Jaguars GM Gene Smith is determined to fix the WR corps this offseason — both via the draft and free agency. Once Smith ranks the available free agents, expect the Jaguars to land whomever they view as the top guy. Jacksonville proved last offseason that it is willing to overspend — and has plenty of cash to burn — so it is unlikely to be outbid, we hear. An interesting caveat to watch for will be whether Smith is willing to brush aside character concerns to acquire a talented receiver who may come with baggage (think Vincent Jackson, Dwayne Bowe, etc.).

It is fairly apparent that the team will be out of the running to draft Justin Blackmon who is projected to go as high as 2^nd overall to the WR needy Rams. I cannot see Gene Smith trading up for a second year in a row and sacrificing much needed picks when there is a fine crop of free agent WRs.

At the top of the list are Vincent Jackson (who has been a beast for the Chargers) and the Eagles’s DeShaun Jackson (who revealed a tempestuous nature in 2011 whilst pouting for a new contract which never materialised). The latter Jackson would immediately upgrade two positions, namely WR (with blinding speed to boot) as well as the return game. However one suspects that Gene may be put off by DeShaun Jackson’s penchant to tune out if he believes that he is underpaid. That said, there is no question of off-field baggage.

To that end, Vincent Jackson has some baggage although he has cleaned up his act. They were alcohol related DUI offences. He has been clean for a while.

I believe that the next tier of free agents at the position are Marques Colsten and Robert Meachem who are both from the Saints. The Saints will have to sign Drew Brees to a monster deal this offseason so look for them to lose at least one of these guys. Meachem is the speed guy who would stretch the field but Colsten (449 catches, 48 TD catches and 6,240 receiving yards) is the bigger threat who can do it all.

Dwayne Bowe (a graduate of Bob’s beloved LSU) is similar player to Colsten but the Chiefs may need to lock him up to be relevant.

The last free agent prospect in the second tier is the Colts Reggie Wayne who is now just over 30 yrs old. He is the crafty veteran who has two or three good years left. Given the fact that the Colts appear to be in full rebuilding mode (watch for Payton to be released if he does not agree to extend the deadline for the payment of the $28 million payment at the start of the league year in March), Reggie Wayne may not be resigned. They have other priorities (like DE Robert Mathis).

IMHO the Jaguars need two free agent WRs, one speed guy who could stretch a defence vertically (like DeShaun Jackson or Robert Meachem) as well as a physical inside threat like Colston or Vincent Jackson.

The added benefit of doing this is that it allows the team the benefit of continuing its best available player approach to the draft. That may follow one of two routes:

1.     Stay pat at the 7^th pick and select Morris Claiborne (CB – LSU) if he falls to them with the obsession over RGB III and the possibility of an eye popping workout by Quentin Coples (DE – UNC) at the combine.

2.     Trade down with a team that may be interested in acquiring Coples and/or Claiborne or Dre Kirkpatrick (CB – Alabama) and then select Alshon Jeffrey (WR – South Carolina who is 6-3 and 227 pounds) or Kendell Wright (WR – Baylor), the latter of which had a year to rival Blackmon whilst teaming up with RBG III. He also happens to have jet packs on his feet to boot!

More to follow ….