SB Nation User Blog: Rufio904

Northcutt Traded to Lions

Rufio904 — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 00:18:05 -0000

According to John Clayton of ESPN.com, the Jaguars have traded the veteran wide receiver to the Detroit Lions.

And the Lions have compensated the Jaguars by sending them safety Gerald Alexander.

Alexander and Northcutt share the same agent, Jerome Stanley. Per the report, which cited sources, Stanley was surprised that Alexander was included in the trade.

Per the report, the Lions were unwilling to give up a draft pick. So, that’s how the rare player-for-player swap developed.

According to Clayton, the trade terms were completed today. However, the deal won’t be official until next week when it’s ratified by league officials.

Great Article From NFL.com

Rufio904 — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 18:35:39 -0000

When Jaguars general manager Gene Smith observed his team during offseason workouts, he likely experienced a bit of déjà vu focusing on the offensive side of the ball.

After spending the offseason revamping the Jaguars' offensive line, the veteran personnel man has seemingly turned a position of weakness into the team's biggest strength. Buoyed by the additions of two draft picks, Eugene Monroe and Eben Britton, and a savvy veteran, Tra Thomas, the Jaguars now sport a formidable front capable of dominating the line of scrimmage.

Posted about 1 hour ago
With improved offensive line, Jaguars in position to rebound in 2009

By Bucky Brooks | NFL.com
Analyst

When Jaguars general manager Gene Smith observed his team during offseason workouts, he likely experienced a bit of déjà vu focusing on the offensive side of the ball.

Sam Greenwood / Getty Images

After being a top-10 rushing team from 2005 to 2007 and never posting a losing season during that span, the Jaguars stumbled in the rankings last year on their way to their worst record since 2003.

Season

Rank

Record

2008

18th

5-11

2007

2nd

11-5

2006

3rd

8-8

2005

10th

12-4

In an AFC South that features two defenses (Indianapolis Colts and Houston Texans) ranked in the bottom half of the NFL in run defense and another (Tennessee Titans) reeling from the loss of its most dominating player, the Jaguars' ability to control the line of scrimmage could quickly reverse their fortunes in 2009.

Smith, who has been with the franchise since its inception in 1994, watched as a similar blueprint led the Jaguars to four straight playoff bids, including three division titles, in their first five seasons of existence. During that span, the team rode an offensive line anchored by two bookend tackles, Tony Boselli and Leon Searcy, who were widely regarded as the best tandem in the league.

Led by their dominant offensive line, the Jaguars overwhelmed opponents with a dynamic offense that could bludgeon opponents with the run or dazzle them with an aerial display from Pro Bowl quarterback Mark Brunell and Pro Bowl wide receivers Jimmy Smith and Keenan McCardell.

In 2007, the Jaguars used a similar formula to advance to the divisional round of the playoffs. The team's second-ranked rushing attack routinely battered defenses behind a powerful offensive line and an electrifying tailback tandem of Fred Taylor and Maurice Jones-Drew. The team's rushing attack averaged 149.4 rushing yards per game and amassed 18 touchdowns.

Last season, however, the Jaguars' offensive line was ravaged by injuries, and the team failed to produce a 1,000-yard rusher. In addition, the ground attack ranked 18th in the league, averaging just 110.9 yards per game.

Jacksonville entered the offseason intent on reconstructing the offensive line and adding juice to its running game. During the late stages of free agency, the team snapped up Thomas as a potential fill-in at left tackle. The 11-year veteran had been a hallmark of consistency during his tenure with the Philadelphia Eagles and gives the Jaguars a reliable presence on the edge.

Although the team's move to acquire the three-time Pro Bowler was lauded, it was the Jaguars' decision to add two young tackles that sparked the budding optimism in Jacksonville.

Monroe, regarded by some teams as the most complete tackle prospect in the draft, was plucked with the eighth overall pick. An exceptional technician with outstanding skills, Monroe is adept at controlling the edge in the running game. Moreover, he possesses the quick feet and lateral quickness to handle elite rushers off the corner.

Jones-Drew's fantasy impact The departure of Fred Taylor means Maurice Jones-Drew is now the Jaguars' featured back. Michael Fabiano examines what that means for fantasy owners this upcoming season. More ...

In Britton, the Jaguars have an athletic blocker with unlimited potential as a right tackle. Though he remains raw in some aspects, Britton gives the team a mobile presence on the edge and a promising option, although he would have to unseat Tony Pashos.

Throw in the healthy returns of Vince Manuwai and Maurice Williams, and the Jaguars have an offensive line poised to return to its dominating ways.

While revamping their offensive line was an offseason emphasis, the Jaguars handed the keys to the running game to Jones-Drew, who has rushed for 2,533 yards and 34 touchdowns in three seasons. He replaces Fred Taylor as the team's featured back.

Jones-Drew, a fourth-year pro, has averaged 4.8 yards per carry as a rotational player and tallied seven 100-yard games in his career. As a small, compact runner with explosive power and pop, Jones-Drew pinballs off tacklers and routinely picks up yards after contact. With 18 career runs over 20 yards, he brings a much-needed big-play element to the Jaguars' offense.

Though some people question whether Jones-Drew is capable of carrying the load, he has been surprisingly durable throughout his career (only one missed game in three seasons). In the eight games in which he has rushed 19 or more times, Jones-Drew has averaged 101 yards per game.

A tale of two seasons

In 2007, David Garrard was one of the league's most efficient quarterbacks, leading the Jaguars to the divisional round of the playoffs. His play dipped in 2008 as the team fell to last place in the AFC South:

Not-so-great 2008
  » Passer Rating: 81.7
  » Times Sacked: 42
  » TDs/INTs: 15/13

Heavenly 2007
  » Passer Rating: 102.2
  » Times Sacked: 21
  » TDs/INTs: 18/3

If Jones-Drew is unable to carry the load completely, the Jaguars have a promising rookie runner, Rashad Jennings, with the potential to contribute as a rotational player. If the small-school standout continues to build on his impressive showings during on-field workouts, he could be a key contributor in his rookie season.

But the Jaguars' running game isn't the only phase of the offense that should see a dramatic improvement due to a fortified offensive line. The team's passing attack should also surge.

David Garrard, who has been the Jaguars' starting quarterback since 2006, is in line to be the biggest beneficiary from the team's rebuilt offensive line and ground attack. The eighth-year pro was the toast of the town in 2007 after completing 64.0 percent of his passes for 2,509 yards and 18 touchdowns with just three interceptions. His sensational passing proficiency was an excellent complement to Jacksonville's powerful running game.

Last season, however, Garrard was unable to replicate that success behind a patchwork offensive line that couldn't provide solid pass protection or create consistent running lanes. Forced to pass from long-yardage situations because of the Jaguars' inability to run, Garrard often was battered in the pocket (he was sacked 42 times in 2008) or harried into critical mistakes.

With the AFC South featuring a slew of Pro Bowl-caliber pass rushers (Houston's Mario Williams, Tennessee's Kyle Vanden Bosch and Indianapolis' Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis), it was imperative for the Jaguars to fix their offensive line.

The Jaguars were one of the league's biggest disappointments last season, but a rebuilt offensive line could make them one of the biggest surprises in 2009.

WalterFootball.com's Season Preview

Rufio904 — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 20:14:26 -0000

WalterFootball.com's Season Preview

I like his evaluation of the offense, but he underestimated Derek Cox.

Mike Lombardi on Why Vick Should Wear Teal.

Rufio904 — Fri, 22 May 2009 13:19:49 -0000

NFP: Jaguars good fit for Vick

By Michael Lombardi, The National Football Post May 21, 4:00 pm ED

Quote: “The young have exalted notions, because they have not been humbled by life or learned its necessary limitations; moreover, their hopeful disposition makes them think themselves equal to great things – and that means having exalted notions. They would always rather do noble deeds than useful ones: Their lives are regulated more by moral feeling than by reasoning. … All their mistakes are in the direction of doing things excessively and vehemently. They overdo everything; they love too much, hate too much, and the same with everything else.”

– Aristotle

From Tony Dungy, writing for SI.com… I firmly believe Michael (Vick) deserves a second chance in life. I understand how appalling dog fighting is, and in no way do I condone it. But he was given a punishment that the court deemed appropriate, and now he exits prison having paid for that crime. It’s time to let him bounce back after that loss. If we are willing to forgive Michael and take an honest look at the person who is leaving that prison, we might be surprised at what we see. We might see a man who says “I’m sorry” with his actions and not just his words. We might see a man who wants to get back to his three children and stop the cycle of young people growing up without a father to help them. Least important, we might see him play football again. I’m not sure of the Michael Vick (notes) we would see on the field, but I believe we would see a very different person off the field. That’s what would be exciting to me.

Vick at his home in Hampton on Thursday. (Jason Hirschfeld/AP Photo)

These words from Dungy are strong and powerful. He’s not a man to sugarcoat anything, and I’m confident that if Vick continues his relationship with Dungy, it will improve his chances of getting back in the league next year. If I were working for the Jacksonville Jaguars, I would pay very close attention to these words; I would monitor this situation closely every day.

Why is Jacksonville a good destination for Vick’s return? Let’s start with the football reasons.

Reason 1: Jacksonville needs a backup quarterback. Now, that’s not very complicated to determine. The Jags recently signed Todd Bouman (notes) to compete with Cleo Lemon (notes). Vick is better than both players, even after missing two years of football. He needs to come to a team where he can get his feet wet, integrate into the system as a backup, then, after the season, compete for a starting job.

Reason 2: Dirk Koetter, the Jacksonville offensive coordinator, spent most of his career coaching in college and was the head coach at Boise State. He knows how to blend a player into a system, which is critical in at that level. Koetter has an extensive background in offensive football that would allow him to utilize Vick’s skill set to the fullest. He is not labeled a pro offensive coach; he can bring different elements of the game into his offense.

The offense that benefits Vick is a non-traditional pro offense. I give Jim Mora huge props because when he was the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons, he sent his offensive staff to the University of West Virginia to learn the spread attack. Mora was searching for ways to make his offense Vick-compatible. The perfect offense for Vick is not completely the Wildcat, but it must have some elements; it’s not the West Virginia spread attack, but it must have some elements of that, too. And it’s not the West Coast, but it must have some of those elements.

Side note: When I was with the “Hotel” (Oakland Raiders) and first saw how Vick impacted the league with his style of play, I wrote a profile for a personnel department about dealing with the “Vick Factor.” Even though I was not working for a team that played Vick twice, I wanted to think like a team that would face him. You learn in the NFL by watching, observing and learning from other teams. Here are my notes:

1. Cannot draft, sign or bring anyone to camp on defense that cannot run. Before every signing, you must ask if the player can help us chase this person down. You play two games a year against this guy in perfect conditions. The weather and elements are not going to give you any help. Speed is your only solution to this problem.

2. Must lower your standards for speed in the secondary – especially at safety. Having a 4.7 safety is of no use when dealing with this player. Need to be diligent in demanding speed for the secondary. … Size/speed players will be your only answer to help solve this problem. The average size and speed of a safety in the league as a starter is 6-feet, 199 pounds, 4.53 40-yard dash. You are playing with two safeties that are well above the average speed.

3. Might want to consider playing a nickel defense all the time to deal with the speed. If you get beat with the running game, they will score only around 17-20 points, a manageable game – but it will force the ball out of his hands.

4. With their guards, you might want to consider playing all ends in the game to give you more speed. They will not be able to drive anyone off the ball no matter what personnel you play inside.

5. Might need to carry more linebackers next year, to think about a three-man line, thus allowing you to be able to play with more speed. Might want to create a package to deal with this team. A 3-4 defense does give you better athletic ability on the field, if the linebackers can run.

6. You will need more flexibility in your player core to ultimately help solve this problem. Design the scheme and then define the players that you need to fit the scheme, then go and get them. Do not worry about what you do not have; figure out what you need and then go and find it. With your ability to teach, once you identify the scheme solutions, you will find the players. It will make dealing with this player somewhat more manageable.

7. Need to keep a copy of all his runs on a reel, for the entire season, not just three games. Have a log of all runs, separated from when he goes left and when he goes right and when he attacks the middle.

8. Sign a practice squad player, college FA, or draft a player that has the size and the speed that would be similar to Vick. Even if the guy is a bad quarterback in college, and all the scouts hate him, get him so that he can give you some work in camp and during the season as to what it’s like to chase this guy. Every scout will claim it’s a wasted pick, but if it helps you get ready for Vick – it’s a great pick.

9. Need to bring in someone for the week to run the scout team. He must be practice squad available and he has the arm and athletic ability to create some problems for your defense. He is not Vick, but he would give a good look to simulate the speed of the game.

Mike Tice (Chris O’Meara/AP Photo)

Reason 3: Having Mike Tice as the offensive line coach would help the Jags design an offensive protection scheme for Vick. Tice has been around players similar to Vick who are not classic pocket passers (Randall Cunningham) and has been able to find ways to make it work. Adaptable coaches on an offensive staff will benefit teams that want to find ways to utilize Vick. The Jags’ offensive staff features some very fine coaches who have been involved in college football most of their careers – quarterbacks coach Mike Shula, running backs coach Kennedy Pola and wide receivers coach Todd Monken. Having this background will help them to be adaptable in dealing with Vick.

Reason 4: If Vick is the backup, starter David Garrard (notes) will feel the pressure to improve his play. The Jags struggled in every area of offense last year, from dropped passes to converting third downs in the red zone (they finished 29th, averaging 27.3 percent). They struggled to score, struggled to make big plays and struggled to protect the passer.

Reason 5: The Maurice Jones-Drew (notes) factor. One of the most versatile players in the NFL, Jones-Drew can do it all in extremely well. But where he benefits a player like Vick is in the passing game. He can pass protect and he can catch the ball short or long and make big plays. In addition, his style of play spreads the field, making teams defend the width of the field. It’s when the width of the field is spread out that Vick becomes like a great point guard in the NBA penetrating into the paint.

Now, the off-the-field reasons:

Reason 1: The Jaguars are located in an area of the country that Vick is familiar with since Jacksonville is close to southern Georgia. He needs to go to a town where he can remain in the background, avoiding any potential for trouble. He would be close to Atlanta and Hampton, Va., which would allow him to do his civic obligations as he attempts to rebuild his career. He must not lose touch with his roots.

Reason 2: Jacksonville owner Wayne Weaver is in need of some national attention, although this might be negative attention. The Jags have had trouble selling out games in recent years, partly because of the economy and partly because of the team.

With each decision you make in the NFL, you must weigh the risk-reward factor.

From my chair, the reward for signing Vick far outweighs the risk for Jacksonville.

With the 5th pick of the 2009 NFL Draft, the Cleveland Browns Select....Michael Crabtree, WR. The...

Rufio904 — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 16:29:04 -0000

With the 5th pick of the 2009 NFL Draft, the Cleveland Browns Select....Michael Crabtree, WR.

The Braylon Edwards experiment is over in Cleveland, Mr. Crabtree is now in the Building. The Browns could have gone a couple ways here. Everette Brown, B.J. Raji, Mark Sanchez, and Matt Staford are all options but Mangini cannot resist the temptation of picking such an offensive wepon.

Report: NFL Network reports that the Jacksonville Jaguars are in negotiations with FA Wide-out...

Rufio904 — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 01:52:55 -0000

Report: NFL Network reports that the Jacksonville Jaguars are in negotiations with FA Wide-out Torry Holt.

Cole Pepper picks for the Jags for ESPN and gives some insight on who their interested in.

Rufio904 — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 18:09:49 -0000

Cole Pepper picks for the Jags for ESPN and gives some insight on who their interested in.

Jags Interview Tra Thomas

Rufio904 — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 22:57:30 -0000

Via Bleeding Green Nation, Tra Thomas Interviewed with the Jags today and it supposedly went Very Well. This looks to be a chance to pick up a Solid, inexspensive, veteran LT to groom our rookie LT we draft. He also is a florida native coming out of Deland(close to Daytona) and holds Golf tourneys in Jacksonville. This signing would open up much more room to draft BAP in the First round Insted of BALT(Best Available Left Tackle).

Fred Taylor most likley to sign with Pats

Rufio904 — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 06:01:37 -0000

After visiting both the Patriots and Bills over the past few days, it is believed that free agent running back Fred Taylor will sign with New England. Both teams made contract offers to the 11-year veteran, but the Patriots' recent run of success may have tipped the balance for Taylor, who has seen two players close to him -- cousin Santonio Holmes with the Steelers and friend Plaxico Burress with the Giants -- win Super Bowl rings, something Taylor hasn't had a chance to come close to achieving yet. Team is also very important to Taylor, who offered to take a pay cut in order to stay with Jacksonville, but the Jaguars told him they wanted to get younger at the position when they released him last week.

After sharing the load with Maurice Jones-Drew in recent years, Taylor hasn't taken much of a beating, and he likely has at least three good seasons left in his legs. Though he is one of the most underrated running backs of his era, with just one Pro Bowl nod, Taylor has over 11,000 career yards and a couple more solid seasons could solidify his Hall of Fame credentials.

Before New England played the Jags last January in the playoffs, Bill Belichick called Taylor one of the best backs in the league: "Fred Taylor, you just can't say enough about him. He's a great runner. He's a strong, powerful guy. [He's] very nifty in the open field, excellent blitz pick up, one of the better blockers that we've seen in the league from his position. He's a complete player [and] does a great job," Belichick said.

Taylor fits the mold of other backs Belichick has brought in over the years, a veteran looking for team success in the final seasons of his career: Antowain Smith, Corey Dillon, Sammy Morris and LaMont Jordan

Report:Haynesworth to 'skins

Rufio904 — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 19:34:44 -0000

Via-PFT

Our pal Lance Zierlein, a Houston radio host who has a blog at the Chronicle web site, reports that the Washington Redskins will sign Titans defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth upon the start of the free agency period.

Unless, that is, the Titans exceed the offer that the Redskins will be making.

Writes Zierlein: “My source tells me to look for a contract that could break $100 million with an average of $15 million to $16 million per. My guy is almost never wrong and [Redskins owner] Dan Snyder gets what he wants.”

The bright side? The next time that Haynesworth tries to remove the scalp of Cowboys center Andre Gurode with a cleat, the behavior will better fit the nickname of Haynesworth’s team.

On Monday, Peter King of SI.com predicted that Haynesworth will land in D.C., pointing out that Snyder was seen dining in Indianapolis with Haynesworth’s agent, Chad Speck.

Horray!! no longer will be in the Titans lineup.