In 2024, will Josh Allen still be a member of the Jaguars?
Jackson, Tennessee Josh Allen, a linebacker with the Jaguars, has made it plain that he wishes to remain in Jacksonville during the last few months. Allen wants to stay involved in helping the team that selected him with the seventh overall pick in 2019 transform from a losing squad into a regular contender.
“My style is legacy,” Allen declared. “I have a fantastic opportunity to continue leaving a legacy here, and I will do all in my power to uphold that.
“I play the game because I love it, that’s all.” Not everyone engages in the game. They make decisions, and once they are made, they cannot be changed. That’s why I let God be God and let everything work out. I exerted all of my effort. I completed what I could, and my agent would take care of the rest.
Allen is seen as one of the top upcoming free agents this summer following a great season in which he broke the Jaguars’ franchise record for sacks in a single season (17.5). What is the significance of the Jaguars getting him back? Does it matter whether they do it through an extension or franchise tag?
All NFL executives discuss the value of developing through the draft. The Jaguars’ 2017 run to the AFC Championship Game was fueled by their reliance on free agency when building their team, but this approach isn’t sustainable. The NFL relies on player development and selection to achieve consistent success.
That’s how reputable franchises run. These clubs have a core group of players that they cultivated through the draft, including important players who are in their second or third seasons. Young draft picks such as Trent McDuffie, Isiah Pacheco, and Creed Humphrey have added to Kansas City’s nucleus of Chris Jones, Travis Kelce, and Patrick Mahomes.The Jaguars, though? They only had four drafted players on their second contract in 2023: punter Logan Cooke, defensive end Dawuane Smoot, offensive tackle DaVon Hamilton, and offensive tackle Cam Robinson.
That speaks volumes about the team’s difficulties in the draft, particularly in the first round from 2008 to 2020. Only quarterback Blake Bortles (2014) and defensive tackle Tyson Alualu (2010) signed extensions out of the 14 first-round draft selections made during that time. Before their rookie contracts expired or they were not re-signed, the remaining players were either traded, cut, or suspended.
Given that 12 of the 14 players were selected in the top 10, with six of them selected in the top five, it is easy to understand why the Jaguars have only had three successful seasons and two postseason games throughout that time. The following summarizes how awful the Jaguars’ draft class has been:
Three players played out their four-year rookie contracts instead of having their fifth-year option taken up: linebacker K’Lavon Chaisson (2020), offensive tackle Luke Joeckel (2013), and defensive tackle Taven Bryan (2018).
Before their rookie contracts ended, five players were traded: defensive end Dante Fowler Jr. (2015), cornerback Jalen Ramsey (2016), quarterback Blaine Gabbert (2011), offensive tackle Eugene Monroe (2009), and cornerback CJ Henderson (2020). Prior to his second season, Henderson was traded.
The NFL suspended receiver Justin Blackmon (2012) for various drug-related infractions.
defensive end Running back Leonard Fournette (2017) was cut during training camp in 2020, and Derrick Harvey (2008) was cut before to the start of training camp in 2011.
First-round selections, particularly those ranked in the top 10, are meant to serve as a team’s cornerstone players. If they don’t end up being All-Pros or Pro Bowlers, they should at least become excellent players who win games with big plays.
That’s essentially it for Allen’s career. He broke Calais Campbell’s single-season record of 14.5 sacks set in 2017 by finishing second in the NFL in 2023. He also ranks second on the team’s all-time sack tally (45). Ten more for Allen to tie Tony Brackens.
In addition, he produced one of the greatest plays in Jaguars history when, in the team’s 20-16 Week 16 victory, he recovered a fumble that safety Rayshawn Jenkins had forced 37 yards for a touchdown. 18 wins over the Volunteer State in 2022. The Jaguars won the AFC South division for just the second time in team history as a result.
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