JaxJagsRep
May 24, 2009 Nov 09, 2009 4 5
I'm on here to represent the Jacksonville Jaguars so you can basically disregard all of my favorite NBA, MLB, boxers, etc because I am here to write about the Jacksonville Jaguars. Nothing else.
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The Hating on Eugene Monroe has to Stop
by JaxJagsRep on Sep 21, 2009 9:29 PM EDT
20 comments
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Could an aging Matt Light lead to a fall for Tom Brady and a young Eugene Monroe lead to a rise for David Garrard?
by JaxJagsRep on Jun 15, 2009 9:43 PM EDT
12 comments
12 comments | 1 recs
Greg Jones Needs Another Chance at RB
by JaxJagsRep on May 27, 2009 8:23 PM EDT
27 comments
A Pro-Bowler in 2007 and Florida State's 6th all-time leading rusher, Greg Jones seems to be overlooked by many when it comes to the Jaguars rushing attack. Perhaps he should be taken into more consideration seeing as when he is healthy, Jones is a freak of nature. Standing at 6'2" and 254 lbs Jones ran the 40 yard dash in the 4.4 range coming out of college. That should tell you what kind of athlete this guy really is.
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Left Tackle: Monroe, Thomas, or Britton?
by JaxJagsRep on May 24, 2009 6:21 PM EDT
50 comments
Regardless of who starts... David will be safer.
If there's one positional battle worth watching this off-season, it's at the left tackle spot. The Jaguars are stacked at the position after acquiring Tra Thomas via free agency, and Eugene Monroe and Eben Britton through the NFL draft. However, only one can play the left tackle position, which brings us to the question, who will start?
Obviously, Tra Thomas has the experience edge, the 11 year veteran is a 3 time Pro-Bowler and was a huge part of Donovan Mcnabb's success as he protected the blindside in Philidelphia for over a decade. However, there are questions as to whether or not the 34 year old Thomas can hold up over the long season. Thomas has also struggled throughout his career in run blocking which has been a huge part of Jack Del Rio's gameplan since taking over in Jacksonville. Will Tra Thomas be the one to continue his long career as a starting left tackle in Jacksonville?
Some people had Virginia tackle Eugene Monroe as the highest rated player in the 2009 NFL Draft. It was a shock to most (including the Jaguars) to find Monroe still available to the Jaguars at the 8th overall selection. It was almost a no-brainer pick, despite having Michael Crabtree still on the board. Monroe comes into the NFL as possibly the most polished rookie offensive tackle in the league. The question for Monroe is not if he will start at left tackle, but when.
Unless some catastrophic injury were to plague his career, his eventual starting at left tackle for the Jaguars is almost inevitable. Monroe was elected all ACC in 2007 and 2008 after allowing no sacks in 2007, and just 2.5 in 2008. After a showdown with ACC rival Georgia Tech, and their highly touted defensive end Michael Johnson (selected by the Cincinatti Bengals in the third round of the draft), Monroe shot up draft boards around the league. He shut down Johnson virtually the entire game leading the Cavaliers to an upset victory over the Yellow Jackets.
Eugene is viewed as more of a pass blocker than a run blocker due to his incredible footwork, however his run blocking ability is highly underrated. Monroe's elite play in college landed him in the first round of the draft and the Jaguars hope he can be as effective in the NFL. Will Eugene Monroe step in as the starter in '09?
Our last canidate for the starting left tackle position is an unlikely one. Eben Britton, the second-round pick out of Arizona, is seen by most as the future right tackle for the Jaguars. His feet in no way compare to Monroe's, however, his passionate attitude makes up for his lack of footwork (just take a look at his post-draft comments).
He is known as a good drive blocker and will contribute well in the run-game. He has average pass protecting ability which is why most see him as a right tackle in the NFL. He also has the versatility to slide inside to gaurd in his first few years if needed. Britton posesses great leadership qualities too after serving as a team captain in Arizona. Many teams thought of Britton as first round talent and the Jaguars were yet again fortunate to find him available at the 39th pick. Can Eben Britton's fire and determination land him at the left tackle for the Jaguars this season (He was a first round rated player by the Jaguars' admittedly)?
I'll wrap up by saying this, most likely the battle for the job will be between Monroe and Thomas with Britton being the dark horse. Tony Pashos has shown year in and year out that despite being a good run-blocker, his inability to pass block continues to haunt him. I just don't see why this guy makes the team as a starting offensive tackle every year. Pashos will probably either be moved inside to gaurd, used as depth, or traded before the beginning of the year unless he makes a dramatic improvement in his ability to protect David Garrard. All eyes will be on the battles in the trenches this offseason as the starting left tackle emerges for the 2009 season.
-JaxJagsRep
[Editorial Note: This is JJR's first post to the site, it is very nicely done. Be sure to welcome him to the site. - Collin]
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