Thanks to Adam Gase screwing everything up with the New York Jets, the Jacksonville Jaguars landed the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft and used it to pick the No. 1 overall player – Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence.
They now have their QB, their coach in former Florida and Ohio State national championship winner Urban Meyer. What good will it do? Not much this season, probably, but we’re building to the future and the Jags have done as solid a job as anyone with the resources that they had, including signing a ton of free agents to add to one of the weakest rosters in the league.
JACKSONVLLE JAGUARS
Last season: 1-15, 4th place, AFC South
2021 odds: under 6.5 wins -140, over 6.5 wins +110
2021 NFL Draft: Trevor Lawrence, QB, Clemson – Round 1, Travis Etienne, RB, Clemson – Round 1, Tyson Campbell, CB, Georgia – Round 2, Walker Little, OT, Stanford – Round 2, Andre Cisco, Safety, Syracuse – Round 3, Jay Tufele, DT, USC – Round 4, Jordan Smith, DE, UAB – Round 4, Luke Farrell, TE, Ohio State – Round 5, Jalen Camp, WR, Georgia Tecch – Round 6
UDFAs: D.J. Daniel, CB – Georgia, Josh Imatorbhebhe, WR – Illinois, Tim Jones, WR – Southern Mississipi, Dylan Moses, LB – Alabama, Kenny Randall, DT – Charleston, Corey Straughter, C – Louisiana Monroe
Acquisitions: Tim Tebow, TE – Free Agent, Marvin Jones, WR – Free Agent, Malcolm Brown, DL– Trade, Roy Robertson-Harris, DL– Free Agent, Damien Wilson, LB – Free Agent, Carlos Hyde, RB – Free Agent, Pharoh Cooper, WR – Free Agent, Chris Manhertz, TE – Free Agent, Jihad Ward, DL – Free Agent, Phillip Dorsett, WR – Free Agent, Laquon Treadwell, WR – Free Agent, C.J. Beathard, QB – Free Agent, Shaquill Griffin, CB – Free Agent, Rayshawn Jenkins, Safety – Free Agent, Jamal Agnew, CB – Free Agent, Rudy Ford, Safety – Free Agent
Key Losses: D.J. Hayden – CB, Tyler Eifert – TE, Arby Jones – DL, Keelan Cole – WR, Al Woods – DL, Chris Conley – WR, Rashaan Melvin – CB, Chris Thompson – RB, Mike Glennon – QB, Josh Oliver – TE, Josiah Scott – CB, Aaron Lynch – Edge, Caraun Ried – DL, Eric Saubert – TE, Greg Mabin – CB, Dede Westbrook – WR, Quenton Meeks – Safety
PRESUMED STARTERS
QB: Trevor Lawrence
RB: Travis Etienne Jr.
WR: D.J. Chark Jr.
WR: Marvin Jones Jr.
WR: Laviska Shenault Jr.
TE: Chris Manhertz
LT: Cam Robinson
LG: Andrew Norwell
C: Brandon Linder
RG: A.J. Cann
RT: Jawaan Taylor
LDE: Roy Robertson-Harris
NT: Malcolm Brown
RDE: Taven Bryan
OLB: Josh Allen
LILB: Joe Schobert
RILB: Myles Jack
OLB: K’Lavon Chaisson
CB: C.J. Henderson
CB: Shaquill Griffin
SS: Rayshawn Jenkins
FS: Jarrod Wilson
K: Josh Lambo
P: Logan Cooke
FORECAST
The Jags have been set up with success, with a relatively light opening schedule (unless the Denver Broncos can land Aaron Rodgers). They open at the Houston Texans and are already a -2.5 favorite in that game. After that, it’s the aforementioned Broncos then the Arizona Cardinals before traveling to Cincinnati to face the Bengals.
Of course, after that the schedule catches fire with games against the Tennessee Titans, Miami Dolphins, Seattle Seahawks and Buffalo Bills. Jacksonville plays five straight games against teams that finished 2020 with a winning record with its reprieve coming against the San Francisco 49ers, a team that only ended last year with a losing record because every starter from their 2019 Super Bowl team was hurt. It’s going to be a long season is what I’m saying.
Final Record Prediction: 5-12
The NFL season begins on Thursday, Sep. 9 and the Week 1 Schedule is already up and taking bets at BetOnline.AG.
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