You non-Jax people probably don't recognize that "It was always the Jags" became a rallying cry down the stretch....
This year's thread will be so unlike our normal thread, where we do an autopsy on the dead body. This year, we have hope for the future, borne of a successful year.
The leading story for 2023 is how do we continue to improve in a year when we are up against the cap? We currently are (according to Spotrac) 30th in Cap space and are are 28 million over the cap for 2023. We have one various obvious cap casualty coming in Shaquille Griffin. Cutting him will save 13 million in Cap space leading us 15 million over. (I'm not sure what changed.... a few days ago cutting him left us even on the cap).
How did the cap of a bottom-dwelling team to start the year get so bad? We spent a lot of money to attract free agents. (many said over-spent), and almost to a man, those contract had a big cap hit in 2023, and are super-easy to clear in 2024. For example in 2024 cutting just 4 guys could lower the cap hit by 58 million. Two of those guys are very possible to be cut. So the issue for the off-season is how do we re-sign the free agents we want to res-sign? I think very few free agents will be coming in this year. The Jags will have to improve from within and from the draft. And for a change we don't draft till #25 (#24 in your hearts).
The biggest question mark revolves around our offensive tackles. Last year at this time we had Cam Robinson as a FA eligible left tackle who was good not great. We had a disappointing RT in Jawann Taylor, and had spent a #2 pick (45 overall) on a LT from Stanford who played very little and had not wowed people when he did. Jags decided to sign Robinson to a 3 year deal. Cap wise he is expensive in 2023 and 2024, but easy to cut in 2024. But Robinson was very solid in 2022. Until he tore his meniscus and missed the last 6 games including the playoff.
Walker Little were supposed to fight it out for RT, and Taylor won the job and by most all accounts (notably Tony Boselli) Taylor had his best season and was our best OT. Taylor is now a FA. And when Robinson went down the the knee injury the Jags were forced to play Walker Little at LT and again by most accounts was every bit as good as Robinson. In his post season radio broadcast Boselli was forced to agree with Pete Prisco that Walker Little played better than Robinson. If this was 2024 the answer would be clear. Resign Taylor at RT and put Little in a LT. Boselli thought resigning Taylor should be Jags #1 priority. If you do that, at least for 2023 you have 3 tackles for 2 spots. All are fairly young. 27 and under.
The Jags signed 2 free agents in 2022 to one year prove-it deals. Evan Engram and Arden Key. Normally these are done to to get the hell out of Jax as quickly as possible. But not only did both guys flourish, both fell in love with the team and the city and want to stay. Halfway thru the season, Key bought a house.
Here's a list of Jags Free agents
OT Jawaan Taylor, TE Evan Engram, WR Marvin Jones, DE Arden Key, DT Corey Peters, DT Adam Gotsis, DE Dawuane Smoot, TE Chris Manhertz, CB Tre Herndon, S Andrew Wingard, TE Dan Arnold, QB CJ Beathard.
HC Doug Pederson stated that they can't resign everyone. GM Trent Baalke said Jags want to retain core UFA players like Engram and Taylor. Baalke and Pederson are supposed to meet Wed 1/25 for their first FA discussions. Two guys jump out as me as guys who may not come back. We have signed WR Calvin Ridley for next year. Marvin Jones was our #3 WR. I think Ridley replaces him and he moves on. Jags also signed a Canadian Football League QB, 23 year old Nathan Rourke, who worked out with 12 teams, and chose between offers form Jax, Cle and LV and he chose Jax. You never know with the CFL guys but he might be #2 next year replacing Beathard.