

There’s no denying that the Jacksonville Jaguars have shown potential despite their shortcomings. They’ve got talent, they just need the coach who will motivate them.