Category: Dave Caldwell

Poll: How do you feel about the Jags’ selection of Florida CB C.J. Henderson?

So how do you all feel about the Jags’ selections of Florida CB C.J. Henderson?

With the No. 9 pick of the 2020 NFL Draft, the Jacksonville Jaguars selected cornerback C.J. Henderson out of Florida.

The 6-foot-1, 204-pound cornerback ran a 4.39 at the Scouting Combine back in February. The Jaguars were in desperate need of corner help after trading Pro-Bowl pair Jalen Ramsey and A.J. Bouye earlier this year.

Henderson established himself this year as an elite man-coverage corner and will be looking to come in and contribute as a true number one in coverage from day one.

With three of the top tier elite offensive linemen and no wide receivers taken at the time, how do you feel about the Jaguars’ selection of the former Gator?

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Worst case scenario for Jags’ No. 9, No. 20 picks: Reaching at QB, OT

Whilst most are full of optimism ahead of the 2020 NFL Draft, this is a quick outline of some situations Jaguars fans should be wary of.

We are just a few hours away from the start of the 2020 NFL Draft and finding out who the newest members of the Jacksonville Jaguars are. The Jaguars own two first-round picks tonight, both in the top-20, which leaves them in position to draft multiple starting, potentially Pro-Bowl level prospects.

Now, will they draft two Pro-Bowl talents tonight? We can hope so.
Does Dave Caldwell have the propensity to miss on first-round picks? History says, yes.

So, what would have to happen for it to all go wrong? Well, the front office would have to fail to recognize quite how bad the current roster is. After shipping away so many starting players this offseason, and with Yannick Ngakoue and Leonard Fournette rumored to be on the move, the team looks a shadow of its 2019 self, let alone that of the playoff team two years ago.

Despite landing free-agent linebacker Joe Schobert last month, the Jaguars have question marks at just about every position on the roster. With such a lack of talent on the team, the Jaguars can almost throw away any draft plan and just take the best players available. Within reason.

The Jaguars do have needs everywhere, but some of them are more pressing than others. It was made apparent last year that despite the heavy resources that have been put into it, the offensive line isn’t good enough. Therefore, the Jaguars should be looking to secure one of the three top offensive tackles with the No. 9 overall pick.

Now, if a prospect like Isaiah Simmons or Jeff Okudah somehow falls to No. 9, all is forgiven. What couldn’t be forgiven, is if the Jaguars reach on an average quarterback to challenge Gardner Minshew II in the top-10.
There are two legitimate starting quarterback prospects in this year’s class, and both Joe Burrow and Tua Tagovailoa are likely to be long gone before Jacksonville takes the virtual podium. Now, if Tagovailoa somehow slides, then Caldwell would be wise to make him a Jaguar. However, using a top-10 selection on either Justin Herbert or Jordan Love would be a mistake for an offense that is devoid of any identity beyond a Fu Manchu under center.

This isn’t to say Minshew’s position as the franchise quarterback should be infallible, but rather that he should be given the year to decide whether he is the answer or not. If for no other reason than if he isn’t, the Jaguars will be in a prime position to take a legitimate franchise quarterback prospect this time next year.

No single draft class has a 100% hit rate with first-round quarterbacks. In 2017 there was Mitch Trubisky, in 2018 there was Josh Rosen, and last year there was Daniel Jones taken at least 20 spots too early. That isn’t to say neither Herbert or Love will work at the NFL level, but Jacksonville isn’t a place a rookie quarterback will find success in 2020.

To couple this cataclysmic mistake, what should have Jaguars fans be worried about at 20? The answer is simple, and it’s the second tier of offensive tackles. The Jaguars seem to be making a living off taking Day 2 offensive tackles and hoping they work. They did it last year with rookie Jawaan Taylor (who looked good despite the penalties), and they did the same thing back in 2017 with Cam Robinson, who most would say has been hot and cold.

As discussed earlier, the Jaguars’ initial plan for the ninth overall pick should really be one of the top-tier offensive linemen. Jedrick Wills, Tristan Wirfs, and Andrew Thomas all look to have the makings of a franchise tackle. Even Mekhi Becton has the traits and size that scouts will fall in love with and try and justify in the top-10.

After that it gets a bit scary, names like Josh Jones, Austin Jackson, and Ezra Cleveland are beginning to be mentioned for the Jaguars at No. 20. Simply put, instead of taking an offensive tackle outside the top-10, why not do it properly and just get one of the elite tackle prospects. That is if the Jags don’t select an elite defender who slid in the draft.

However, with question marks on the interior, the team would perhaps be better suited looking toward some of the Day 2 interior prospects rather than hoping they can hit reaching on a tackle early.

Talents like Cesar Ruiz, Robert Hunt, or John Simpson would be Day 1 starters at guard and provide further insurance if the team decides to move on from Andrew Norwell after 2020.

Report: Jaguars have called Lions about a Day 1 trade

The Jags and Lions have talked about a draft day trade, but who could Jacksonville want with the No. 3 overall pick?

The Jacksonville Jaguars have the second-most draft capital in the league for the 2020 NFL Draft and could use it to maneuver throughout the process. Most tend to think they are likely to move back in Round 1 as there could be a chance to add more draft capital for this year (or maybe next) to fix a roster full of holes.

However, as the timer inches closer to the annual event commencing, the Jags have seemingly explored moving up. Per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Jags called the Detroit Lions about the No. 3 overall pick, however, a particular prospect wasn’t mentioned in terms of who they would target.

This would mark a six-spot move from the Jags’ first pick of the draft (No. 9). When looking at the draft value chart, it would take 850 points to move up from the ninth overall pick to where the Lions are. Something to keep in mind is that the Jags have another first-round pick (No. 20), which they acquired from trading Jalen Ramsey to the Los Angeles Rams. If you guessed that the point value on that pick is 850, you would be correct, however, it’s not a given that pick No. 20 was a part of the discussion.

As for the player, the Jags could explore if they moved to No. 3, one would have to guess it might be Ohio State’s Jeff Okudah, who may be highly graded on their board. While they could want a quarterback, everything they’ve said to the media points to them sticking with Gardner Minshew II in 2020.

Something else to consider is the possibility of trading Yannick Ngakoue. The disgruntled defensive end came out to say he doesn’t want to spend his future with the team and won’t be signing a long-term deal with them. He also recently got into a heated exchange via Twitter with Jags front office executive and son of Shad Khan, Tony Khan, demanding that the team trade him.

If the disgruntled defensive end and pick No. 9 could get the Jags to pick No. 3 and the Jags land a star like Okudah, it definitely could be a win. However, if the price costs significantly more than pick No. 9 and Ngakoue, then the deal is one the Jags should probably avoid.

Best case scenario for Jaguars at No. 20: Javon Kinlaw surprisingly slides

With the NFL Draft set to kick off tonight, here’s the best case scenario for the Jaguars when they come back on the clock at 20 overall.

Earlier we took a look at the best-case scenario for the Jacksonville Jaguars at pick No. 9, however, the fun may not stop there for the team who will take the podium again 11 selections afterward (unless they make some moves).

For the Jaguars second pick at No. 20 overall, the best-case scenario would be if Javon Kinlaw is still on the board. The Jaguars have waved goodbye to a metric-ton of defensive line talent this off-season, with Calais Campbell and Marcell Dareus already gone and Yannick Ngkoue still looking to force a trade. The front office must use this draft to reinforce the front seven.

The first half of this draft is going to be dominated by offensive prospects, which is beneficial for those picking in the mid-to-late teens as elite defensive talent will still be available toward the back end of the class.

A receiver may not make an appearance in the top-10, and if that happens, four wideouts could be taken between 11-19. Jerry Jeudy, CeeDee Lamb, Henry Ruggs, and Justin Jefferson are all worth a top-20 pick and could hear their names called between the Cleveland Browns (No. 10) selection and the Jags’ second Day 1 selection. Not only could four receivers go before the Jaguars pick at 20, but there is the potential that other elite defensive prospects such as C.J Henderson, K’Lavon Chaisson, and Patrick Queen could push Kinlaw down the order further.

A fall to 20 would be devastating for a top-10 talent in Kinlaw, but for the Jaguars he would be a perfect replacement for the former “Mayor of Sacksonville” Calais Campbell. Kinlaw has shown an elite ability to establish pressure from the interior during his time with South Carolina and would fit in nicely next to a run-stuffer up front like Taven Bryan.

The Jaguars’ success in 2017 came from the team’s ability to put pressure on opposing quarterbacks and suffocating the offense. Adding a dominating presence on the inside will allow standout pass-rusher, Josh Allen, to take the next step in 2020.

Offensive tackle remains a need, but the drop-off in talent after the initial group is substantial enough that they shouldn’t be targeting Austin Jackson, Isaiah Wilson, or Ezra Cleveland in the first round. Therefore if someone of Kinlaw’s talent is on the clock at No. 20, Dave Caldwell will jump at the chance of drafting two top-ten ranked players.

Best case scenario for Jaguars at No. 9: Isaiah Simmons falls in their lap

With the 2020 NFL Draft later tonight, we look at the best case scenario for the Jacksonville Jaguars at ninth overall.

With two picks in the first round, and 12 in total, the Jacksonville Jaguars have the capital to leave as the ultimate winners of draft weekend. How does this come to pass? Simply put, a few players need to slide to the right spots.

The best case scenario for the Jaguars at No. 9 overall, would be if the teams ahead of them decide against selecting Isaiah Simmons.

All pre-draft buzz suggests that three quarterbacks will be taken before Jacksonville get to take the stage for pick No. 9, with Joe Burrow, Tua Tagovailoa and Justin Herbert set to be top-10 picks. Couple this with a potential run on offensive tackles, and there’s a legitimate possibility that bonafide top-5 defensive talents may slide to the back end of the top-10.

Whilst players such as Derrick Brown, Jeff Okudah, and Isaiah Simmons are consensus blue-chip prospects going into this draft, the need for offensive tackles between picks No. 4 through No. 11 could cause the elite defenders to slide.

For instance, Giants general manager Dave Gettleman has selected a running back and quarterback in the top ten of the NFL draft in the previous two years in Saquon Barkley and Daniel Jones. So the logical pick for the Giants is to draft a tackle at four to protect them both.

Alongside the Giants, the Los Angeles Chargers, Carolina Panthers, and Cardinals are all rumored to be looking at the offensive line. Meanwhile, teams such as the Jets and Tampa Bay Buccaneers could get jumpy and move up to try and provide some help for their franchise quarterbacks.

With so many different offensive prospects posturing to be selected in the top-10, Jacksonville could be left with a decision between some sensational defensive talent at No. 9. The Jaguars also have offensive line needs, but with Isaiah Simmons on the board it will be difficult to pass on a player who could provide an immediate upgrade at multiple positions on the defense. A self-diagnosed do-it-all star, Simmons has taken snaps at MIKE and off-ball linebacker, safety, nickel and used in blitz packages during his time at Clemson.

The Jaguars have invested in the linebacker spot heavily in the last 12 months, but the versatility of the Clemson Tiger would mean he would never has to leave the field. Ironically, it is the versatility that Simmons’ displays which could contribute to his draft-night slide. General managers league-wide will be wondering what to do with a player like Simmons, which could scare them away from taking him so early.

However, for a team so devoid of talent on both sides of the ball, adding a top-3 player in the draft at ninth overall would be awesome for the Jags. Caldwell couldn’t dream of a better scenario.

Ian Rapoport says a trade is ‘unlikely’ to happen for Yannick Ngakoue this weekend

With the 2020 NFL Draft in just a matter of hours, Ian Rapoport suggets that time could be running out on a potential Yannick Ngakoue trade.

More drama surrounding the Yannick Ngakoue situation has surfaced after NFL insider Ian Rapoport has come out and cast doubt over the Jacksonville Jaguars moving on from him. According to Rapoport, a trade for the 25-year-old pass-rusher is unlikely to happen this weekend as we head into the 2020 NFL Draft. 

 

Ngakoue has made it abundantly clear that he has no desire to stay in Jacksonville, coming to blows with co-owner Tony Khan on Twitter earlier this week. Khan was quick to respond, saying that the price hasn’t been right for the Jaguars to move on from their Pro-Bowl defensive end. That seems to be exactly what was enforced by Rapoport’s tweet Thursday morning.

The Jaguars aren’t new to trading their star players as former first-team All Pro Jalen Ramsey was traded to the Los Angeles Rams last season. General manager Dave Caldwell was robust in his negotiations and was able to orchestrate a phenomenal trade for his team.

With this experience so fresh in the memory, the Jaguars aren’t simply going to give Yannick Ngakoue away for less than he’s worth. Whilst they would like to increase the amount of draft capital they own this weekend, this front office won’t sell themselves short for the sake of making a deal.

Look: Jags preview Dave Caldwell’s home-based ‘war room’ for 2020 NFL Draft

For the first time ever, general managers will be making draft picks from the comfort of their homes as the 2020 NFL Draft is going virtual this year due to the coronavirus pandemic. This, of course, will give the NFL and media access to every lead …

For the first time ever, general managers will be making draft picks from the comfort of their homes as the 2020 NFL Draft is going virtual this year due to the coronavirus pandemic. This, of course, will give the NFL and media access to every lead front office executives home-based “war rooms.”

Thanks to the Jacksonville Jaguars’ Twitter handle, we got a preview of Dave Caldwell’s, which formerly served as his family theater.

Not bad for a home workstation if you ask me.

Caldwell will have the luxury of making two Day 1 picks (at least for now), from his home, then will have 10 other picks throughout the rest of the draft. Some had concerns about the technology and how fluid a virtual draft would be, but per Action New Jax’s Brent Martineau, testing went smooth for the Jags.

Several other war rooms have been previewed on Twitter such as those of general managers John Lynch (San Francisco 49ers), John Elway (Denver Broncos), Rick Spielman (Minnesota Vikings). Meanwhile, New York Giants GM, David Gettleman, went with a more traditional setup.

 

Dave Caldwell on Jags’ abundance of draft picks: ‘We need to hit on all 12’

Dave Caldwell understands the urgency that needs to go into the 2020 NFL Draft because it could be his last as the Jags general manager.

While it’s very unlikely that the Jacksonville Jaguars will make all 12 of their 2020 draft selections, general manager Dave Caldwell will enter next week’s event with a mindset to hit on every selection made.

“This is the most draft capital we’ve had here,” Caldwell said to the media Thursday. “We need to hit on all 12; that’s our philosophy.”

Caldwell’s mindset isn’t shocking because he understands he has to put together a decent season while having a lot of holes on the Jags’ roster. While owner Shad Khan didn’t necessarily say Caldwell had to produce a playoff season, he did say 2019 was unacceptable and that he made his dissatisfaction clear. Basically, what this all means is the Jags are going to need a productive 2020 class just as they had in 2019.

While it’s very unlikely that the Jags will make all 12 selections, Caldwell needs to keep as many of them as possible and make them count. If he does, he can put a solid nucleus in place for the Jaguars and maybe hit around the .500 mark (or better) in the regular season.

On offense, the Jags could use some offensive line help although they seem fine with their starting unit. Adding an offensive tackle or guard early would certainly make the unit even stronger. They also could use a dance partner for D.J. Chark at receiver and another tight end because the group they have bring injury concerns.

On defense, they need a starting cornerback for sure after trading both Jalen Ramsey and A.J. Bouye. They could also use a space-eater at defensive tackle and potentially a pass-rusher with Yannick Ngakoue likely to not play for them. Additionally, upgrades could be made at safety and depth at linebacker is a concern, too.

If the Jags maneuver in the draft, history says it will be in the second through seventh rounds. However, they are in a weird spot with the No. 9 overall pick and that could lead to them trading up for a player like Jeff Okudah, or trading back if their top guys are taken by the time they select.

“It really depends on the player or players who are there when you’re about ready to pick,” Caldwell said about maneuvering in the draft. “If a certain player falls to you, you’re going to exercise that pick regardless and it’s kind of a no-trade player. But if we’re sitting there at nine or 20 and we do like four or five different players and they’re still on the board … well, yeah, then that gives you an option to trade back.

“Conversely, if you’re sitting there at nine or 20 and there’s only one guy left and you’re at Pick No. 5, then you may have to use some of that ammo to go up and get the guy you want. I think you have to see what’s happening in front of you and when you get to your pick, who is there for you to trade back for.”

What may be more likely is the team moving up in the second and third rounds as they’ve done the past few years. They traded up in the second tackle Jawaan Taylor just last year and several others like Cam Robinson and Myles Jack before that. They also traded up to the back of the third last year to acquire linebacker Quincy Williams. That said, don’t be shocked if the trend continues next week.

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Dave Caldwell says Jags have no announcements to offer on Yannick Ngakoue

It appears the needle hasn’t moved far on Yannick Ngakoue’s chances to get out of Jacksonville. Last month the disgruntled defensive end made his desire to leave the Jaguars known by taking to social media to inform the football community that his …

It appears the needle hasn’t moved far on Yannick Ngakoue’s chances to get out of Jacksonville. Last month the disgruntled defensive end made his desire  to leave the Jaguars known by taking to social media to inform the football community that his “time was up” with the organization.

Fast-forward to two weeks later, and general manager Dave Caldwell had no new information to offer the media after speaking with them Wednesday about the upcoming draft.

“We’re a week away from the draft, and we’ve exercised a franchise tender,” Caldwell said. “He’s yet to sign it. Other than that, I don’t have a whole to add. Out of respect for him and his team and our team, I think it’s best that when I have news for you guys to let you guys know where we’re at.”

If there are any teams who truly want Ngakoue, it wouldn’t be surprising to see things heat up soon because we’re a week away from the draft. That was the same message that NFL insider Ian Rapoport had for us when we spoke with him many weeks ago.

“I think the main thing to do is look around in free agency and say, ‘Who didn’t pick up the edge rusher that they wanted?’ That’s what these trades [for star pass-rushers] are becoming,” said Rapoport. 

“That was the case with Frank Clark last year going from Seattle to the Chiefs. It was draft week, either Tuesday or Wednesday. It was a last ditch effort like, “Alright, lets get this done to eliminate a hole before the draft.” That’s what the Chiefs did, and ended up winning the Super Bowl. I think Frank Clark probably helped on that. So it’s really just whoever didn’t sign an edge-rusher.”

A draft-day trade shouldn’t be ruled out either. 

Caldwell’s lack of new news also could be a sign that Ngakoue may end up staying on the roster as it’s been stated that Jags owner Shad Khan would prefer to keep him. If Ngakoue escaped the franchise’s clutches, that wouldn’t be a good look on Khan’s part because it would give off the perceptions that players could just leave the organization as they wanted. That said, the cost for Ngakoue is probably a first-round pick and another top-3 round selection. 

In the end, they may get an offer like the one the Seattle Seahawks received for Frank Clark in 2019 from the Kansas City Chiefs, which was a first for the upcoming draft, a 2020 second-rounder, and they switched 2019 thirds. To expect anything better might cause the Jags to end up empty-handed, but Jags fans should certainly watch this situation with a close eye over the next seven days. 

Could Dave Caldwell end up trading back in the first-round with his old team?

Could the Falcons have a potential trade suitor in the Jags for a draft day move?

With the draft almost a week away there will be a lot of speculations on teams that could maneuver in the first round. One of the latest teams to gain some steam in terms of trading up are the Atlanta Falcons, who NFL insider Ian Rapoport says spent a lot of time evaluating players who will be gone before they take the podium for the No. 16 overall pick.

The Athletic’s Dane Brugler added that they could be eying a move for Florida’s C.J. Anderson as the team needs a cornerback.

Of course, with this making draft headlines one team some have speculated to be a potential suitor is the Jacksonville Jaguars, who are led by their former front office lieutenant Dave Caldwell. Until this day, he still has a good relationship with his former boss and current Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff. However, it’s also worth noting that the two have yet to make a trade with each other since Caldwell joined the Jags.

According to Jimmy Johnson’s infamous draft value chart, the Jags’ No. 9 pick is valued at 1,350 points while the Falcons’ No. 16 pick is valued at 1,000, which is a difference of 350 points. If the Falcons wanted to trade up, an option could be coming off their 2020 second-round pick (No. 47), which would more than make up for the difference with a value of 450 points. However, the Falcons’ third-rounder (No. 78), would fall short value-wise as it’s worth 200 points.

In a scenario where the Jags gained Atlanta’s second-rounder, the Jags would have multiple picks in the first, second, fourth, fifth, and sixth rounds. They would then have more picks than any team in the 2020 draft (13) aside from the Miami Dolphins.

The unfortunate part about such a trade is that it’s unlikely. The main reason for that is because the Falcons lack 2020 draft capital, which the Jags would want as their staff is on the hot seat and in need of immediate contributions. At the moment Atlanta only has six draft picks: one in each of the top-3 rounds, two in Round 4, and one in Round 7. They would likely want to hang on to those limited picks because their staff is also on the hot seat like Jacksonville.

If by some way the Jags and Falcons did do business for pick No. 47, it certainly would help as that’s the range for players like cornerback A.J. Terrell, offensive lineman Lloyd Cushenberry, guard Solomon Kindley and many others who’d fix needs the Jags have. That said, if they trade back don’t expect it to be with Atlanta and also look for them to stay closer to the top-10 selections.