Tag: Jaguars

Potential Bills target Yannick Ngakoue seeking highest-paid status

Potential Buffalo Bills free agnet target DE Yannick Ngakoue seeking highest-paid status.

Yannick Ngakoue could be on the Buffalo Bills’ radar once free agency opens in March. The former first-round pick of the Jaguars is likely to hit free agency.

Not only might the Bills need a replacement for Shaq Lawson, who’s also heading toward free agency, the Bills just need more sacks in general from the defensive end position. Does Ngakoue fit the bill?

Well if he does for Buffalo, it’s reportedly going to cost them. Per ESPN, Ngakoue, 24, is looking to become the highest-paid defensive end in the NFL. That type of deal is said to be near $22 million per season on a long-term contract.

The Bills are currently entering the offseason with $83 million in cap space, the third-most in the NFL. Buffalo does run a rotation along their defensive line, but could still stand to use a player such as Ngakoue. His career-low single-season sack total is eight. Lawson, who led Buffalo’s defensive ends in sacks last season, had a career-high of 6.5. However, Lawson thrived where Ngakoue does not, as a run defender. Ngakoue’s career-high in a season is 12.5.

But per Pro Football Focus, Ngakoue had a run-stop percentage of 7.6 percent with 21 stops in 278 run snaps. That tied him with Nick Bosa for the 18th best total in the NFL last season. Bosa was the Defensive Rookie of the Year for the 49ers. PFF also interesting predicted that Buffalo will sign Ngakoue to a contract this offseason, averaging $19.5 million per season, though.

In regard to his hopes, the former Pro Bowler all but confirmed his desires in free agency with this tweet this week:

While the Bills could certainly afford Ngakoue in the short term, the team also has to consider young players such as Tre’Davious White and Matt Milano, who are due for a pay raise for the 2020 season as well. Free agency could get interesting for the Bills and general manager Brandon Beane.

 

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Report: Jaguars to decline option on ex-Bills DT Marcell Dareus

Jaguars to decline option on contract of former Buffalo Bills DT Marcell Dareus.

Former Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Marcell Dareus is going to hit the free agent market.

The 29-year-old former third-overall pick of the Bills in 2011 is expected to have the option on his contract decline by his current team, the Jaguars, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. The Bills traded Dareus to the Jags in 2017 for a conditional fifth-round pick. Dareus’ move to the Jags was apart of the “house cleaning” made by the Bills’ current front office in their first year at the helm, a group led by general manager Brandon Beane and head coach Sean McDermott.

During his time with the Jags, Dareus was a positive influence on their defense as a run stopped, accumulating 45 tackles and 2.5. The two sides could still come to an agreement on a new deal, however, there are no reports of such a situation coming up just yet.

Once official, the Jags will save $20 million towards their salary cap in 2020 but not picking up Dareus’ option. In 2015, the Bills gave Dareus a six-year, $95.1 million contract, but he restructured his contract in February 2019.

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Jaguars make decision on former Georgia football WR

The Jacksonville Jaguars have made their decision on former Georgia football wide receiver.

The Jacksonville Jaguars have exercised their team options for fifth-year wide receiver Chris Conley, the club recently announced.

Conley, a former Georgia standout who was drafted in the third round of the 2015 NFL Draft, is now under contract with the Jaguars through the 2020 season.

Conley, who came to Athens as a 4-star wide receiver out of North Paulding High School, signed with the Jaguars as an unrestricted free agent prior to the 2019 season. This year, his first with the Jags, he set a career-high for receptions (47), receiving yards (775) and receiving average (16.5). He made 14 starts and appeared in all 16 games, catching five touchdowns passes, which includes a 70-yarder in a victory against the Jets, the Jaguars’ longest TD of the 2019 season.

From 2011 to 2014, during his time at Georgia, he had 1,938 yards and 20 touchdowns.

He turned heads when he produced some of the most impressive NFL Combine numbers we have ever seen, running the 40 in 4.35 seconds and then following that up with a 45 inch vertical jump.

5 teams that are eligible for Hard Knocks 2020

Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports Training camp starts in July but for a lot of fans, the NFL season doesn’t start until they hear the sound of Liev Schreiber’s voice narrating over a training camp practice. It is the sign that the football season …

Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Training camp starts in July but for a lot of fans, the NFL season doesn’t start until they hear the sound of Liev Schreiber’s voice narrating over a training camp practice. It is the sign that the football season is getting close. For those not in the know, that last reference was about “Hard Knocks,” the hit HBO show that follows a team around their training camp and preseason games. Last year we were treated to the last season of the Oakland Raiders and it was interesting following around Jon Gruden, Antonio Brown, Derek Carr, and the rest of the silver and black. This year, the Raiders are exempt from the show. In fact, a lot of teams are exempt from the show since the NFL put in new rules about what teams may be forced onto their small bit of reality television. Teams that have made the playoffs in the past two seasons added a new head coach, or have been on the show in the past 10 years can certainly volunteer to be on “Hard Knocks,” but there’s little chance of that happening in today’s NFL. That leaves us with five teams eligible for this year’s version of the show. Let’s get to them in alphabetical order — this is not a ranking, but just what teams can be forced on by the league.

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Calais Campbell wins defensive MVP award at Pro Bowl

The Jacksonville Jaguars were represented well in the Pro Bowl as DJ Chark Jr., Josh Allen, and Calais Campbell made impact plays. Of the three, Campbell had the best day, accumulating a tackle, a sack, and a crucial forced fumble late in the game. …

The Jacksonville Jaguars were represented well in the Pro Bowl as DJ Chark Jr., Josh Allen, and Calais Campbell made impact plays. Of the three, Campbell had the best day, accumulating a tackle, a sack, and a crucial forced fumble late in the game. That helped him to ultimately win the Defensive MVP award alongside quarterback Lamar Jackson, who won the Offensive MVP award.

Campbell’s key strip-sack came around the 10-minute mark of the fourth quarter. He was able to get to Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins to jar the ball loose and Pittsburgh Steelers defensive lineman T.J. Watt scooped it up for an 82 yard fumble recovery for a touchdown. That play put the AFC up by a score of 38-27.

Campbell played in his fifth Pro Bowl Sunday, with two other appearances occurring with the Jags. He was voted into the annual game after racking up 56 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, two forced fumbles, and 6.5 sacks in the regular season.

As for Chark, he was able to score a 60-yard touchdown while Allen blocked a field goal. Sunday’s game marked the first Pro Bowl for both players as Chark registered just over 1,000 yards in 2019 and Allen led all rookies in sacks with 10.5.

Dante Fowler trolls Jaguars on Twitter, Jacksonville fans respond

Dante Fowler Jr. made sure Jaguars fans knew his 11 sacks would lead their team.

Dante Fowler Jr. joined the Rams midway through last season in a trade with the Jaguars. The move carried some risk for Los Angeles, considering Fowler only had half a season left on his contract.

After his deal expired, the Rams brought Fowler back for one more year. He bet on himself, in a way, signing a one-year extension to prove he can be one of the best pass rushers in football. While he hasn’t quite reached that title yet, his gamble on himself is paying off.

Fowler has 11 sacks, 16 tackles for loss and 16 quarterback hits this year, all the highest of his career. A radio host in Jacksonville noted Fowler’s stats and shared a nugget on Twitter that his 11 sacks would lead the Jaguars.

Fowler shared the tweet with his followers, saying “trust me they know.”

Jalen Ramsey could do nothing but laugh.

Not surprisingly, Jaguars fans took exception to Fowler’s tweet and responded in droves. Fowler replied to a lot of the critical tweets sent his way, defending himself while also taking shots at fans for being Jags supporters.

Fowler tried to end the conversation with this tweet.

Yet, the back-and-forth didn’t end there, with one golf journalist taking exception to Fowler claiming he’s better than Jaguars rookie Josh Allen.

Fowler has had a very good season for the Rams, and he’s going to be paid substantially this offseason – either by Los Angeles or another team. His bet on himself this year has certainly paid off.

Winners and Losers from Jaguars vs. Falcons

In another disappointing defeat here are the winners and losers from the Week 16 match-up against the Falcons.

After coming off of an intense come from behind victory last week in Oakland, fans thought maybe this was the turning point for the Jacksonville Jaguars to get back on track the last two weeks of the season. This unfortunately was not the case as the team lost another game by a double-digit margin, as they fell to the Atlanta Falcons 24-12.

In another disappointing defeat here are the winners and losers from the Week 16 matchup against the Falcons:

Winners

Leonard Fournette

I’ve got to give it to Leonard Fournette, he has been nothing but reliable, consistent and productive in 2019. This offseason, Fournette took a look at himself in the mirror and dedicated himself to the game. He spent some time in Wyoming, preparing himself mentally and physically for the upcoming season and it has worked wonders for the star running back. In 2019, Fournette has gone on to lead the team both in receptions and total yardage.

He’s simply been remarkable. From the talk of much frustration from fans to a fan-favorite, Fournette certainly has put his money where his mouth is. Despite the issues of the Jags’ offensive line Fournette currently is fourth in the league in total yardage, with an astounding 1,674 yards from scrimmage. Against the Falcons, he was once again electric as the back totaled 105 yards on 18 touches. He’s been arguably the team’s best offensive player and figures to be a focal point of the offense going forward.

Tre Herndon

Once again, I have to give credit where credit is due. Herndon hasn’t been a top tier cornerback this season and the Jags can’t expect that out of a player  rushed into a starting line-up after replacing one of the best in the game. However, Tre Herndon has exceeded all expectations set for him. Against 2016 All-Pro Matt Ryan and future Hall of Famer Julio Jones, Herndon was able to nab an under thrown deep ball from Ryan, recording his third pick of the year.

Amazingly, Herndon currently leads the team in interceptions and has proved he deserves a shot to be the team’s No. 2 corner going forward. He still has a lot to learn, but I truly believe Herndon can be a impactful long-term starter for this team.

Losers

Gardner Minshew II

Following the conclusion of the game, I was surprised I was able to come up with two deserving winners from such a disappointing game against the Falcons. The scary part is that the three most important figures in the Jacksonville franchise are listed as losers this week.

In a seemingly never-ending prove it game for Gardner Minshew II, the young gun-slinger was only able to connect on just 13 of his 31 passes for under 200 yards. And while the offensive line play wasn’t the best, he’s found ways to be more productive in the past.

The passing game never seemed to get going and it led to a dismal 12-point performance from the offense. Minshew has certainly played better than we all could have ever hoped for in 2019, however, Minshew must show enough to warrant the spot as the 2020 starting quarterback for Jacksonville. Sunday, he wasn’t able to do that.

Doug Marrone and Dave Caldwell

This one had to sting for Doug Marrone and Dave Caldwell. Before the game, it was reported that both were likely to retain their jobs with the franchise, but a sixth double-digit loss in the last seven weeks certainly doesn’t help their cause. The team is struggling mightily and the staff and front office have one game left to show that they deserve to be spared by owner Shad Khan.

Admittedly, Marrone has been dealt a difficult hand this season no doubt. Some of his best players have been missing for a large part of the season and his quarterback went down in the first ten plays of the season, but that doesn’t mean this season should be dismissed. The team has struggled and there must be accountability for the poor play that the fans have witnessed all season long.

The good, the bad, and the ugly from the Jaguars’ 24-12 loss to the Falcons

The Jacksonville Jaguars unfortunately acquired their seventh double-digit loss season under owner Shad Khan after falling to the Atlanta Falcons Sunday. It was a game in which the Jags got off to another slow start and had to play from behind, …

The Jacksonville Jaguars unfortunately acquired their seventh double-digit loss season under owner Shad Khan after falling to the Atlanta Falcons Sunday. It was a game in which the Jags got off to another slow start and had to play from behind, which clearly isn’t a strength of theirs. In the end, the Falcons ended up covering the spread of 7.5 with ease, winning the game by a score of 24-12.

All of that said, lets take a look at the good, bad, and ugly moments from Sunday’s game against the Dirty Birds:

Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

The good: CB Tre Herndon

In a game where there wasn’t a lot of positives, cornerback Tre Herndon definitely brought his A-game. He was very active Sunday against the Falcons, accumulating three tackles, two pass deflections and a pick on the day.

In the play in which Herndon got the interception, quarterback Matt Ryan was trying to hit Julio Jones deep after a roll out, but Herndon came to help out veteran corner A.J. Bouye and high-pointed the ball. It marked his third of the year and he now leads the team in the category.

Herndon has been gaining confidence since becoming the Jags starter in Jalen Ramsey’s place. That said, he’s made a case to be a starter in 2020 at the cornerback position as there is still plenty of room for him to further develop.

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Postgame analysis: Jags acquire another double-digit loss season after falling to Falcons

The Jags struggles on defense continued against the Falcons and it resulted in their tenth loss of the season.

The Jacksonville Jaguars weren’t able to feed off the momentum they had last week in Oakland and fell to the Atlanta Falcons Sunday by a score of 24-12. The game marked their fifth double-digit loss since the bye week as the Jags fell behind 14-0 in the first quarter and could never recover. It also gave them their seventh double-digit loss season with Shad Khan as owner.

There were issues all over the place, but the defense probably was the biggest one as they allowed quarterback Matt Ryan and company to have success at will. The veteran had 384 passing yards on the day, 166 of which went to Julio Jones, and 82 of which went to Austin Hooper.

Coming into the game, we mentioned how strong the Falcons’ passing game was and they showed why they were the NFL’s fourth-ranked team through the air. Jones especially couldn’t be stopped even with the Jags’ best cornerback, A.J. Bouye, on him.

The Jags also didn’t fare well against the rush. The Falcons’ top rusher on the day, Brian Hill, had seven carries for 66 yards, which was good for a whopping average of 9.4. Their second-leading rusher, Devonta Freeman, had 13 carries for 53 yards (4.1-yard average) on the day and a touchdown.

The Jags also didn’t have a strong day on offense. They were only able to garner a total of 288 total rushing yards in comparison to the 518 the Falcons had. Gardner Minshew II finished the day with 181 passing yards and a touchdown, which went to receiver Chris Conley. The touchdown pass marked the third consecutive scoring connection between the two as they linked up for two touchdown passes last week against the Oakland Raiders. However, it ultimately proved not to be enough.

The Jags now have one game left on the season, which will end what has been a catastrophic year. That game will take place at TIAA Bank Field at 1 p.m. ET on CBS.

Jaguars vs. Falcons: Week 16 Jags Wire staff picks and predictions

The Jacksonville Jaguars made a big change this week in the personnel department when the relieved Tom Coughlin of his duties, which means Doug Marrone and general manager Dave Caldwell are now fighting for their jobs. Standing in their way will be …

The Jacksonville Jaguars made a big change this week in the personnel department when the relieved Tom Coughlin of his duties, which means Doug Marrone and general manager Dave Caldwell are now fighting for their jobs. Standing in their way will be the team Caldwell formerly worked for in the Atlanta Falcons, who also have a 5-9 record but have been on fire as of late.

With a lot on the line for the personnel members of both teams, here are our predictions for Sunday’s game:

James Johnson (@Sportsgrind_Don): Falcons 31, Jags 17

These two teams have endured similar seasons in the sense that they’ve failed to meet expectations and have identical records of 5-9. However, it’s clear the Falcons are the better team and they’ve shown it in their last two games taking out the Carolina Panthers and San Francisco 49ers. They’ve also been a little more competitive than the Jags as of late. All of that in mind, I could see their hot passing defense having their way with the Jags’ defense by utilizing the quick passing game and making the Jags play from behind.

Jacob DeLawrence (@_Jdela): Jags 24, Falcons 23

The Jaguars are headed up the road for a quick trip to face the Falcons. Both teams will enter the game 5-9 and both are coming off surprising wins last week. This matchup is a pick em game at best as both teams have been underwhelming this year and inconsistent. Luckily for the Jaguars, the Falcons haven’t been the best at running the ball this year only averaging 81 yards per game. Hopefully, the defense can keep the Falcons at that average and not near the 140 yards they normally give up on the ground. I could see the Jaguars finding a way to steal this one thanks to a last second field goal.

Daniel Griffis (@GriffisNFL): Falcons 27, Jaguars 16

The Jaguars got the monkey off their back last week against Oakland, ending a five-game losing streak. After struggling mightily earlier in the year, Atlanta has come on strong late, defeating the 49ers last weekend. I think this will be a fun game to watch. DJ Chark Jr. is closing in on 1,000 yards and 10 touchdowns and Gardner Minshew II will have more opportunities to prove he is the 2020 starter. That said, I still believe the Matt Ryan led Falcons come away with this one.

Robert Ricks (@rrickswriting): Falcons 29, Jaguars 19

The Falcons are coming off of two big wins against the San Francisco 49ers and the Carolina Panthers and it’s clear they want to finish the season strong. I expect a huge game out of Matt Ryan. The Jaguars’ offense will possibly have a tough time against a ball-hawking Atlanta defense that has played better as of late.