Daily Brew | Know Your Foe - Jacksonville Jaguars

May 01, 2020 at 03:42 PM

John Harris

Texans Analyst

Two seasons removed from nearly upsetting New England in the AFC Championship game at Gillette Stadium, the Jaguars are seemingly back at square one. Case and point…

2017 Starting Defense

Table inside Article
Position	Name
DE	Yannick Ngakoue
DT	Calais Campbell
DT	Abry Jones
DE	Dante Fowler, Jr.
OLB	Telvin Smith
LB	Myles Jack
CB	A.J. Bouye
Nickel	Aaron Colvin
S	Barry Church
S	Tashaun Gipson
CB	Jalen Ramsey

2020 Starting Defense (projected)

Table inside Article
Position	Name
DE	Josh Allen
DT	Taven Bryan
DT	Abry Jones
DE/OLB	K'Lavon Chiasson
LB	Myles Jack
LB	Joe Schobert
CB	C.J. Henderson
S	Jarrod Wilson
S	Ronnie Harrison
CB	Rashaan Melvin
Nickel	D.J. Hayden

The 2020 defense is projected to have ten different starters, depending on what happens with the soap opera that is mercurial DE Yannick Ngakoue.

Regardless, the Jaguars are back at square one after that run in the playoffs three seasons ago. In 2018, the Jaguars started the season 3-1, but have been 8-20 since. The heart and soul of that 2017 team? All gone - or soon to be. Ngakoue was franchised but the Jaguars have entertained offers to trade the sackmaster who has said he's not coming back. All indications are that RB Leonard Fournette appears to be on the trading block as well. Everyone else? Jalen Ramsey, Calais Campbell, the 2017 secondary...gone, gone and long gone.

So, the Jaguars are truly cleansing the building of some character and some, uh, characters, all in the name of building it the right way in Duval County. So, let's get to KNOW YOUR FOE: The Rebuilt Jacksonville Jaguars.

Additions

Table inside Article
Position	Name	Former Team
DE	Rodney Gunter	Arizona Cardinals
TE	Tyler Eifert	Cincinnati Bengals
Edge	Cassius Marsh	Arizona Cardinals
CB	Rasaan Melvin	Detroit Lions
DL	Al Woods	Seattle Seahawks
LB	Joe Schobert	Cleveland Browns

Re-signed

Table inside Article
Position	Name
OL	Tyler Shatley
DE	Larentee McCray
DT	Carl Davis

Losses

Table inside Article
Position	Name	Reason
CB	A.J. Bouye	Traded to Broncos
TE	Geoff Swaim	Released
QB	Nick Foles	Traded to Bears
WR	Marquise Lee	Released

Draft

Table inside Article
Round	Position	Name	School
1st Round	CB	C.J. Henderson	Florida
1st Round	Edge	K’Lavon Chiasson	LSU
2nd Round	WR	Laviska Shenault Jr.	Colorado
3rd Round	DL	DaVon Hamilton	Ohio State
4th Round	OT/G	Ben Bartch	St. John's (MN)
4th Round	CB	Josiah Scott	Michigan State
4th Round	LB	Shaquille Quarterman	Miami (FL)
5th Round	S	Daniel Thomas	Auburn
5th Round	WR	Collin Johnson	Texas
6th Round	QB	Jake Luton	Oregon State
6th Round	TE	Tyler Davis	George Tech (U Conn)
7th Round	DB	Chris Claybooks	Memphis

2020 Starting Offense

Table inside Article
Position	Name
QB	Gardner Minshew
RB	Ryquell Armstead (?? Leonard Fournette)
WR	D.J. Chark
WR	Dede Westbrook
WR	Laviska Shenault Jr.
TE	Tyler Eifert
LT	Cam Robinson
LG	Andrew Norwell
C	Brandon Linder
RB	A.J. Cann
RT	Jawaan Taylor

Even with Andy Dalton (former Bengals quarterback) out on the street after being released, head coach Doug Marrone made it relatively clear that the Jags are riding Minshew Mania in 2020.

In fact, it appears that they're going to run it back offensively, for the most part (minus Leonard Fournette??). Free agent signee tight end Tyler Eifert had 91 receptions - in the last four years combined, so it remains to be seen whether he can truly impact this offense in 2020.

The only other impactful addition was receiver/weapon X Laviska Shenault Jr. in the 2nd round of the draft. He's not a polished receiver at this point, but he can certainly impact a game with the ball in his hands.

2020 Starting Defense (projected)

Table inside Article
Position	Name
DE	Josh Allen
DT	Taven Bryan
DT	Abry Jones
DE/OLB	K'Lavon Chiasson
LB	Myles Jack
LB	Joe Schobert
CB	C.J. Henderson
S	Jarrod Wilson
S	Ronnie Harrison
CB	Rashaan Melvin
Nickel	D.J. Hayden

It's a rebuild unit, based around the edge rushing talents of Josh Allen, who was magnificent as a rookie, and rookie K'Lavon Chiasson. Schobert will be a steadying force for the enigmatic unit. It's still light up front, until rookie DaVon Hamilton comes into the game. Henderson will be thrown to the wolves immediately and he's not Jalen Ramsey. The question isn't whether the Jaguars will be better because they will be but whether they can sustain any level of success longer term.