Tag: Dave Caldwell

Trent Baalke named Jags interim general manager

The Jags have parted ways with GM Dave Caldwell and Trent Baalke will serve as interim in his place for the rest of the season.

The Jacksonville Jaguars’ loss to the Cleveland Browns resulted in general manager Dave Caldwell being relieved of his duties Sunday. It was also announced that the Jags’ current Director of Player Personnel, Trent Baalke, would be filling Caldwell’s role as an interim general manager for their five remaining games of 2020.

Baalke joined the Jags’ staff earlier this year in February. Before that he was the San Francisco 49ers general manager from 2011-16 where the team garnered a 57-54-1 regular season record. They also were able to accumulate a 5-3 postseason record under Baalke, which included a loss in Super Bowl XLVII to the Baltimore Ravens.

Prior to that he also spent time as a scout and scouting coordinator with the Washington Football team and also spent time with the New York Jets as a scout.

As for Caldwell, he was hired in 2013 by owner Shad Khan who purchased the team months before bringing him in. He accumulated a 37-85 regular season record and a 2-1 postseason record during his eight seasons as Jags general manager.

Jags fire GM Dave Caldwell after loss to Browns

The Jags have parted ways with GM Dave Caldwell, who was Shad Khan’s first front office hire.

The Jacksonville Jaguars (1-10) dropped their tenth consecutive game of 2020 courtesy of the Cleveland Browns, who defeated them by a score of 27-25. That proved to be all owner Shad Khan needed to see for the year as they decided to fire general manager Dave Caldwell Sunday.

Caldwell had been with the Jags since 2013 and was the first general manager hired by Khan. Throughout his time with the Jags the team was only able to go to the postseason once (2017) and garnered an 37-85 regular season record and a 2-1 postseason record.

Caldwell’s tenure is one that many will remember because of the lack of hits in the first-round. There were also a lot of talented players that departed from the team on his watch, though Tom Coughlin took over briefly as the lead man from 2017 to most of 2019.

After the news was revealed, Khan released the following statement on Caldwell’s departure:

I’ve met with Dave Caldwell to express my appreciation for his service to the Jacksonville Jaguars as our general manager. Dave was exceptionally committed and determined to bring a winner to Jacksonville, but unfortunately his efforts were not rewarded with the results our fans deserve and our organization expects.  Our football operation needs new leadership, and we will have it with a new general manager in 2021.

There hasn’t been any word on coach Doug Marrone’s future, but it’s hard to envision him staying around in 2021 as the Jags’ new general manager will want a say in the coach he’s tied to.

Jacksonville Jaguars fire GM Dave Caldwell

The Jacksonville Jaguars have fired GM Dave Caldwell

Something had to give in Jacksonville and the first move was for the team to fire GM Dave Caldwell after its loss to the Cleveland Browns on Sunday.

The Jaguars fell to 1-10 with their 27-25 defeat, the 10 losses coming consecutively after a season-opening victory over Indianapolis.

Last season, Tom Coughlin was shown the door from an executive position by the Khan family, which owns the team. This season, it is the GM.

One has to wonder how Head Coach Doug Marrone survives with his putrid record.

Marrone is 12-31 in his last 43 games as coach in Jax.

Jags will have 10 draft selections in 2021 once Yannick Ngakoue deal is official

While the cost was losing several Pro Bowlers, the Jags have the tools to get back on their feet quickly in 2021 after trading Ngakoue.

Finally, the Jacksonville Jaguars have pulled the trigger on a deal to trade Yannick Ngakoue to the Minnesota Vikings. Now, for the process to become official, all he simply has to do is sign his franchise tender and it will be a new chapter for all parties.

Once that happens, the Jags will get a 2021 second-round pick, giving them four picks in the first two rounds of next year’s draft. That would put them in a better situation quantity wise than they were in 2020, where they had two first-rounders and one second.

The Jags will also be getting a conditional 2022 fifth-round pick that could be a fourth-round pick if he goes to the Pro Bowl, or a third-rounder if he goes to the Pro Bowl and the Vikings win the Super Bowl.

In totality, the Jaguars will have 10 picks in next year’s draft. That would come after having 12 this year (all of which the Jags kept) and their 2021 list of selections would be as follows:

  • Their 2021 first-round selection
  • The Los Angeles Rams’ 2021 first-round selection (for Jalen Ramsey)
  • Their 2021 second-round selection
  • The Vikings’ 2021 second-round selection (for Ngakoue)
  • Their 2021 third-round selection
  • Their 2021 fourth-round selection
  • The Los Angeles Rams’ 2021 fourth-round selection (for Ramsey)
  • Their 2021 fifth-round selection
  • Their 2021 sixth-round selection
  • Their 2021 seventh-round selection

While it cost the Jags some young Pro Bowlers, Dave Caldwell or whoever is the Jags general manager in 2021 will have a lot to build with. Additionally, they will have a lot of cap space available next year as Over the Cap has them projected at $89,656,498, but that’s with a projected base amount of $215 million. With the salary cap set to decrease to a minimum of $175 million in 2021 (currently at $198.2 million) due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Jags at the most will have to deduct $23.2 million from OTC’s total. Still, it’s clear they will be in good shape financially.

When taking this all into consideration, the Jags could be back on their feet rather quickly. However, most would agree that it’s unfortunate they had to lose the amount of talent they did over the span of the last two seasons.

Dave Caldwell calls rumors about a Yannick Ngakoue trade ‘erroneous’

Dave Caldwell shut down any rumors of a Yannick Ngakoue trade happening anytime soon after sitting down with Sirius XM Radio.

As of late the rumor mill has been hot when it comes to Yannick Ngakoue, however, according to Jacksonville Jaguars general manager Dave Caldwell, there are no plans to trade him. In an interview with Alex Marvez and Charles Davis of Sirius XM Radio, Caldwell called the rumors “erroneous” and added that the news caught him off guard.

Caldwell’s statements come after an offseason where Ngakoue declared he didn’t want a long-term deal with the Jags. Afterward, they franchised tagged him which further frustrated Ngakoue and caused him to demand a trade via Twitter in an exchange with Tony Khan. Despite all of the friction, however, the Jags didn’t trade the young defensive end during the draft or before the tag extension deadline due to no team meeting their request.

Caldwell added that both parties were in a “holding pattern” with each other, but remained in contact as Ngakoue has new representation. While that still leaves a lot of questions, it marks a little progress because the team was previously saying they hadn’t heard from Ngakoue.

On Wednesday, NFL insider Tom Pelissero stated that he believes the Jags want a “second-rounder and some change” based off the teams he’s spoken with who’ve contacted the Jags. He added that Ngakoue and the Jags’ relationship has “been better” since his change in representation, but said that Ngakoue still preferred to be traded.

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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Jaguars, Yannick Ngakoue finally speak — but uncertainty still looms

Finally, the Jags have made contact with Yannick Ngakoue. However, Jags general manager Dave Caldwell didn’t want to offer much on the talk.

After months of fans awaiting an update, the Jacksonville Jaguars have made contact with defensive end Yannick Ngakoue, per general manager Dave Caldwell who met virtually with the media Tuesday.

This news comes after NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported that Ngakoue parted ways with his agent, Ari Nissim, who he had been with since 2018. However, despite Caldwell saying that he and Ngakoue had been in contact, the veteran general manager didn’t offer much more, stating that it would be best not to speak for Ngakoue, who remains unsigned technically.

“As far as the Yannick situation goes, I think you’d have to talk to him,” Caldwell said Tuesday. “I’m very cautious of speaking for him. … He’s earned the right to do what’s best for him and his family, so I’m going to defer any of his future questions to him and try to keep our conversations between he and I.”

This offseason has been somewhat of a roller coaster when it comes to both parties. It all started back in early March when Ngakoue said he didn’t want a long-term deal with the Jags. Despite that, the team franchise tagged him, which led to Ngakoue having an altercation with front office member Tony Khan on Twitter. Needless to say, things didn’t go as planned for Ngakoue as the Jags have stood firm on their price for him, which is seemingly so high that no team has been able to come up with the right compensation.

Since Khan and Ngakoue’s altercation on Twitter, the draft has passed and the deadline for Ngakoue to get a long-term deal has passed, which seemingly made Ngakoue part ways with his representation.

Unfortunately, Caldwell didn’t comment on Ngakoue discussing a return so it appears fans will be left playing the waiting game. That said, Ngakoue’s first order of business will be to find new representation as he’s currently in a five-day period where he must wait before hiring a new agent. Regardless as to what Ngakoue decides to do on his end, at least he’s now communicating with the team though it’s uncertain where things will lead.

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.