A new owner, a second-year quarterback with his first shot at a full offseason of training, a new head coach and a defense that had played well in 2011 had fans and observers intrigued to see how 2012 would unfold for the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Instead of rewarding the optimism, however, the Jaguars struggled mightily once again, dropping to a 2-14 mark that cost a bevy of team officials their jobs.

The 2013 season brings more change. Owner Shahid Khan immediately unveiled a new logo and hired Gus Bradley away from Seattle to become the new head coach. So what does the team need to do to make the improvements that will allow Jacksonville to contend for a playoff spot in the near future? Adam Stites, manager of Jaguars blog Big Cat Country, shared his thoughts with Zoneblitz.

Zoneblitz: What do you make of the Jaguars hiring Gus Bradley as head coach and David Caldwell as general manager?

Stites: There’s certainly plenty of optimism regarding the hirings and a lot of energy from these two young men leading the rebuild of the franchise. Both have had plenty of success during their careers so far and come from teams that had plenty of success in 2012 so there really isn’t much reason to doubt their credentials. The hiring of young up-and-comers is also a refreshing take for a team that is looking to redefine itself from the product on the field all the way down to the logo.

Zoneblitz: Is the “quarterback of the future” on the roster right now or are both Blaine Gabbert and Chad Henne on their way out?

Stites: That’s a very tough question to answer, but I’m inclined to lean toward saying no. Chad Henne is almost certainly gone so he’s not who I’m considering, but in all likelihood Blaine Gabbert will be the starter in 2013. A raw prospect coming out of college, it’s not surprising that he struggled as a rookie and he really wasn’t as bad as many would like to portray him as in the 2012 season. Regardless, though, he hasn’t been nearly good enough and with his third head coach in as many seasons, he’ll probably only receive one more shake at the starting job before he’s replaced.

Zoneblitz: How will Maurice Jones-Drew rebound from an injury-ended season?

Stites: The year Jones-Drew led the NFL in rushing came just after he finished his 2010 season on crutches due to a “bone-on-bone” condition that resulted in a pretty major knee surgery. He’s not quite the explosive talent that he was during the first few years of his career, but Jones-Drew has proven in the past that he can recovery from injury and play at a high-level so there’s not much reason to doubt his ability to do exactly that, especially in a contract year with plenty to prove.

Zoneblitz: The Jaguars have some skill position talent with Justin Blackmon and Cecil Shorts. What has to happen for this offense to further come together?

Stites: I’m not going to say that the offense is perfect otherwise, but the simple truth is that the Jaguars desperately need improved play at the quarterback position. Neither Henne nor Gabbert finished 2012 with a quarterback rating above 80 and neither Gabbert nor Luke McCown finished above 70 in the season prior. There are some protection issues on the right side of the offensive line and the receiver play was spotty at times, despite the young talent, but frankly a franchise quarterback would make a significant difference.

Zoneblitz: What do you make of Caldwell saying Tim Tebow will not be joining the Jaguars?

Stites: The only reason that statement was surprising was because most expected Caldwell to avoid the question so as to avoid a potential tampering case for the Jaguars. Tebow is a player that makes very little sense for most NFL teams, and the Jaguars are no different, regardless what the national perception is regarding Jacksonville ticket sales. The Jaguars finished near the league average in attendance and sold more tickets than several teams, including the Pittsburgh Steelers. The connection between Tebow and the franchise is a lazy gimmick and one that would be a slap in the face of fans that have supported the team regardless of a collegiate crush.

Zoneblitz: The defense gave up 444 points, the second most in the AFC. What was the problem there and how does that get fixed?

Stites: No problem in 2012 was more surprising than the poor play of a defense that finished sixth in yardage allowed in 2011. There were some key contributors (Daryl Smith, Derek Cox) missing for large chunks of time, but the unit still should’ve been better and the real issue comes down to the defensive line. Defensive tackle Terrance Knighton significantly regressed and the rest of the line struggled to ever get a pass rush going, finishing with just 20 sacks, the fewest in the NFL. With a slight scheme change to the defense that Gus Bradley used in Seattle, featuring LEO and 5-tech style defensive ends, finding new pass rushers and putting current players in different positions to play to their strengths in 2013 is expected to try and aid that issue.

Zoneblitz: What would you like to see this team do in the draft and free agency?

Stites: My personal strategy would be to find a starting right tackle in free agency, a move I expect the Jaguars to pursue. It’s possible that they could also look for a starting cornerback in free agency, although I’d be surprised if they were very active during the period. In the draft I’m looking for the Jaguars to really rebuild the defensive line first and foremost, before also addressing other positions of need in the middle and later rounds. Almost every position can use upgrades, but quarterback, running back, tight end, linebacker and cornerback would all make sense after the defensive line is repaired early.

Zoneblitz: What do you make of the new logo? Important and needed? Attempt to change the conversation away from the football field?

Stites: I think it’s important to realize that this rebranding effort was in the works for well over a year and would’ve came even if the Jaguars had fielded a playoff-level team in 2012. Far too many people interpreted the logo change as a way for the Jaguars to brush their struggles under the rug, when in reality, it’s a strategy for Shahid Khan to reinvigorate one of the NFL’s least popular teams and market them as an innovative up-and-comer. Expect to see more innovations and inventiveness when the team debuts new uniforms in April and a helmet for the logo to go on.

Zoneblitz: After a full season with Shahid Khan, how are you feeling about the team’s future in Jacksonville?

Stites: There is plenty of optimism and it’s completely justifiable with Shahid Khan. He is a smart, self-made billionaire that is looking to work his same kind of business magic on the Jaguars franchise to turn it around in the eyes of the national market. Obviously, the most significant thing the team can do to help that perception is to begin winning games, and that is something that he is seemingly very dedicated at making a reality and he is more than willing to open the pocketbook to do so, if need be.

Follow Big Cat Country on Twitter at: @BigCatCountry
Follow Adam Stites on Twitter at: @AdamBCC
Follow Zoneblitz.com on Twitter at: @ZoneblitzCom

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