Examining Jacksonville Jaguars' Offseason and Key Preseason Positional Battles

The Jacksonville Jaguars picked a bad year to be a bad football team.

After finishing 2-14 a season ago, Jacksonville entered the 2013 NFL draft with the No. 2 overall pick and the need for a surefire franchise quarterback. They came away from the first round with a Pro Bowl-caliber offensive tackle, but the quarterback position remained unaddressed.

For all the talk of Blaine Gabbert’s futility in his first two NFL seasons, the Jaguars showed enough faith in him to not select a quarterback this offseason. With Chad Henne in the fold, it will be Gabbert’s job to lose—though it may be his last chance if Jacksonville stumbles to another disappointing season and a selection at the top of the 2014 draft.

Things didn’t get off to a good start in training camp as Gabbert sprained his ankle, per SportsCenter, but Ed Werder of ESPN labeled the injury as “not serious,” and Gabbert should be back in the quarterback mix soon enough.

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Jaguars QB Blaine Gabbert sprains ankle at practice. He will be evaluated over the next two days.

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) July 29, 2013"

Opting to not select a quarterback this year was both a good and bad thing for the Jaguars. Gabbert understands he’ll have another chance to shoulder the offense this season, but Jacksonville doesn’t have much of a safety net apart from Henne.

Still, general manager David Caldwell didn’t exactly neglect the team’s offense this offseason. If all goes according to plan, Gabbert should have plenty of help.    

Along with the free-agent additions of running back Justin Forsett and wide receiver Mohamed Massaquoi, Caldwell selected wide receiver Ace Sanders and versatile offensive weapon Denard Robinson in the draft. Additionally, three-time All-Pro running back Maurice Jones-Drew will be back in the fold after missing 10 games in 2012.

Michael Kelly of WJXT Sports tweeted a picture of MJD at practice, and as noted in an Associated Press report via ESPN, the 28-year-old didn’t experience any pain or apprehension when getting back into the mix.

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Maurice Jones-Drew catching a quick break in between offensive reps. #Jaguars #trainingcamp pic.twitter.com/sMpsixugs9

— Michael Kelly (@MichaelLKelly) July 26, 2013"

Jones-Drew has been a huge part of Jacksonville’s offense since he was drafted in the second round in 2006, and without the star rusher in the backfield last season, the team’s offense grinded to a halt. For Gabbert and the rest of the offense to be successful this year, Jones-Drew has to come back healthy and prepared.

Jacksonville lost fullback Greg Jones and running backs Rashad Jennings and Jalen Parmele this offseason (as well as wide receiver Laurent Robinson and offensive lineman Eben Britton), and the offense is going to need some time to gel prior to the season. An improved offensive line should help in that process, though.

With the second pick in the draft, Jacksonville selected offensive tackle Luke Joeckel—a player long believed to be the Kansas City Chiefs’ No. 1 choice with the first overall pick. Teams don’t often use a top selection on a player who will line up at right tackle in his formative seasons, but pairing Joeckel with Eugene Monroe should pay huge dividends for the entire offense line.

But Caldwell’s focus on the offensive side of the ball was limited to a few key moves. What he did on the defensive side was an all-encompassing effort to shore up a unit that finished 30th in the NFL in total defense last season.

After losing cornerbacks Derek Cox, Rashean Mathis, Aaron Ross and William Middleton and safety Dawan Landry, Caldwell went to work to replenish the team’s secondary with some young talent via free agency and the draft, including second-round safety Jonathan Cyprien.

Caldwell also signed free-agent corners Marcus Trufant and Alan Ball and drafted Dwayne Gratz, Jeremy Harris and Demetrius McCary in April. A lot of question marks remain, but Jacksonville’s secondary certainly has some potential this season.

We’ll take a closer look at many of those offseason moves in the following slideshow, as well as some positions to watch and a season outlook for the Jaguars in 2013. Read on.

2013 NFL Draft

Round 1 (Pick 2): OT Luke Joeckel, Texas A&M

Round 2 (Pick 33): S Jonathan Cyprien, Florida International

Round 3 (Pick 64): CB Dwayne Gratz, Connecticut

Round 4 (Pick 101): WR Ace Sanders, South Carolina

Round 5 (Pick 135): RB/WR Denard Robinson, Michigan

Round 6 (Pick 169): S Josh Evans, Florida

Round 7 (Pick 208): CB Jeremy Harris, New Mexico State

Round 7 (Pick 210): CB Demetrius McCray, Appalachian State

Grade: B

Without a surefire franchise quarterback in the 2013 draft class, Dave Caldwell didn’t have an easy choice with the second overall pick.

Many expected the Jaguars to take the safe approach in selecting a talented pass-rusher like Dion Jordan or a disruptive defensive tackle like Star Lotulelei or Sharrif Floyd. Instead, Caldwell opted for arguably the best player in the 2013 draft class in Luke Joeckel.

Joeckel is a tremendous pass-blocker in the mold of Cleveland Browns All-Pro left tackle Joe Thomas. While he likely won’t be seeing much time on the left side this year, it was a wise decision to lock him up and create one of the better bookend combos in the NFL.

With a rookie wage scale in place in the NFL's current collective bargaining agreement, Joeckel isn’t making franchise left tackle money. As such, Jacksonville should feel good about locking him up with the second pick, regardless of where he starts in his formative years with the team.

In the second round, Caldwell again keyed in on value with the selection of Florida International safety Jonathan Cyprien—a player some considered the best safety in the class behind Texas’ Kenny Vaccaro.

Cyprien is a violent hitter with the speed, quickness, ball skills and range to play either NFL safety position. After Cyprien fell out of the first round, Caldwell had a fairly easy decision to make.

The first-year GM continued addressing the team’s secondary in the next five rounds, locking up a trio of corners and a safety with four of his last six picks. Given the team’s futility against the pass last season (22nd in the NFL) and the aforementioned departures of Cox, Mathis, Ross and Landry, addressing the defensive backfield was a necessity.

Cyprien and Dwayne Gratz are both in line for starting roles this season, and Josh Evans, Demetrius McCray and Jeremy Harris aren’t far behind. When unproven talent is plentiful, coaches have plenty of options to explore.

The final two picks in Caldwell’s draft consisted of South Carolina receiver Ace Sanders and former Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson, both of whom may see considerable playing time this season.

Sanders joins an unproven receiving corps led by former first-round pick Justin Blackmon—who is suspended for the first four games of the regular season and is coming off of groin surgery—and 2012 leading receiver Cecil Shorts (979 yards and seven touchdowns). Free-agent acquisition Mohamed Massaquoi will likely tie down the No. 3 receiver role, but Sanders will be in the mix for No. 4 and No. 5 consideration.

Robinson is perhaps the most intriguing member of the Jaguars’ 2013 draft class, though.

After transitioning to running back at the end of last season, the diminutive signal-caller made it abundantly clear he has a future in an NFL offense. That future probably won’t include time under center, but as noted by Cecil Lammey of ESPN and Pro Football Talk’s Twitter account, Robinson has been impressive this offseason and has been seeing some time working in the Wildcat package:

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per @ryanohalloran #Jaguars OW Denard Robinson drawing lots of praise http://t.co/dZ7JuBaira 1 of the more exciting rookies to watch this yr

— Cecil Lammey (@cecillammey) July 17, 2013"

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Denard Robinson getting some early work in the Wildcat http://t.co/1QS4V40szi

— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) July 30, 2013"

The Jaguars may not use him excessively this season, but Robinson does add an interesting wrinkle to an offense that churned out just 4,788 total yards last season.

In all, it was a solid draft class for Caldwell in his first offseason at the helm, and he did enough to suggest fans will see some positive results from the 2013 draft class going forward.

Gabbert's Last Go?

As important as Maurice Jones-Drew is to Jacksonville’s offense, the team’s success this year is going to hinge on the play of its quarterbacks.   

Gabbert made some strides last season in completing 58.3 percent of his passes and throwing just six interceptions in 10 games, but he’s never shown the consistency the team likely hoped for in his formative seasons.

Still, the Missouri product hasn’t had a strong supporting cast through two NFL seasons, and he’s firmly entrenched in a situation that was a little unstable from the start.

Starting tight end Mercedes Lewis was extremely supportive of Gabbert in an NFL Network interview recently, and it seems the team’s top red-zone target is expecting big things of his quarterback in 2013:

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I’m proud of him, regardless of what others may think. I know how hard it is for him, and I know he puts a lot of pressure on himself to be great. It’s him and Chad Henne. They’re battling and the way he’s just stayed focused, put his head down and pinned his ears back, I think when it’s time to go and the season starts, he’ll be ready.

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As unimpressive as Gabbert has been to this point, he’s still just 23 and hasn’t been afforded the same offensive weapons as many young signal-callers. It may not be a happy thought for Jaguars fans, but Gabbert is going to get another chance to prove himself in 2013.

The presence of Chad Henne makes Gabbert’s starting role a little easier to handle, though.

Despite throwing six interceptions in his final two games, the 28-year-old signal-caller showed some signs of life throughout the season, starting with a 354-yard, four-touchdown effort in an overtime loss to the Houston Texans on Nov. 18. The numbers from that game don’t accurately represent what the team is going to get from him should he step in for Gabbert, but they do highlight his potential for some big performances.

Consistency has always been an issue for Henne, though, and he’s not exactly a high-caliber starting option. As daunting as it may be, Jacksonville needs Gabbert to make massive strides this season.

Beyond Gabbert and Henne, the Jaguars have little experience to speak of. Former Philadelphia Eagles backup Mike Kafka holds the No. 3 spot on the depth chart, but if the Jaguars are forced to go to him at any point this season, a lot will have already gone wrong.

Fans understand the reality of the situation. Gabbert is playing out his final chance with the team and there is likely to be a lot of quarterback talent in the 2014 NFL draft class. Should things fall apart again this season, Gabbert probably won’t be back in the starting role next season.

Secondary Overhaul

Jacksonville recorded just 12 interceptions a season ago, due in large part to injuries and inconsistency in its secondary. With changes to the team’s coaching staff, things should be a little different this year.

New head coach Gus Bradley is a defensive wizard who, while he won’t be focusing just on defense, understands what makes a unit effective.

As quoted by Ryan O’Halloran of The Florida Times-Union, Bradley expects defensive backs coach DeWayne Walker to do some good things with his team’s young secondary:

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We’re going to be aggressive in nature and the aggressiveness comes from being able to play press. He’s a really good technician, totally believes in our techniques and is really good with the young guys. They’re responding to them already. Those “young guys” include five rookie draft picks, two of whom could be starting when the regular season kicks off.

"

With the mass exodus of veteran cornerbacks this offseason, Jacksonville will likely be starting rookie third-rounder Dwayne Gratz opposite free-agent acquisition Marcus Trufant—a player with whom Bradley is familiar after coaching him in Seattle.

Trufant wasn’t a major contributor in his last two seasons with the Seahawks, but he has the experience and veteran leadership to play a big role in Jacksonville’s secondary this year. With a bevy of fresh faces at cornerback and safety, Trufant will be tasked with mentoring the young guys while locking down the No. 1 corner role.

Gratz has the size (5’11”, 201 pounds), speed (4.47 40-yard dash) and physicality to hold up well in Jacksonville’s press-heavy schemes. The Connecticut product can be overly aggressive at times, but if that’s his biggest issue at the NFL level, Bradley can’t be all that upset.

Gratz is excited for the opportunity, and if he remains true to his word, Jaguars fans should be at least a little excited as well, as quoted by Ken Hornack of FoxSportsFlorida.com:

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Knowing that people won't notice my skills motivates me. I just want to go out there and show them what type of player I am. You might not see it right away, or you might not even notice me. But I'm going to do my job the best I can. You're going to know me as someone who works hard, someone who's coachable, and someone who's going to go out there and try his best and do his best.

"

Behind Gratz, Jacksonville’s depth chart features a ton of inexperience and a couple players in position to make a name for themselves this season, including free-agent acquisition Alan Ball and rookies Mike Harris and Demetrius McCray.

Ball played five seasons for the Dallas Cowboys before signing with the Houston Texans last season. He didn’t see much action in 2012 (one start), but he’s the type of big, physical corner who will fit well in Jacksonville’s press-man coverages.

Harris and McCray wouldn’t typically be considered candidates for the nickel and sub-package roles after being selected in the seventh round, but the Jaguars don’t have much experience to rely on. As it stands, both could be on the game-day roster when the season starts, potentially as the team’s No. 4 and No. 5 corners.

Similarly, the safety position was shuffled this offseason as Dawan Landry exited in favor of Jonathan Cyprien. As noted by O’Halloran, Cyprien should be the starting strong safety by Week 1:

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The likely starter at strong safety who said he is also comfortable playing deep middle. A thumper who has looked the part against his fellow rookies, the Jaguars are expected to use him close to the line of scrimmage.

"

That comes as little surprise given the high draft selection the Jaguars used on him. Cyprien is extremely versatile and looked terrific in offseason workouts and at the Senior Bowl in January. Provided he doesn’t experience any setbacks prior to the season, it looks like Cyprien will be a huge contributor in Jacksonville’s secondary.

Dwight Lowery will return as the team’s starting free safety, but sixth-rounder Josh Evans stands to play a sizable role in the secondary should either player spend any time on the shelf. But behind Evans, there isn’t much depth to speak of.

Still, the Jaguars have made it clear they will be relying on young talent this season. As a result, Bradley, Walker and defensive coordinator Bob Babich will be shouldering a lot of pressure to get big results from their youthful talent.

D-Line Rotation

Just like their secondary, the Jaguars revamped their defensive line this offseason with size and youth.

After finishing the 2012 campaign last in the NFL in sacks (20) and 30th in rushing defense, something had to change.

As noted by O’Halloran, Jacksonville is going to feature a lot of fresh faces on its defensive line this season, including a few big space-eating defensive tackles:

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Nine of the 15 linemen on the roster are new. Among the projected four starters, only Tyson Alualu returns from last August … and he’s playing a new position.

Through veteran and rookie free agency and the waiver wire, the Jaguars added size (six of the seven tackles are 300 or more pounds) and youth (only three are older than 27).

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Jason Babin and Sen’Derrick Marks are among the only veteran linemen in the group, and both should be in line for starting roles and significant playing time this season.

Roy Miller, Brandon Deaderick and Kyle Love will add some additional depth to the defensive tackle rotation, while Babin joins Tyson Alualu, Jeremy Mincey and Andre Branch in the defensive end rotation.

Gus Bradley employed an aggressive hybrid defensive front in Seattle, and while he won’t be at the helm of Jacksonville’s defense this season, it’s fairly obvious he’ll have a hand in implementing some of his old schemes in Jacksonville this year.

Bradley used a Leo rusher on a regular basis in Seattle—a player tasked with lining up all over the defensive front as a primary pass-rusher and edge-setter. Many expected Dave Caldwell to select Oregon pass-rusher Dion Jordan in the draft to use in that role, but as it stands, Branch and Babin should platoon at the position.

Per by O’Halloran, defensive line coach Todd Wash is simply focused on getting his rotation set as those “seven or eight players” begin to gel.

The starting lineup if far from set, but Jacksonville certainly has some depth to work with on the defensive line. With extra size and considerable youth in place, the Jaguars have the potential to be much more stout against the run and more aggressive against the pass in 2013.

2013 Schedule

2013 Jacksonville Jaguars Schedule
Week	Date	Opponent	Time	TV
1	Sept. 8	vs. Kansas City Chiefs	1 p.m.	CBS
2	Sept. 15	@ Oakland Raiders	4:25 p.m.	CBS
3	Sept. 22	@ Seattle Seahawks	4:25 p.m.	CBS
4	Sept. 29	vs. Indianapolis Colts	1 p.m.	CBS
5	Oct. 6	@ St. Louis Rams	1 p.m.	CBS
6	Oct. 13	@ Denver Broncos	4:05 p.m.	CBS
7	Oct. 20	vs. San Diego Chargers	1 p.m.	CBS
8	Oct. 27	vs. San Francisco 49ers	1 p.m.	FOX
9	Nov. 3	BYE	N/A	N/A
10	Nov. 10	@ Tennessee Titans	1 p.m.	CBS
11	Nov. 17	vs. Arizona Cardinals	1 p.m.	FOX
12	Nov. 24	@ Houston Texans	1 p.m.	CBS
13	Dec. 1	@ Cleveland Browns	1 p.m.	CBS
14	Dec. 5	vs. Houston Texans	8:25 p.m.	NFL
15	Dec. 15	vs. Buffalo Bills	1 p.m.	CBS
16	Dec. 22	vs. Tennessee Titans	1 p.m.	CBS
17	Dec. 29	@ Indianapolis Colts	1 p.m.	CBS

*For a complete look at Jacksonville's 2013 schedule, check out NFL.com.

Season Outlook

With a new coaching staff and question marks at several positions (including under center), it’s hard to envision a scenario where the Jaguars make a massive turnaround and become a playoff team in 2013.

That said, Dave Caldwell did some solid work in his first offseason with the reins, infusing some young talent and clearing out some of the biggest issues that doomed the Jaguars last season. It probably won’t be enough to make Jacksonville a contender, but it was a good start to the process.

If Maurice Jones-Drew is healthy and Justin Blackmon returns full speed from his suspension, Jacksonville’s offense has a chance to be a much better unit this year, but success will still hinge on how much Blaine Gabbert has improved this offseason.

On the defensive side of the ball, big changes mean the potential for either a big improvement or a massive failure. It’s too early to tell which scenario will play out, but for fans with a cautiously optimistic outlook, there’s reason to be hopeful.

Prediction: 6-10, Fourth in AFC South

After a 2-14 campaign of a season ago, the Jaguars have nowhere to go but up.

Unfortunately, their 2013 schedule is laden with quality opponents, including the division rival Houston Texans and Indianapolis Colts and non-divisional foes in the Denver Broncos, Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers.

Jacksonville does face some winnable matchups against the Oakland Raiders, Buffalo Bills and Cleveland Browns, but as a whole, the 2013 slate is going to be tough to traverse.

Realistically, the Jaguars could win anywhere from four to eight games this season, but a lot has to go right for Jacksonville to wind up at the top of that spectrum. As it stands, expect to see some progress in the win column paired with some areas that still need drastic improvement.