Here’s a look at the Super Bowl prospects of the Jacksonville Jaguars, who finished the season 3-13.
Jaguars' Super Bowl barometer: Nowhere close.
Assessing the foundation: Jaguars owner Shad Khan has shaken up his team's organizational chart by hiring Tom Coughlin to be the executive vice president of football operations. Coughlin is atop the food chain, having final say on all things relating to football. That means general manager Dave Caldwell, who has built the team over the past four seasons, has lost some power, though both Caldwell and Coughlin said decisions will be handled together. The hope is the new power structure will result in better success with first-round draft picks. Caldwell hit a home run with Jalen Ramsey in 2016, but his first three first-round draft picks haven't exactly worked out as intended. Luke Joeckel (No. 2 overall in 2013) never developed into an elite left tackle and was eventually moved to left guard. Blake Bortles (No. 3 in 2014) had a breakout season in 2015 but regressed in 2016. Dante Fowler Jr. (No. 3 in 2015) missed his rookie season with a torn left ACL and struggled with consistency and maturity issues last season. Coughlin had a lot of success drafting in the first round in his first tenure with the Jaguars (1995-2002). He drafted some of the greatest players in franchise history (Tony Boselli, Fred Taylor, Kevin Hardy, Marcus Stroud, John Henderson).
Judging the quarterback: Here's all you need to know about how tenuous the Jaguars' quarterback situation is: On the day after Khan fired Gus Bradley, Caldwell said the new coach -- Doug Marrone, as it turns out -- would not have to stick with Bortles. It's completely different from the feeling of the previous offseason, when Bortles was coming off a breakout season in which he set season franchise records for passing yards (4,428) and passing touchdowns (35). However, he struggled in 2016. He completed 58.9 percent of his passes for 3,905 yards and 23 touchdowns with 16 interceptions -- which actually is the fewest of his three seasons. He has the most turnovers (63), the second-most interceptions (52) and the second-worst Total QBR of any quarterback since entering the league in 2014. This will be a critical offseason for Bortles, who said he is going to spend 10 weeks in California at the 3DQB training facility and work on his lower-body fundamentals. He also has to improve his decision-making and cut down on interceptions. If he can make progress in those areas, then the Jaguars might be willing to commit to him as the long-term answer at the position.
Realistic ways the Jaguars can improve their chances to contend for a Super Bowl:
Figure out the game plan at quarterback. The Jaguars can, and probably will, bring in additional competition for Bortles this offseason, but no one will know if Bortles is the answer until the 2017 season begins. The Jaguars need to have a backup plan in case he's not the answer -- whether that's already scouting quarterbacks who will be draft-eligible in 2018 or exploring trade options.
Make significant improvements on the offensive line. Every spot, with the possible exception of center, needs an upgrade in performance. Invest heavily in the line in free agency, which is something Caldwell didn't do last offseason, and make it a priority in the draft as well. Other than Bortles' erratic play, the offensive line has arguably been the team's biggest weakness over the past two seasons.
Hit on first-round draft picks. The Jaguars will be picking in the top five for the sixth consecutive year, and they have little to show for the five previous picks. It's time to stop wasting those opportunities.