Bill Barnwell doesn't know how to use the internet

That is the only explanation for how someone could write a preview this bad. I'm obviously a week late on this but it's so egregiously uninformed that it demands a short comment. I'm sure he'd chalk this smattering of words imitating an argument up to living in Vegas and not caring about the Jaguars but that's really no excuse for not doing your job.

1. Austen Lane (or as Bill Barnwell prefers Austin Lane) is not the starting defensive end for the Jaguars. Jeremy Mincey is. Mincey had five sacks while starting eight games last year. Which leads to..
2. 4 sacks in 8 games isn't earth shattering but if Kampman had kept that pace up, he'd have finished with 8 sacks, the same number as Julius Peppers. I'm not high on Kampman but Barnwell was stretching to call Kampman a bust. He blew out his other ACL and predicting injuries is...what's the word...impossible. So let's not pretend that was a terrible signing.
3. He is either unfamiliar that the Jaguars practice or intuitively disagrees with Best Available Player drafting. If Gene Smith thinks Gabbert is going to be an elite quarterback, it would be insanely dumb to draft a defensive player for improving an 8-8 team for one year. Quoting Bill Barnwell: "The get-rich-quick way to rebuild is to come up with a franchise quarterback." They're trying, Bill. They're trying.
4. It also might be worth pointing out that they did draft a defensive player last year, Tyson Alualu, who has, without exception, been described as dominant in camp this year. Hell, even Peter King noticed.
5. Will Rackley has won the left guard job. That's not an if. It had already happened when you published this preview. (Maybe this is like those fantasy magazine where you had to go to press in June....No... you say this is still the internet..just not paying attention...ok, got it. /Doing best Bill Simmons)
6. Cecil Shorts won't be good because of his name. No comment.

The irony is, I like Bill Barnwell. I was looking forward to this preview. I generally find him to be insightful and interesting. I'm not sure if this was just life getting in the way (he did move recently), apathy towards the Jaguars, or his normal M.O that I'm only becoming aware of because this is my team. I can handle the poor arguments, like focusing half the preview on the draft of the previous GM, but factual errors (not even counting spelling here) about who is starting are well below what I've come to expect out of him or Grantland. There are arguments to be made that cut much deeper (the offensive line play has been particularly worrisome, which in turn leads fans to worry about Gene Smith's drafting) but you'd have to care about getting the facts right first.

Who knows. Maybe this is the year the year the national media pegs the Jaguars correctly and they bottom out but it won't be because of the reasons Barnwell sites.

-Q