Category: Marcell Dareus

PFF projects Jags to start 4 rookies in 2020

PFF believes four of the Jags’ top-5 draft picks will be starters for the team once the season begins and, of course, C.J. Henderson is one.

The Jacksonville Jaguars surprisingly used all 12 of their draft picks this April, which means the team will be one of the youngest in the NFL. They also could end up starting a lot of the rookies they drafted after parting ways with veterans A.J. Bouye, Calais Campbell, and Marcell Dareus.

The good folks at Pro Football Focus recently took a crack at projecting the lineups of all 32 teams, and unsurprisingly, the Jags almost had a handful of rookies in their lineup. That included one rookie on offense in fourth-round pick Ben Bartch and three rookies on defense in pass-rusher K’Lavon Chaisson, cornerback C.J. Henderson, and defensive tackle Davon Hamilton.

Offense

QB: Gardner Minshew
RB: Leonard Fournette
WR: DJ Chark
WR: Chris Conley
Slot: Dede Westbrook
TE: Tyler Eifert
LT: Cam Robinson
LG: Andrew Norwell
C: Brandon Linder
RG: Ben Bartch
RT: Jawaan Taylor

Defense

DI: Taven Bryan
DI: Davon Hamilton
EDGE: Josh Allen
EDGE: K’Lavon Chaisson
LB: Myles Jack
LB: Joe Schobert
CB: CJ Henderson
CB: Rashaan Melvin
CB: D.J. Hayden
S: Jarrod Wilson
S: Ronnie Harrison

Starting with the offense, it’s not shocking to see PFF slot Bartch in at the right guard position because they haven’t given veteran A.J. Cann overly impressive grades in the past. He’s only graded over 70 once in his career, and this past year, Cann was given a career-low of 55.3.

The issue with slotting Bartch as a starter is the fact that many in the Jags’ front office referred to him as a project player when he was selected. When adding in the fact that the team likely won’t have a minicamp and possibly won’t return until training camp, the rookies may be a little behind the curve. That being said, fans should probably expect Cann to start in 2020.

It’s a given that the Jags first selection of April’s draft in Henderson would be slotted in as a starter. The team lost both of their 2019 starters at the cornerback position, trading with Jalen Ramsey and A.J. Bouye, so Henderson was arguably the biggest acquisition of the offseason with linebacker Joe Schobert.

With the Jags saying they will move to more 3-4 looks on base downs, Chaisson could get a starting role alongside Josh Allen as the team’s go-to pass rushing duo. However, if Yannick Ngakoue decides he wants to play on the franchise tag, that could complicate the snap count for Chaisson. Still, the Jags took him with the No. 20 overall pick, which is an indicator that they have plans for him to see the field a lot.

Lastly, Hamilton is a player who I listed as someone who could be the Jags’ biggest surprise of 2020 in a recent episode of “Bleav in the Jags.” Like most rookies, he’ll have to go through a veteran in Al Woods though, who will be entering his 11th season. While it could be a difficult task, it’s hard not to like Hamilton’s chances because Woods is the oldest player on the roster at 33 years of age.

Jags not expected to pick up Marcell Dareus’ contract option

As expected the Jags will elect to decline the contract option of Marcell Dareus to gain $20 million against the cap.

As anticipated, the Jacksonville Jaguars are expected to decline the last year of Marcell Dareus’ contract this week. Once they officially do they will save $20 million towards their salary cap in 2020 and get themselves trending in the right direction with free agency coming up.

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As we pointed out last week, the Jags had until Tuesday February 25 to make a decision on if they would accept or decline his option. He still could end up re-signing with the Jags afterward, however, nothing has been reported about both sides working on a new deal, so it appears the Jags may look to get younger and cheaper in his place.

Dareus was traded to the Jags (from the Buffalo Bills) in 2017 for a fifth-round pick. He helped improve their run defense significantly from that point on and managed to accumulate 45 tackles and 2.5 sacks as a Jaguar over the span of three years.

In 2019, Dareus had issues staying healthy, however, and missed 10 games. He suffered a severe core injury Week 7 against the Cincinnati Bengals which resulted in surgery and put him on season-ending injured reserve.

Luckily, the 2020 draft class is strong at defensive tackle so the team could go that route to replace the veteran come April. They also could get a younger proven player out of free agency, which is something we looked into Sunday.

NFL.com gives Jags an A- for 2019 draft class in season review

In a year where a lot didn’t go right for the Jacksonville Jaguars, many would agree that the team’s 2020 draft class did their part. Count NFL.com’s Gennaro Filice amongst those who were impressed with the group as he gave the Jags’ class an A- in …

In a year where a lot didn’t go right for the Jacksonville Jaguars, many would agree that the team’s 2020 draft class did their part. Count NFL.com’s Gennaro Filice amongst those who were impressed with the group as he gave the Jags’ class an A- in his recent review of the league’s draft classes.

A big reason for praising the class, of course, was the impact of rookie quarterback Gardner Minshew II, who went 6-6 as a starter.

Let’s start with the most interesting development in an otherwise-forgettable Jaguars season: MINSHEW MANIA!! OK, I won’t go completelyoverboard here, because let’s be honest: At least some of the allure had to do with the mustache and the headband and the distinct je ne sais quoi that tickled the average football watcher’s fancy. That said, the Jock Strap Kingposted a 21:6 TD-to-INT ratio and went 6-6 as a rookie starter for a team that finished the season at 6-10. Fumbles were an issue, but overall, he clearly outplayed prized free-agent signee Nick Foles.

As many would imagine, Filice also praise the performance of the Jags’ first-round selection, Josh Allen, as he lead all rookies in sacks in 2019 with 10.5.

Five rounds and 171 picks prior, the Jags had Allen fall right into their lap, and the no-brainer selection paid off in a major way, racking up 10.5 sacks and two forced fumbles. Resident draft guru Daniel Jeremiah ranked Allen as his No. 5 overall rookie (second on defense, behind only Nick Bosa) and offered this enticing appraisal: “He has the potential to eventually lead the league in sacks.”

Without a doubt, the Jags got two of the most productive rookies in the whole 2020 class between Minshew and Allen, but when you add in the fact that right tackle Jawaan Taylor was the only rookie in the league to play 100% of his snaps, it’s hard not to have hope about the future production of the roster.

In his review, Filice looked ahead to the needs of the Jags heading forward. He stated what many have echoed and that’s the fact that the Jags need to pay Yannick Ngakoue and deemed Marcell Dareus as a player who could be released or restructured to make the cap space for Ngakoue’s deal. He added that Calais Campbell was in the same boat as well as cornerback A.J. Bouye.

Of the three, I believe Campbell, who is the heart and soul of the defense is the most likely to stay. Releasing Dareus, which I feel is likely, would be a tremendous relief off the cap as he’d free up over $20 million.

Bouye on the other hand may have a 50-50 shot to stay or be released. He’d free up over $10 million if released. His fate could boil down to whether or not he wants to restructure, and if he doesn’t, the Jags may look in the draft for an answer.

Jags boost DL, OL in Todd McShay’s new mock draft

Todd McShay has completed another mock draft and the Jags managed to land one of the draft’s tastes risers: Javon Kinlaw.

With Super Bowl LIV out of the way, ESPN’s Todd McShay released another mock draft for the 2020 season Tuesday and it had the Jags adding help in the trenches on both sides of the ball.

In the first round, the Jags were slotted arguably the draft’s fastest rising star in South Carolina’s Javon Kinlaw. He unquestionably rose his stock at the Senior Bowl (which McShay attended) and with a need to get younger in the interior, McShay added that he’d boost the Jags’ pass-rush which already has at least one outside threat returning in Josh Allen.

9. Jacksonville Jaguars

Javon Kinlaw, DT, South Carolina

If you don’t know about Kinlaw yet, do yourself a favor and go watch some highlights from his two days of Senior Day workouts. He is an absolute physical freak with the versatility to play on the interior or off the edge, and he has the power to walk offensive linemen back into the quarterback. The Jaguars missed on Taven Bryan when they took him in the first round in 2018, and they might not be able to keep Yannick Ngakoue in northeast Florida next season. Putting Kinlaw next to last year’s top-10 pick, Josh Allen, would help lighten the loss of Ngakoue and shore up a run defense that was the fifth worst in 2019 (139.3 yards per game).

While some would argue that linebacker, help for the offensive line, or tight end may be bigger needs, Kinlaw represents pretty good value at the No. 9 overall pick. It may look as though the Jags don’t need him now but Marcell Dareus is all but gone as he’ll be a cap hit of over $20 million (most feel he won’t be re-signed either), while Calais Campbell is the team’s oldest player. Besides, if there is anything we learned from the Super Bowl it’s the fact that a team can never have enough pass-rushers if they are to have a shot at beating the Kansas City Chiefs.

With their second drat pick in round one, McShay slotted the Jags some help on the offensive line.

20. Jacksonville Jaguars (from LAR)

Austin Jackson, OT, USC

Kinlaw cleans up the defensive front, but the offensive side of the trenches warrants a look, too. The Jaguars struck gold when they caught the sliding Jawaan Taylor early in the second round last year, and they shouldn’t be done working on the unit. The desperate need for more help there means they’d be OK with reaching for Jackson, who is my No. 46 prospect. The 6-foot-6 junior is raw, but if given some time to develop, he can contribute in pass protection for whomever Doug Marrone starts under center.

While the Jags need help on the offensive line, Austin Jackson feels like a huge reach at No. 20, and besides, the Jags are more of a team that considers value with their early picks.

Based on who was available, the Jags could’ve grabbed Gardner Minshew II or Nick Foles a pretty solid receiver in Henry Ruggs III, Justin Jefferson, or Tee Higgins. On defense, Grant Delpit, who would be a tremendous value pick at No. 20, and Kenneth Murray were both available. Regardless, all are better overall players than Jackson, who should be more of an option for the Jags in the second round as opposed to the first.

NFL.com explains what Jags need to do to dethrone Chiefs

The Chiefs will be the AFC’s top team in 2020 and to dethrone them the Jags must have a solid offseason.

The Jacksonville Jaguars were the first team in the 2019 regular season to get a chance to see if they could go toe-to-toe with the AFC Champions in the Kansas City Chiefs and it wasn’t a pretty outing, to say the least. It then became clear that the Chiefs were miles ahead of the Jags and the regular season further proved that point.

Now, here we are just a few days away from the Super Bowl and the Chiefs have proven to be the force most thought. Regardless of the outcome of the Super Bowl, the Chiefs will be the team the Jags and every other AFC team will look to dethrone with their high powered offense.

NFL Network’s Gregg Rosenthal recently posted an article stating what each team needs to do to dethrone the Chiefs, and for the Jags, the solution comes down to moving on from the past and making some tough personnel decisions.

Jacksonville Jaguars: Get unemotional about past personnel mistakes.

Jaguars general manager David Caldwell is getting another chance to re-shape the roster after the departure of Tom Coughlin. To move forward, the team needs to make some tough choices regarding some of the moves Coughlin and Caldwell made over the last few years. They have a raft of cap-related decisions pertaining to veterans like cornerback A.J. Bouye, guard Andrew Norwell, defensive tackle Marcell Dareus, wide receiver Marqise Lee, linebacker Jake Ryan and possibly even running back Leonard Fournette. The Nick Foles-Gardner Minshew QB conundrum won’t be easy to solve because of Foles’ contract, but the arrival of new coordinator Jay Gruden was a big step in the right direction. Jacksonville has prized continuity to a fault over Caldwell’s seven seasons, resulting in one campaign with more than six wins. Before Caldwell gets to spend his three top-50 draft picks in April, he needs to honestly assess what’s gone wrong.

The Jags are about $3.2 million over the cap according to Over the Cap, so Rosenthal is right about the moves they need to make to get them out of the negative. Releasing Marcell Dareus, who would free up $22.5 million, is clearly where they will need to start but they can’t stop there. They will need more cap space to address a couple of needs in free agency, pay Yannick Ngakoue and pay their rookie draft class. That said, decisions will have to be made on the other names Rosenthal mentioned.

With nine picks in both 2020 and 2021, it’s time for general manager Dave Caldwell and the front office to stop relying on free agency at the capacity they have and look for more bargains on the open market while also being precise in the draft. With Tom Coughlin out of the picture, that sounds like the path Caldwell will take this year as he told ESPN 690’s Brent Martineau that the Jags will look to be “wise” in free agency.

“I think this could be a quick flip,” Caldwell said about a turnaround. “I think if we make wise choices in free agency, and it might not be market-setters, but wise choices, then we’ll follow it up with a good draft. We have all the way up until the beginning of September to have the roster set so it’s going to be a fluid thing, but we have to make the right choices all the way up to the trade deadline and in the middle of [the regular season].”

Another key variable in taking down the Chiefs will be defensive coordinator Todd Wash. Several coordinators have figured his scheme out and Week 1’s game proved the Chiefs were amongst that group. He’s going to have to adapt and improve as a coordinator in 2020 because the Jags probably won’t have the defensive talent they did in 2017.

ESPN says interior DL is Jags’ biggest need

The Jacksonville Jaguars have a lot of needs to address this offseason but we listed linebacker as their top in our postseason assessment of the team. However, some would say the Jags have more pressing needs, including ESPN. In their network’s …

The Jacksonville Jaguars have a lot of needs to address this offseason but we listed linebacker as their top in our postseason assessment of the team. However, some would say the Jags have more pressing needs, including ESPN.

In their network’s biggest 2020 offseason needs article, Jags beat writer Mike DiRocco identified the interior defensive line as the Jags’ most pressing need of the offseason:

Jacksonville Jaguars

Fix the interior of the defensive line. The Jaguars finished 28th in rushing defense and gave up more than 200 yards on the ground four times. They’re not bringing back defensive tackle Marcell Dareus ($20 million cap savings), and 2018 first-round pick Taven Bryan, who played well in the season finale, has been largely disappointing. Jacksonville has major needs at other positions (linebacker, left tackle, receiver and cornerback), but the defensive front is the key to the team’s resurgence in 2020. — Mike DiRocco

A good point is made about the Jags’ struggles without Marcell Dareus, who was the team’s best run defender without a doubt. Once he was placed on injured reserve due to a core muscle injury that ended with surgery, the Jags began to get gashed up the middle in the run game week in and week out. Still, the unit at least has solid pass-rushers in Yannick Ngakoue, Josh Allen and Calais Campbell, which is why we listed it as our fourth most pressing need.

In looking ahead, the draft will be the place to replenish the Jags’ defensive line issues in the interior because getting a player who is a starting caliber lineman on the defensive line will be expensive. Additionally, if the Jags need to give any defensive lineman a boatload of money in free agency, it’s Ngakoue.

There have been some mocks where Auburn defensive lineman Derrick Brown has fallen in the Jags lap and he’d be a tremendous addition if the Jags can pull it off. If they can’t land him, I think settling for Javon Kinlaw of South Carolina would be just fine in the eyes of Jags fans.

Prospects for Jags fans to watch: Auburn DL Derrick Brown

What does Brown bring to the next level and is he a player the Jacksonville Jaguars could target in the top-10?

One of the Jacksonville Jaguars’ biggest strengths has become one of their most worrisome weaknesses during the 2019 season. The Jaguars started the season confident in a defensive line unit that was comprised of star defensive ends Yannick Ngakoue and Calais Campbell, rookie pass rusher Josh Allen, as well as Taven Bryan, Abry Jones, and Marcell Dareus up the middle at defensive tackle. A truly solid and deep unit of talented lineman.

While all but one of those players have been healthy enough to make it to this point of the regular season, the loss of the run-stuffing Dareus, to a core injury, has been evident in the team’s performances. Jacksonville hasn’t been able to stop the run and it has been a key reason as to why the Jags have been losing and losing big.

This offseason the Jaguars will be tasked with a difficult decision regarding Dareus: whether or not to release the talented but expensive big man. In 2020, Dareus carries a huge cap hit of 22.5 million. When considering that figure, the Jags will have to release Dareus (or rework a deal somehow). Regardless, he isn’t getting any younger, which means a plan for a replacement needs to be in place.

A potential heir is Auburn defensive tackle, Derrick Brown. Brown is regarded among the best players in the upcoming draft and it is easy to see why. On the season, Brown collected 11.5 tackles and four sacks, dominating the Southeastern Conference in remarkable fashion. Brown (6-foot-5, 318 pounds) is currently my second-best player in the class and would be an instant impact player on the Jaguars roster, shoring up the hole left by Dareus.

What does Brown bring to the next level and is he a player the Jaguars could target in the top-10?

Last season, I was enamored with top defensive line prospect Quinnen Williams, who ended up being drafted by the New York Jets. Williams was a game-changing defensive tackle, both a force in the pass and run game. Brown brings a similar level of disruption and nasty to his game.

Brown is one of the strongest players in the draft and it shows in his game. He is a force to be reckoned with. Against one of the best offensive lines in college football on a national stage, Derrick Brown wrecked shop on opening weekend against Oregon, a statement game for the young prospect.

In a goal-line situation, Brown made his presence known, blowing the right guard off the line into the backfield, disrupting the entire play.

Brown is a player teams must account for on every play due to his ability to easily terrorize the backfield.

Against Louisiana State, the nation’s top team, Brown again made sure Quarterback Joe Burrow was familiar with him. Brown long-armed the right guard back, walking him back into Burrow for the sack.

Simply put, Brown has become one of the draft’s most physical players and that’s exactly what you want to see out of your defensive tackle.

If all that doesn’t convince you of Brown being amongst the best in this year’s upcoming draft class, there is also the fact that the 318 pound DT is also pretty crafty as a pass-rusher. Below, in a game that just occurred a few weekends ago, Brown pulled off one of the most beautiful interior spin moves I’ve seen. A sight to behold.

 

Of the players that are likely to be on the board when the Jaguars are on the clock, Brown is the most dominant. Jacksonville has implemented a best available player approach the last few seasons and if they are to do it again, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Auburn’s big, sexy No. 5 be the selection. He would become an immediate starter and an immediate difference-maker.

For a team looking for its identity, Brown could be the player to return Jacksonville’s defense to being one of the most feared in the league. To me, he could have a John Henderson/ Marcus Stoud type impact, which is what’s been missing in Duval.