Jaguars Mailbag: What Can the Jaguars Learn From the Chiefs?

Throughout the offseason, we will be taking questions on the biggest questions facing the Jacksonville Jaguars.

You can submit your questions every week by tweeting them to the Jaguar Report Twitter handle or by submitting them here.

This week we take questions on the Kansas City Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes, the 2024 draft, and more.

Q: On a scale of 1 to 10, how realistic is a tee Higgins Trevor Lawrence reunion in Jacksonville?

A: 1, because I don't think for a second the Bengals and all of their cap space will allow Tee Higgins to actually become a free-agent.

Q: You've pushed for a CB @17; which CB's have to be gone before you switch and who would be your alternate pick?

A: I think each of Terrion Arnold, Nate Wiggins, and Quinyon Mitchell would probably be the three players I would say you can't pass on. After that, I think Jackson Powers-Johnson and Jer'Zhan Newton might be the best trench players available.

Q: Have there been any developments on filling the offensive coaching positions?

A: There aren't many positions to fill. They don't have to hire a new passing game coordinator since not every staff has one. The only other roles are running backs coach and assistant offensive line coach. The Jaguars like to announce their hirings all at once, so I would expect those to become public once the Jaguars have all their ducks in a row.

Q: Can the Jags sign Ridley 3 yr $50 mil, Allen 4 yr $100 mil and still have room next year for Trevor 5 yr $250 mil?

A: Yes. The Jaguars are projected to have north of $136 million in cap space in 2025. This number goes down with a few extensions and signings, but the Jaguars will easily have enough money to hand Trevor Lawrence a big contract whenever they deem it necessary.

Q: Do you think the Jags cut Cam Robinson, extend him, or ride out the last year of his deal? Same question for Darious Williams. Could the Jags restructure either player’s contract, keeping it as a 1 year deal but lowering their 2024 cap hit at the expense of void years?

A: My gut right now says they ride it out with Darious Williams and cut Cam Robinson. They have no real money tied up to Robinson anymore and this is the perfect offseason to make moves along the offensive line considering the talent set to be available in the draft and free-agency. Williams had such a good year in 2023 that I do not think the Jaguars part ways, even if it makes sense in some aspects.

Q: If you exchanged Mahomes for Lawrence, where would each team's record be?

A: I think the Jaguars would have the records the Chiefs have now, while the Chiefs likely would have been around 10-7 this season. Mahomes is obviously a few wins here or there more valuable.

Q: Any real concern with Press Taylor and/or Trent Baalke or is it just Twitter talk?

A: Define concern. I don't think it is just a rumor from Albert Breer since, in my eyes, Trent Baalke more or less said he has several issues with the offense last month. But I also do not think it matters that much if the offensive coordinator and general manager are on the same page.

Q: Does it even matter if this off-season goes perfectly for the Jaguars? With Mahomes playing lights out in every playoff game in my opinion the Jaguars won’t ever win as long as Mahomes is around.

A: Of course it matters. Every team has a chance to make a run if they can get into the playoffs, even with Patrick Mahomes being the most dominant winner since Tom Brady. Still, if the Bengals were able to get past them once, why can't another team? It is difficult, but not impossible.

Q: Why does every good or great player we have end up in a fight with the coach or front office? It has to be the front office since you don’t see this happening to every other team.

A: I don't think I would consider the Josh Allen situation a "fight". It is contract negotiations, which are rarely smooth. If you remember from training camp, Evan Engram implied he didn't have the smoothest process either. It is just a nature of the beast, and I don't think this is close to a Jalen Ramsey or Yannick Ngakoue situation. I do think the Jaguars have, in large part rightfully, earned the reputation around the league of a team that too often gets into these situations.

Q: It feels difficult to be positive about the future of the franchise with Baalke in charge. Is there any hope with him running the show?

A: For sure. The Jaguars just took the Chiefs to the wire in the AFC Divisional Round a year ago with Trent Baalke at the helm. The 49ers went to multiple NFC Championship games with him, too. I disagree with a lot of his moves, but he alone can't hold a team back from competing.

Q: How concerned should the Jaguars fanbase have to be about the whole Josh Allen situation?

A: I don't think very, but mostly because there just isn't reason to be concerned with something you have no control over. I think Allen will, obviously, play for the Jaguars next year. Use that for now.

Q: On the o-line, who do you see staying as a starter next year, and who will be gone, and of the ones leaving which are more likely to be addressed in free agency and which one(s) in the draft?

A: I personally think they move on from Brandon Scherff, re-sign Ezra Cleveland, and find a replacement for Luke Fortner. Addressing guard in the draft makes the most sense, while the Jaguars could go for a veteran center to ensure they have a raised floor at the position.