The Jacksonville Jaguars

[Dapperdan]

All right, we resigned guys from a  5-11 season. Awesome  free agency signings so far:::yawn::::

[duvaldude08]

All right, we resigned guys from a  5-11 season. Awesome  free agency signings so far:::yawn::::

Yeah.... Im pretty blah at this point. Working things out with our free agents are a must, but god no WR yet? Theyve met with Laurent Robinson, but what if a contract doesnt get worked out? All the other WR free agent are almost gone. (that are any good). Unless we give up a first round pick for Wallace from the steelers, were stuck at drafting a WR and that scares me. Another Cecil Shorts will really not help us right now. We have NO experience in our wide receiver core that we currently have.

[Dapperdan]

We have 40 million to spend. SPEND IT!!!

[Non-RedNeck Westsider]

You guys are depressing, LOL.

Hurry up March, 28!

[Dapperdan]

I know free agency is  alot of hype, but I am just tired of other teams grabbing the big players year after year, and we pick up second and third tier guys. Just give us a little something to get excited about. Mario is still out there, so there is some hope.

[Wacca Pilatka]

I know free agency is  alot of hype, but I am just tired of other teams grabbing the big players year after year, and we pick up second and third tier guys. Just give us a little something to get excited about. Mario is still out there, so there is some hope.

How many big players were really out there, though?  Mario and Vincent Jackson and that's about it.  Most of the looming big-name free agents re-signed with their teams before FA started.  You can't fault the Jags for not signing, e.g., Dwayne Bowe when he never hit the market.

[Non-RedNeck Westsider]

I know free agency is  alot of hype, but I am just tired of other teams grabbing the big players year after year, and we pick up second and third tier guys. Just give us a little something to get excited about. Mario is still out there, so there is some hope.

This article is relevant because so many here don't seem to understand the Draft & Develop philosophy that is being implemented.  I understand wanting a competitive team, but you don't break the bank on bad FA pickups.(read expensive aging veterans a la Jerry Porter)  You build a team through the draft and that takes several years of solid drafting - we're only in year 4, and to date, we've done well.  Not exceptional, but not bad - they'be been solid and safe - no big misses in the early rounds.  Gene Smith still can't take risky picks because it will set us back farther than if we only get a solid (not superstar) starter for 5-6 years.

I've bolded what I find is really relevant to our situation.

Roster holes point to possible free agent signings

7:03 PM, Mar. 10, 2012  |   Written by Pete Dougherty
Green Bay Press-Gazette

The Green Bay Packers could be looking at filling three starting jobs this offseason.

Free agency begins at 3 p.m. Tuesday, and there’s a chance center Scott Wells will leave for another team. Before the end of the month, the Packers expect to find out whether Pro Bowl safety Nick Collins will have to retire because of a neck injury. And the team went into the offseason knowing it needs better pass rushing at outside linebacker opposite Clay Matthews than it had last season.

If all three positions are open, it raises at least the possibility that Ted Thompson, the ultimate draft-and-develop general manager in the NFL, will sign the Packers’ first significant free agent since 2006, when Thompson brought in cornerback Charles Woodson and defensive tackle Ryan Pickett.

Thompson for the past several years has filled starting openings with young players on his roster or draft picks, but there are no obvious successors at any of those positions, and filling all three spots in one draft would be difficult.

“You’d have to do well in the draft to do that,” Thompson said this week. “But we’ll get there by hook or crook.”

Thompson’s aversion to the risks of overpaying in free agency is part of his modus operandi. In the last three offseasons, he’s signed one unrestricted free agent, and that barely registered on the radar: In 2009, guard-center Duke Preston received $200,000 in bonuses, then failed to make the Packers’ roster.

In seven offseasons as GM, Thompson has paid the 10 unrestricted free agents he’s signed a total of $19.5 million in bonuses â€" that’s as much as many teams have spent on one free agent â€" plus another $8.4 million in salary to the seven that made the team. The bulk of those bonuses went to two players: Woodson ($9 million) and Pickett ($5 million).

Thompson’s last free-agent signing of note was in 2008, when he brought Brandon Chillar into the linebacker rotation with bonuses of $1.86 million as part of a two-year deal worth $5.2 million. In ’07, Thompson rented cornerback Frank Walker for a season at $1.186 million. In ’06, safety Marquand Manuel ($2 million in bonuses, $960,000 base salary), linebacker Ben Taylor ($80,000 in bonuses, $585,000 base salary) and receiver Marc Boerigter ($182,700 in bonuses, cut in training camp) joined Woodson and Pickett as part of a five-man free-agent class. And in ’05, Thompson’s first year as Packers GM, he signed guards Adrian Klemm ($800,000 bonus, $600,000 salary) and Matt O’Dwyer ($25,000 bonus, cut in camp).

These guys are pretty good, too.  They've also been 'Drafting and Developing' for eight seasons, now, and will probably continue to be lurking deep in the playoffs year after year.  They also had the luxury of Brett Favre (Trade with Atlanta, pre-Ted Thompson) & Aaron Rodgers (Drafted, post Ted Thompson).  If Blaine becomes the player we drafted him to be, then I would be willing to bet some adult beverages that we will start getting more 'splashy' names in the draft and even fewer during FA. 

The big question 2 years ago was why we didn't draft JPP?  He had worries.   There were issues coming out of college, so GS went for the safe pick over the splash.  You can't fault him.  You also have to ask yourself if JPP would have been as successful here as he is playing with Osi & Tuck.  And you can't knock the fact that Alualu is a 'solid' player, just not the name that everyone wants.

[Dapperdan]

I think solid and safe is the problem here. I think many people are just tired of that. Even Khan said our drafting has been a  huge problem. Every year is a  rebuilding year, and that just gets old.

[Non-RedNeck Westsider]

Even Khan said our drafting has been a  huge problem.

Care to source that or are you just making stuff up?  Because if Khan had said or thought that, then Gene Smith would have been shown the door.  Instead, he got a 3 year extension - approved by Khan, so obviously, HIS drafting hasn't been a problem.

[duvaldude08]

Even Khan said our drafting has been a  huge problem.

Care to source that or are you just making stuff up?  Because if Khan had said or thought that, then Gene Smith would have been shown the door.  Instead, he got a 3 year extension - approved by Khan, so obviously, HIS drafting hasn't been a problem.

Weaver gave Gene extension before he gave up the team. Never heard Khan "approved" it. If thats the case, did he "approve" firing Del Rio? I dont think Khan had anything to do with that.

[Kaiser Soze]

Even Khan said our drafting has been a  huge problem.

Care to source that or are you just making stuff up?  Because if Khan had said or thought that, then Gene Smith would have been shown the door.  Instead, he got a 3 year extension - approved by Khan, so obviously, HIS drafting hasn't been a problem.

Weaver gave Gene extension before he gave up the team. Never heard Khan "approved" it. If thats the case, did he "approve" firing Del Rio? I dont think Khan had anything to do with that.

Khan could have fired Smith if he wanted to.  His contract is not that great.

[duvaldude08]

I know free agency is  alot of hype, but I am just tired of other teams grabbing the big players year after year, and we pick up second and third tier guys. Just give us a little something to get excited about. Mario is still out there, so there is some hope.

How many big players were really out there, though?  Mario and Vincent Jackson and that's about it.  Most of the looming big-name free agents re-signed with their teams before FA started.  You can't fault the Jags for not signing, e.g., Dwayne Bowe when he never hit the market.

But you would think with us having the WORSE offense in the NFL we would be a little more aggresive than we are. We are like the complete opposite of what we were during free agency last year. Thus far, they have gotten nothing accomplished but re-signing the defensive free agents a few on offense. They beter have a rabbit in their hat because its not looking too good so far. ( on the offensive side of them ball). And  I hope they are not depending on the draft. We dont have the best and I dont see why we would keep drafting rookies. That would mean were going to re-build AGAIN.

[Non-RedNeck Westsider]

...why we would keep drafting rookies. That would mean were going to re-build AGAIN.

Because pros aren't eligible for the draft.   

[duvaldude08]

...why we would keep drafting rookies. That would mean were going to re-build AGAIN.

Because pros aren't eligible for the draft.   

But you get my point though. You would think with all the money we have AND are required to spend to this cap this year they would be doing whatever it takes to get our offense right.... You know I dont usually rant about stuff liek this but I am puzzled and confused at what they are thinking... I just hope they are having fun sitting on their hands. We will see what unfolds, but I dont think it will be much 

[Dapperdan]

Even Khan said our drafting has been a  huge problem.

Care to source that or are you just making stuff up?  Because if Khan had said or thought that, then Gene Smith would have been shown the door.  Instead, he got a 3 year extension - approved by Khan, so obviously, HIS drafting hasn't been a problem.

It was the same Interview where he said he would have drated  Tebow. “I don’t want to get into 20/20 hindsight, and God help us, the draft record has not been the best with the Jaguars,” Khan said.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/02/02/shahid-khan-said-hed-have-drafted-tebow-for-jaguars/

So, I guess I was not making that up, and yes, he should have been shown the door.