Category: Dave Caldwell

Jags GM Dave Caldwell praises how Gardner Minshew has approached offseason

Gardner Minshew put in the work this offseason and Jags GM Dave Caldwell has definitely noticed it in training camp.

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Gardner Minshew II has been the primary focus of fans who’ve been tuning in to the latest in training camp news and the reviews so far on him have been solid. Last week, Doug Marrone praised his worth ethic and described the young quarterback as a “man on a mission” and it appears he’s not alone with those sentiments.

Jags general manager Dave Caldwell got to share his thoughts on Minshew Tuesday, and like Marrone, he’s been impressed with how the second-year signal-caller has approached the offseason.

“He has had a great offseason, and he’s come in in shape,” said Caldwell Tuesday. “He’s really attacked the new offense under Jay [Gruden]. He’s done a hell of a job and just wait to see how this all unfolds. I know he has a good mindset, and his character and his work ethic have been really evident on how he has come in this offseason.”

The hard work that Minshew put into the offseason before camp was well documented and now it seems to be translating to his present day time on the field with his teammates. It all started with a video of him working out and throwing around the pigskin in Naples, Fla. with NFL trainer Anthony Tumbarello of Total Athletic Performance back in May. He clearly had been working on a new physique, which he was able to maintain and bring into training camp.

In July, more footage of Minshew working out popped up on the web of him working on his explosiveness and agility, so it appears his approach was to work on his all-around game before camp.

It shouldn’t shock fans the amount of work Minshew has put into his craft as there were signs of his strong work ethic dating back to when he was drafted. Often times coaches would praise his willingness to learn and pick up the offense. That proved to be huge when Minshew was thrust into the starting role and had to end up propelling the Jags to all six of their 2019 wins.

Heading forward it will be interesting to hear what other news comes out of camp about Minshew as 2020 presents a huge opportunity for him. Regardless of what happens in the regular season, one thing fans won’t be able to say is that he came into the starting role underprepared.

Listen to the latest from Jags Wire’s own James Johnson and Phil Smith on their podcast “Bleav in the Jags.” Subscribe via Apple Podcasts and check out our archived episodes via Bleav Podcasts.

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Here is an updated look at Jags’ cap situation since opt outs

The Jags have found themselves ranked in the middle of the league in terms of salary cap after the opt out deadline.

The opt out deadline has come and gone with three players making the decision to sit 2020 out for the Jacksonville Jaguars. As previously reported, those players were defensive tackle Al Woods, linebacker Lerentee McCray, and cornerback Rashaan Melvin.

For these three players, their salaries will toll and then resume in 2021. As a result, their unearned salaries, bonuses, and signing bonus portions will be removed from the Jags’ 2020 cap immediately. In other words, the team gained a little money.

So where does this put the Jags now in terms of salary cap?

Well, according to ESPN’s Field Yates, right in the middle. As of Friday, the Jags were ranked 16th when comparing their cap situation to the rest of the league’s with just over $16.9 million.

Of course, the catch with the aforementioned contract situations is that when/ if each individual player returns, the Jags will have to pay them what they would’ve earned this year in 2021. Then again, in the case of Woods, the Jags may be able to recoup his salary if the 33-year-old decides to retire.

When looking in advanced to 2021, the Jags are in good shape cap wise. With their current rollover figure, they are set to have approximately $86,596,124, according to Over the Cap. That’s good for second in the league with only the Indianapolis Colts ahead of them with $113,210,580.

 

Despite incoming salary cap decrease, Jags projected to be in good shape in 2021

The league’s salary cap will be decreasing in 2021, but the Jags are still projected to be in good shape.

On Friday evening, the NFLPA and NFL agreed to make adjustments to the new Collective Bargaining Agreement because of the coronavirus pandemic. With all of the key issues out of the way, training camp will start on time, and for the Jacksonville Jaguars, that date will be on Tuesday, July 28.

One of the key issues that were resolved Friday was the projected salary cap figures for this year and others in the future. For the upcoming season, the salary cap will remain at $198.2 million and will decrease to a minimum of $175 million in 2021, with the possibility to be a little higher depending on revenue. That marks a decrease of roughly $25 million, which has concerned fans about their team’s respective cap situations in 2021. Fortunately, for the Jags, they will be in good shape still.

In a preview estimating what each team’s salary cap situation could look like in 2021 by Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap, the Jags came in with the fourth amount of cap space. If they were able to carryover what’s available now (approximately $14,794,764), they are currently projected to end up with roughly $63,695,889. While that’s not the estimated $96.9 million that was projected back in May before the CBA adjustment, that’s still plenty of wiggle room for a team.

The only other teams projected to have more cap space were the Indianapolis Colts (over $91 million), Los Angeles Chargers ($72.7 million), and Washington Football Team ($66.6 million), respectively.

For the Jags, all of their big signings are likely out of the way this year so their current cap number might not move much. However, they do have a few candidates for new extensions in Cam Robinson, D.J. Chark (who will be on Year 4 of his deal), and whoever the Jags decide to keep between pending free-agents receivers Dede Westbrook, Chris Conley, and Keelan Cole. With the projected amount the Jags have for 2021, they should be able to keep three of those names if they earn extensions. They also might have room for at least one or two big-time free-agent, but again, that’s if they would like and they don’t make a big signing this season.

Regardless, the salary cap is something Jags fans shouldn’t worry about next season. That’s especially the case when considering the Jags have a great deal of draft compensation in 2020, too, which could allow them to focus on acquiring good talent through the draft over free-agency.

Listen to the latest from Jags Wire’s own James Johnson and Phil Smith on their podcast “Bleav in the Jags.” Subscribe via Apple Podcasts and check out our archived episodes via Bleav Podcasts.

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Report: Yannick Ngakoue unlikely to sign tag soon, still desires a trade

Yannick Ngakoue’s stance hasn’t changed in terms of wanting a trade and that puts the Jags in an interesting spot as the tag deadline looms.

The Jacksonville Jaguars will be returning to their facility on July 28 for training camp, but in all likelihood, at least one star will be missing. That player’s name is Yannick Ngakoue.

Per ESPN insider Jeremy Fowler, there hasn’t been a change in the young pass-rusher’s stance of wanting to be traded. Additionally, he has no desire to sign the non-exclusive tag anytime soon, so it looks as though both parties might be preparing for a stand-off.

On March 31, Ngakoue announced that he felt his time was up via social media due to how contract talks had been going with the Jags. Not too soon after that, they tagged him.

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Before the draft, Ngakoue, who was seemingly growing impatient, called out Shad Khan’s son and front office member, Tony Khan, over social media by demanding a trade. After exchanging several tweets, Khan ended the exchange by saying that no trade would happen until the compensation was right by the front office’s standards.

During the draft, general manager Dave Caldwell told the media that the Jags weren’t able to get an offer during the draft. Caldwell also added that he believed Ngakoue’s options were “very limited” from that point on.

“I try not to comment too much on the situation; I try to be very pragmatic about it,” Caldwell said after the first round. “Truth be told, we exercised the franchise tender. We weren’t able to get a trade. We actually weren’t even really able to get an offer.”

The one-year tag has a guaranteed value of $17,788,000 waiting for Ngakoue if signed. The deadline for a long-term deal for the Jags, or anyone that wants to make a trade for him, will occur on July 15. That basically puts the Jags in a tricky situation where they probably need to move fast if they want decent value for him — that is if he’s not going to play for them. Otherwise, the offers from that point might not be all that enticing because teams would be getting him as a one-year rental after the deadline.

Ultimately, time will tell if there is a team that is really desperate for Ngakoue’s services to the point where they meet the Jags’ demands. If not, things could be heading down an ugly path come training camp and beyond.

Jaguars draft class ranked sixth in NFL, third in AFC

Once again, the Jags have earned high marks on their draft class of 2020 headlined by SEC standouts C.J. Henderson and K’Lavon Chaisson.

The Jacksonville Jaguars are going to need significant contributions from their 2020 NFL Draft class if they are to improve their record. After utilizing all 12 of their draft picks, they certainly got the heavy-hitters to get it done.

Many gave the Jags good grades for their class back in April and fans now can add Rotoworld to the list. In a recent look at each team’s 2020 hauls, analyst Thor Nystrom slotted them with the sixth-best class in the league and the third-best in the AFC.

Just a well-rounded process for the Jaguars overall. Jacksonville finished No. 6 in both Draft Score and in the UDFA class rankings and naturally checked in No. 6 in the NFL (and No. 3 in the AFC) in the overall Draft Haul rankings. I was higher on Jacksonville’s draft than the media at large, which ranked the Jags No. 11 in GPA. CB C.J. Henderson and EDGE K’Lavon Chaisson were no-doubt picks at positions of need. WR Laviska Shenault was grand theft in the second-round, while OT Ben Bartch and CB Josiah Scott were both big-time fourth-round values.

The Jags have already come out to say they expect both C.J. Henderson and K’Lavon Chaisson to make an immediate impact Week 1.

Henderson will undoubtedly start after the Jags lost Jalen Ramsey in the 2019 season and A.J. Bouye this March. Chaisson, on the other hand, should see significant snaps, too, though Yannick Ngakoue’s status could impact his play-time.

Nystrom calling Laviska Shenault Jr. a steal isn’t shocking either. The Jags somewhat referred to him in the same light, stating that he basically would’ve gone much higher in 2019’s draft. He unfortunately had some injuries that hindered his 2020 stock, but the front office was still happy to land him nonetheless.

As for Ben Bartch and Josiah Scott, both could end up being the Jags’ starting right guard and nickelback in 2021 with A.J. Cann not meeting expectations and D.J. Hayden on the last year of his contract. Another player who was drafted in the fourth round that Nystrom didn’t mention was linebacker Shaq Quarterman, who has great developmental tools, too.

When looking at the contributions the Jags got from their 2019 class between Gardner Minshew, Josh Allen, and Jawaan Taylor, Nystrom isn’t wrong to be high on their newest class. Ultimately, if 2020’s class can live up to the high praise they’ve received, Dave Caldwell and Doug Marrone should be able to keep their jobs heading into next year.

Podcast: Jags march for Black Lives matter, Dave Caldwell’s top-5 worst picks

In episode 19 of the “Bleav in the Jags” podcast, Phil and James compiled a list of Caldwell’s worst draft picks and the latest in team news.

After a week off, Jags Wire contributor Phil Smith and I got back in the booth to record another episode of the “Bleav in the Jags” podcast. To follow up our last episode where we looked at Dave Caldwell’s best draft picks, we wrapped up our two-part series by previewing his five worst in episode 19.

However, before getting into our main topic, Phil and I discussed the monumental march that took place off the field as the Jags protested for the Black Lives Matters movement Friday. We also discussed Shad Khan’s essay against racism and what we’d like to see from him going forward to help against the battle inequality.

All of that and more was tackled in our latest podcast!

Feel free to listen to the archived episodes of “Bleav in the Jags,” too, and subscribe via Apple Podcasts, Google Play, or Spotify.

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Jags’ 2021 salary cap situation projected to be among best in NFL

The Jags purged themselves of some massive contracts and will be in excellent shape in 2021 as far as the salary cap goes.

The Jacksonville Jaguars worked hard to get their salary cap situation right this offseason, and while it cost them a lot of veteran talent, their salary cap will be quite healthy in 2021. In fact, Per Over the Cap, with a projected total of over $96.9 million set to be available for the Jags, only one team will have more available in the Indianapolis Colts with a projected amount of $116.1 million.

The Jags 2021 cap situation isn’t that shocking because of all of the veterans they parted ways with this offseason in quarterback Nick Foles, cornerback A.J. Bouye, and defensive lineman Calais Campbell via trade. They also parted ways with receiver Marqise Lee, who was set to be signed until 2021.

After all of those moves the Jags limited the amount of big contracts they handed out as Joe Schobert was the only player to make what would be called a “huge pay day.” His deal was a five-year, $53.75 million deal that includes $21.50 million.

With an abundance of cap space and nine draft selections, the Jags can take a significant step in 2021 with the right additions. They can also take care of some players with expiring contracts like running back Leonard Fournette (if their mind isn’t already made up), tackle Cam Robinson, receiver Dede Westbrook, and defensive end Dawuane Smoot to name a few. They could also push for a new extension with receiver D.J. Chark is he continues to grow in 2020.

The bigger question, however, is predicting who will get to spend 2021’s cash. Will it be general manager Dave Caldwell and coach Doug Marrone, or will it be another regime?

Right now, it’s honestly hard to see Shad Khan keeping Caldwell and Marrone if they have the same record as last year. However, if they get seven wins or more, Caldwell can add to what’s already in place and make the team a postseason caliber roster during the 2021 offseason.

2020 NFL Draft: Day 2 Jaguars mock draft

With 2020 NFL Draft set to resume in a few hours, here’s a look at who the Jaguars could – and perhaps should, get with their Day 2 picks.

The Jacksonville Jaguars had an excellent start to the 2020 NFL Draft, taking C.J Henderson and K’Lavon Chaisson with their first two picks to bolster the defense. Despite adding two top-15 talents last night, there is still plenty of improvement to be made on the Jaguars’ roster.

General manager Dave Caldwell has 10 remaining 2020 picks at his disposal this weekend, but only two of them are scheduled for tonight. The Jaguars pick at No. 42 and No. 73, but with the sheer quantity of Day 3 picks in their possession, that could well be subject to change.

If the Jaguars do just stick with the picks currently scheduled then there’s no reason that they shouldn’t expect to find starters with both picks. Here are two players who could make an immediate impact next season:

42. Kyle Dugger, Safety, Lenior Rhyne

Many will not be expecting the Jaguars first three picks to all be on the defensive side of the ball, but the fact no safeties have been taken means there could be some elite talent available at the position when the Jags are on the clock in Round 2.

During his time at Lenior Rhyne, Kyle Dugger looked head and shoulders above his opposition. It will be interesting to see whether he will be able to maintain this level of dominance against NFL talent, but his rare combination of size, speed, and explosiveness could make him an important chess piece in Jacksonville’s defense.

73. Devin Duvernay, WR, Texas

With any one of the Jaguars’ three previous picks they couldn’t be blamed for wanting to invest in a receiver. Thankfully, there is enough depth at the position for the Jaguars to snag a role-player at No. 73.

Devin Duvernay isn’t the biggest receiver at 5-foot-10, 200-pounds, but he has some of the best hands in this class. With D.J. Chark Jr. establishing himself as a legitimate number one receiver last season, Duvernay will be able to find mismatches on the inside and make consistent plays on the there. His innate ability to extend plays after the catch will take some of the pressure off Gardner Minshew and could establish the former Texas Longhorn as a consistent outlet early.

Jags GM says he wants Yannick Ngakoue back with team, would welcome him with open arms

It remains clear the Jags want to keep Yannick Ngakoue and the team’s GM made that clear after Round 1 of the draft.

Despite the rumors that surfaced recently, Jacksonville Jaguars general manager Dave Caldwell said that the organization wasn’t able to get any offers for disgruntled defensive end Yannick Ngakoue (and perhaps didn’t try). As a result, Caldwell, who remains careful about speaking on the situation, said he thinks Ngakoue’s options are limited heading forward but stressed that he’d love to have him back.

“I try to be very pragmatic about it,” Caldwell said Thursday evening. “Truth be told, we exercised the franchise tender. We weren’t able to get a trade. Actually, weren’t even really able to get an offer. So, I think his options are very limited at this point in time.”

“We’ll welcome him back with open arms when he’s ready to come back and we look forward to it. Yann, for the people on this call and who have been around him realize he is a tremendous player, tremendous person, has always been first-class in everything he’s done here in the locker room and through his time here, the first four years of his contract.”

As most are aware, the Jags’ non-exclusive franchise tag was assigned to Ngakoue on March 13, which is the day he also came out to say he didn’t want to spend his future with the team. Earlier this week, he also got into an exchange on social media with Jags front office executive and son of Shad Khan, Tony Khan, demanding that the team trade him. Yet, it appears the Jags are still fine with him remaining with the organization, but only time will tell if Ngakoue comes around.

Under the tag, a team would have to surrender two first-round picks to sign Ngakoue. However, if he does sign the franchise tag, it will guarantee him just under $18 million.

The Jags don’t appear certain he’ll be returning to the field with them after selecting Louisiana State pass-rusher K’Lavon Chaisson with the No. 20 overall pick. He’ll join the Jags’ first-round pick from 2019, Josh Allen, to provide some pass-rush for the Jags’ defense which lost a lot of veterans this offseason. That said, if Ngakoue miraculously decided to return, the Jags’ pass-rushing corps would be very interesting.

Top-50 players remaining in the 2020 NFL Draft

With the 2020 NFL Draft set to resume later on this evening, here is an adapted list of the top-50 remaining prospects on the board.

With Night 1 in the books and the first 32 off the board, everyone’s attention is now focused on rounds two and three of the 2020 NFL Draft. Scouts and analysts will often say that rosters are built on Day 2, which is the day where teams look to find under the radar starters who can take their franchise to the next level.

For the Jags they began the 2020 draft process by adding some help against the pass, adding sticky man-corner C.J. Henderson and national champion edge rusher K’Lavon Chaisson. Now, they could look to finish up bolstering the defense or perhaps land Gardner Minshew II some help on offense.

As always in the first round, teams have reached on players that they perhaps shouldn’t, meaning that plenty of players ranked in the top-32 are still left on the board. Teams at the top of round two will be jumping at the bit to secure what remains of the elite talent in this class.

Earlier in the week Jaguars Wire published a top-100 big board for the 2020 class, but with Round 2 set to kick off Friday evening, we’ve condensed the list to the top-50 remaining talents teams have left to choose from:

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