By: Robert Craft

TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services

The NFL season is scheduled to kickoff next week.

Thirty-one teams cut down their rosters to field the best team for the 2020 season. The Jacksonville Jaguars are doing the opposite.

The Jaguars traded their best defensive player in Yannick Ngakoue and on Monday they released their best offensive player Leonard Fournette (who was the fourth overall draft pick in 2017).

Dave Caldwell is in his eighth year as the general manager of the Jaguars. Caldwell has drafted six Pro Bowl players during his tenure with the Jags, including DE Josh Allen and DJ Chark Jr.

Let’s look at Caldwell first round draft choices:

2012: Justin Blackmon (suspended for substance abuse, has not played since 2013

2013: Luke Joeckel no longer in the league last played with Seahawks 2017

2014: Blake Bortles cut after five seasons; currently a free agent

2015: Dante Fowler Jr traded to the Rams in 2018; now with the Falcons

2016: Jalen Ramsey traded to the Rams in 2019

2017: Leonard Fournette released after three seasons

Just three short years ago in 2017, the Jags were ten minutes away from the Super Bowl but Tom Brady comeback ended those Jags’ dreams.

Caldwell had the NFL world by the tail, with an AFC Championship Game and a team loaded with young talent on both sides of the ball.

Jag fans, Dave Caldwell isn’t going anywhere, his job is not at risk. After unloading Calais Campbell, AJ Bouye, Marcell Dareus, Yannick Ngakoue and Leonard Fournette, it is clear that the Jags are in complete rebuild mode.

Since Shad Khan bought the team the Jags are 38-90. Do you think Jerry Jones or Robert Kraft would allow this? HELL NO, they would clean house!

The direction of this franchise comes straight from the top. If it was a playoffs or bust directive from Khan after the 2019 end of season, Caldwell would be addressing the team’s needs. Instead, he is gaining draft capital and salary cap relief.

Let’s look at the brightside, Caldwell is one of the best talent evaluators in the business. The Jaguars are stockpiling 2021 draft picks. They currently have 11, including four in the first two rounds.

With the Jags projected to win three or four games, they should be in perfect position to draft a franchise quarterback. Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence and Ohio State’s Justin Fields could be the quarterback the Jags have been searching for since Mark Brunell.

Also, Caldwell deserves credit for putting together the 2017 team that went 10-6. He either drafted or signed six defensive players who made the Pro Bowl or were All-Pro that season.

It is hard to win in the NFL when a team loses so much talent and doesn’t replace it. The Jag’s are on the “Tanking for Trevor” train. This team will be lucky to win 3 games in 2020.

The Jaguars have 11 picks in the 2021 draft.