With a new head coach and general manager coming to town, the 2021 offseason was a crucial one as Jacksonville attempts to rebuild yet again. They got the most important piece in place by drafting a franchise quarterback in Trevor Lawrence with pick No. 1, and every other move is secondary to that, given the position’s value.
But quarterback wasn’t the only area of need for the team, and it made several moves this offseason to address other roster weaknesses, especially in the secondary with the additions of Shaquill Griffin and Rayshan Jenkins. The team also added an experienced receiver in Detroit’s Marvin Jones, who is coming off a 978-yard season.
Given these moves, ESPN’s Bill Barnwell ranks Jacksonville’s offseason No. 13 in the league, a respectable position, but one that could have been better. Barnwell has several issues with the moves the Jags made, and most of them stem from the perception that Meyer is in over his head.
He mentions the controversy surrounding the hiring of Chris Doyle as the strength coach. Doyle was accused of racism by multiple players when he held the same role at Iowa, and though Meyer quickly dismissed him when the story made headlines, he should have had the foresight to not hire Doyle given the allegations against him.
Barnwell criticized some roster moves as well, most notably the signing of Tim Tebow as a tight end. Many have been critical of the decision, as it has given off the perception that Meyer was giving an unearned opportunity to his longtime friend.
Barnwell also didn’t look favorably upon the decision to draft Travis Etienne with the 25th pick, especially considering the decreasing value of the running back position. James Robinson was very productive in 2020 as an undrafted rookie, and after signing Carlos Hyde as a free agent, it’s understandable to argue that the value for Etienne just wasn’t there, especially because Meyer has indicated that he will be used more as a role player than an every-down back.
Though the Jaguars undoubtedly improved this offseason (after all, there was nowhere to go but up), Meyer certainly took several gambles as he attempted to learn the ropes of the NFL. And ultimately, the quality of this offseason in retrospect, aside from drafting Lawrence, will depend on if those gambles are successful.