The Jaguars are continuing their seemingly futile attempt to climb back to respectability. They’ve endured double-digit losses six years in a row, tying for the 3rd-longest streak in NFL history. Plenty of key draft picks and free agent signings will come in the next few months, but they’re starting with the offensive line.
Left tackle has been a problem spot. They selected Luke Joeckel No. 2 overall, but he’s been a disaster – they’ve either failed to properly develop him, or he’s simply been a bust.
They signed Kelvin Beachum a year ago. He had been pretty good for the Steelers but missed most of the 2015 season with a torn ACL. Beachum generally met expectations as a functional left tackle, but the Jaguars have now decided against picking up his option. An ESPN story suggests if the Jaguars had picked up Beachum’s option, they would have had to guarantee him $7.5 million this year and $5.5 million of his contract for 2018. They might want him back, but not at that price.
The Jaguars allowed only 34 sacks last year (their lowest total in 9 years) but couldn’t do much on the ground. So if ranking the starting left tackles, Beachum probably would come in somewhere around 25th – good enough that he’ll probably start somewhere, but not a player you want to commit a bunch of money to.
Jacksonville would like to replace him with Brandon Albert. Albert is probably a top-10 left tackle, but the Dolphins would like to move him for financial reasons. He’s due almost $11 million this year. Miami drafted Laremy Tunsil in the first round last year, and he’s probably ready to be even better (and he’s also a lot cheaper).
So the Dolphins and Jaguars are working on an Albert trade. Reportedly, it will be for a late-round pick in 2018.
Jacksonville would supposedly also like to get rid of Julius Thomas, but he won’t be part of this deal. They signed him to a five-year deal worth $46 million, but Thomas has fallen well short of expectations so far – hasn’t been the difference-making tight end they were hoping for.
Thomas in the last two years has caught 76 passes for 736 yards. That’s on 131 targets, working out to 5.6 yards per pass play. Of the 29 tight ends who’ve seen at least 100 passes in the last two seasons, that’s the lowest.
| TIGHT END EFFECTIVENESS (2015-16) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Tgt | Rec | Yards | Avg/Tgt |
| Rob Gronkowski, N.E. | 158 | 97 | 1,716 | 10.86 |
| Travis Kelce, K.C. | 220 | 157 | 2,000 | 9.09 |
| Jimmy Graham, Sea. | 169 | 113 | 1,528 | 9.04 |
| Greg Olsen, Car. | 253 | 157 | 2,177 | 8.60 |
| Cameron Brate, T.B. | 111 | 80 | 948 | 8.54 |
| Zach Miller, Chi. | 110 | 81 | 925 | 8.41 |
| Tyler Eifert, Cin. | 121 | 81 | 1,009 | 8.34 |
| Jordan Reed, Wash. | 203 | 153 | 1,638 | 8.07 |
| Eric Ebron, Det. | 155 | 108 | 1,248 | 8.05 |
| Delanie Walker, Tenn. | 235 | 159 | 1,888 | 8.03 |
| Gary Barnidge, Clev. | 207 | 134 | 1,655 | 8.00 |
| Jacob Tamme, Atl. | 112 | 81 | 867 | 7.74 |
| Zach Ertz, Phil. | 218 | 153 | 1,669 | 7.66 |
| Ben Watson, N.O. | 110 | 74 | 825 | 7.50 |
| Martellus Bennett, Chi.-N.E. | 153 | 108 | 1,140 | 7.45 |
| Jason Witten, Dall. | 199 | 146 | 1,386 | 6.96 |
| Jared Cook, L.A.-G.B. | 126 | 69 | 858 | 6.81 |
| Coby Fleener, Ind.-N.O. | 165 | 104 | 1,122 | 6.80 |
| Clive Walford, Oak. | 102 | 61 | 688 | 6.75 |
| Antonio Gates, S.D. | 178 | 109 | 1,178 | 6.62 |
| Charles Clay, Buff. | 164 | 108 | 1,080 | 6.59 |
| Kyle Rudolph, Minn. | 205 | 132 | 1,335 | 6.51 |
| Will Tye, NYG | 132 | 90 | 859 | 6.51 |
| C.J. Fiedorowicz, Hou. | 113 | 71 | 726 | 6.42 |
| Ryan Griffin, Hou. | 108 | 70 | 693 | 6.42 |
| Lance Kendricks, L.A. | 123 | 75 | 744 | 6.05 |
| Dennis Pitta, Balt. | 121 | 86 | 729 | 6.02 |
| Richard Rodgers, G.B. | 132 | 88 | 781 | 5.92 |
| Julius Thomas, Jac. | 131 | 76 | 736 | 5.62 |
—Ian Allan