I recently left a comment on the article written by Alfie in relation to some of the improvements Blaine is making on his footwork. My comment was in reference to the picture associated with the article and how it could be a factor in Blaine's overall mechanics, not just his footwork. I can't recall where or when I heard/read this, but I think it was someone from the coaching staff saying Blaine needed work on keeping his shoulders leveled and squared with his feet before he throws. I'm under the assumption that doing these two things will allow a QB to generate more force with their throws and also to be more accurate, as that creates balance, thus allowing you to take full advantage of the biomechanical movement that is throwing a football. This movement is discussed and provides in-depth links in Eric Stoners article of "Blaine Gabbert: What Can Be Done? (Part 1)". In my original comment on this, I also said that I think this is also associated with the things coach Bratkowski touched on about getting Blaine to not drop back as far, getting him to stop dipping at the top of his drop and having him slow his feet down during the drop back. I think all of this goes hand in hand in tightening the throwing motion, which is imperative when it comes to the short period of time a QB has in the pocket. Of course, this is all from my observation and shouldn't be taken as any truth. I linked this article a while ago, but I'm going to do so again, as it relates to the topic of discussion.

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86. Paul Posluszny, LB, Jacksonville Jaguars

The former Bill got his big deal and set about becoming a big part of the Jaguars defensive turnaround. Only Ray Lewis, who plays in a hybrid defense, was ranked higher in our middle linebacker rankings, with Posluszny grading positively in every area. He’s one of those rare every-down middle linebackers who can more than handle his own dropping back, and so it proved earning a coverage grade of +11.9 that was better than any other linebacker in the league.

Best Performance: Week 1 versus Tennessee (+5.1)

Key Stat: Missed only one in every 22.8 tackles he attempted. The third highest tackle efficiency rating of all interior linebackers.

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A lot has been made of Gabbert's tendencies in the pocket and his overall toughness but I don't believe all the criticism is warranted. I was really excited when the Jags traded up to get Gabbert but now I realize that was mostly because of the pre-draft hype and me thinking we didn't have a chance at getting, what was then considered a Top 5 prospect. With my recent discovery of how important the tape really is when scouting a player, I decided to look for some games of Gabbert in college. I was only able to find two, one of which Alfie recently posted in an article and another against, then #1 overall Oklahoma Sooners. The video of the game against Oklahoma is much longer, at nearly 18 minutes and has much better quality making it easier to closely watch Gabbert. There is a lot of things about Gabbert's game that can be gleaned from this video but I want to highlight specific ones about the title of this post; Gabbert in the pocket. He plays out of Shotgun the entire time but there are plays where a pocket is formed from which he has to operate and does so surprisingly well. Here's the video.

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Keep in mind that while viewing this that I do not expect this to actually take place come the draft. It is all hypothetical and not to be taken seriously. With this being the first offseason that I've taken a fair amout of time to examine some of the prospects closer, I developed a wish list of players that I'd like to see on the team. I've been outspoken about them before but I'll list them again, for the sake of this post. They are:

1) Georgia Tech WR Stephen Hill

2) Marshall DE Vinny Curry

3) Boise State RB Doug Martin

4) (a) FIU WR T.Y. Hilton

4) (b) Wake Forest WR Chris Givens

This hypothetical draft scenario is aimed to present a potential realistic situation where the Jags could end up with these players. The first thing that would need to happen is for the first six picks to work out as follows:

1) Colts - Andrew Luck

2) Redskins - RGIII

3) Vikings - Matt Kalil

4) Browns - Trent Richardson

5) Bucs - Morris Claiborne

6) Rams - Justin Blackmon

Very similar to Alfie's two round mock draft, with Michael Floyd being the Rams pick instead of Justin Blackmon. So should this happen, that leaves room for the Jags to make this trade with Browns to get Tannehill right before the Dolphins do at #8. They get our seventh overall pick and we get their 22nd, 36th (2nd) and 99th (4th) overall (This trade is courtesy of commentor Guillaume Soquet from Adam's article about "How Much Could Jaguars Get In A Trade for 7th Overall Pick"). From the chart in Adam's article, that appears to be a very realistic trade.

After the trade that leaves us in position to get Hill at 22, Martin at 34 (had to give up a 5th to trade up two spots to jump the Bucs who could select Martin [referenced from Alfie's mock]), Curry at 36 and either Hilton or Givens with our original third round pick (Hilton being the choice if both are available). That would leave Gene with two early 4th round picks, an early 6th and a mid round 7th to add depth at other positions. Also, this would fill every major hole on the team, only leaving the RT position in question with Britton currently being a question mark.

I could go into detail about where I think these players would fit on our team but with the uncertainty of the draft and this having about a zero percent chance of happening, I'll just not. Again, this is not be taken serious but all opinions are encouraged.

Here's a link from nfl.com that discusses Blaine a little.

http://www.nfl.com/videos/atlanta-falcons/09000d5d82518cd9/Brooks-breaks-down-Gabbert

I found it interesting considering all the debate going on right now about him and the future of the QB position of the team. While we didn't see the progress that we all were hoping to see against the Falcons, this video did allow me to gain more faith in him going forward. I think Blaine is going to turn out to be a good player regardless of his current struggles, as I believe he'll be able to make a good share of progress in both aspects of his game touched on in the video as his career goes on.

*Added the option of neither to the poll.

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/Peter-Schrager-Midseason-NFL-Mock-Draft-111411

9: Jacksonville Jaguars: Alshon Jeffery, WR South Carolina: How desperate are the Jaguars for receiver help? They had to bring back Mike Sims-Walker, a player the lowly Rams released after a few weeks on the team, before he was put on IR.

Mike Thomas is a fine undersized slot guy, but Blaine Gabbert needs a No. 1 guy to grow old with.

Jeffery, a player I might like even more than Blackmon as an NFL prospect, would be a mighty nice get for Jacksonville at ninth overall.

http://www.jaguarsblog.com/jaguars-vs-texans-pro-football-focus-breakdown/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+JaguarsBlog+%28Jaguars+Blog%29

Highest-rated offensive player: LT Eugene Monroe (+2.5) – Monroe pass-blocked 38 times Sunday and only allowed one pressure. The Jaguars’ offensive line has been in flux all season, but it’s clear that Monroe is one of the consistently good players. On the season, Monroe’s +5.2 grade ranks him ninth overall among tackles, and sixth among left tackles. His +5.5 pass-blocking rating is fourth overall among tackles. Monroe may have taken that final step toward being an elite tackle, and the Jaguars’ line is much better with him in the lineup than with him out.

Make of it what you will.

As the offensive line has still been a concern recently due to injury and Rackley's initial struggles, causing the unit to be in a state of flux, I have a proposed starting lineup for the 2012 season. With the performance of Bradfield two weeks ago against the Steelers, I think he has the potential to become a starter and not be soley delegated as a depth player. So my proposed offensive line unit going into 2012 would look like this:

LT: Eugene Monroe

LG: Will Rackley

C: Uche Nwaneri

RG: Eben Britton

RT: Cameron Bradfield

I think this unit could work for several reasons. The switch that stands out the most is moving Nwenari to center. I think this is a change that could work, as Nwenari is cross trained as a center and he would be the longest tenured lineman of the group, making him the best suited candidate to replace Meester. Even if a rookie center was drafted, I still believed Nwaneri would be the best option as he would be more familiar with what is expected of our offensive line than anyone who could be brought in via draft or free agency. The move would also free up the right guard position allowing Britton to be moved permanently from the tackle to the guard position. I think right guard is the ideal spot for Britton to play as he has been labeled as more of a road grader than a pass protector. Combine that with the struggles he has had playing tackle, it should be easier for him to be successful as a guard. If the coaches think he could play left guard then he could also play on the right. When Cameron Bradfield filled in for Monroe, it was said that he was equally good in pass protection as he was in run blocking, which I think is a talent that would be utilized at the tackle position. With Eugene being purely a left tackle in my opinion, the only place that leaves for Bradfield to play is right tackle. While it is expected that he would have to get used to playing on the right, I think he should be able to adjust as tackles are moved from left to right all of the time. If Guy Whimper can be used as a left tackle, then I don't see why Bradfield couldn't make the switch. Finally that would leave Rackley at the position that I think is most natural to him, left guard. Rackley showed significant impovement in the most recent game against the Ravens, so he has shown that he will be able to secure that spot for the forseeable future. That would leave Jason Spitz and current starter, Guy Whimper, as depth.  With the youth of this group, I don't see why this unit couldn't become one of the better offensive lineups in the league.

I'm asking because I don't think that MJD and Deji are enough to carry us through the entire season. MJD is doing his part but Deji has not been able to make many plays which is what DuJuan did a number times through the presesason. Yeah, I know it was the preseason but no one is going to tell me that Brock Bolen is providing more than DuJuan possibly could. There is one play in particular in regards to Deji, on a third and long, they threw him a screen and he ended up a yard short. I remember thinking that if he would just made one more cut or fought for an extra yard, that drive would've been kept alive. Which brings me back to DuJuan because I think he'd bring another spark to the offense. I'm sure there is a logical reason he is being kept on the practice squad, but we need another playmaker outside MJD to give the offense a boost and I think DuJuan could be that.

The reason I am saying this has more to do with the performance of McCown yesterday. It has more to do with the performances of two other rookie QB's who had good outings yesterday, that being Cam Newton and Andy Dalton. Cam Newton has shown over the past two weeks that he can perform at this level and Andy Dalton showed a very bright chance that he can too. Yeah, Newton threw three picks but he still had over 400 yards passing against the Packers, which is impressive to say the least. With his record breaking showing last week, there is no reason to believe he won't be able to keep it up, although he is bound to have a poor outing at some point. Dalton was up against the Broncos defense which is in somewhat of a rebuild mode, but watching him play myself yesterday was quite the surprise. He was getting the ball out on time, making the right reads and making even better throws. He keeps playing like that and it won't matter who he is up against, because as they say; "There is no defense against a perfect throw." And that was exactly what I was seeing from Dalton yesterday, perfect passes. Granted, he won't face a formidable defense until week 10 when they play the Steelers and he has A.J. Green to throw it to (who is going to be a beast), so I'll be watching to see how he does until then.

So what does any of this has to do with Gabbert? It's simple really. I was under the belief that Blaine was the #1 consensus overall rated QB of this draft class. So if that is the case and Newton and Dalton have done what they have done, why isn't possible for Blaine to give this offense a boost as these two have done for their respective teams? I don't want to hear any more about this lack of an offseason program or the whole 'throwing him to the wolves' thing any more. I've seen enough from Newton and Dalton to know that if Blaine is who Gene thinks he is, he should be able to achieve a respectable level of success. I know there are other variables to consider such as the protection, the receivers getting separation and the playcalling, but the Bengals and Panthers offensive line, receiving corps and offensive scheme can't be so much better than the Jags that Gabbert's ability should be hindered by them. I know the Jags have a better defense than the Panthers and it's safe to assume that they are just as good, if not better than the Bengals defense. Which means putting Gabbert in shouldn't make the team worse if he is able to be consistent in his play. It will also set the team up for a better start next year if he gets in now and experience going up against a NFL defense week in and week out. It was apparent yesterday that McCown is a career backup and there is no sense in not giving Gabbert the start. It'll be a good opportunity for Blaine to get his start against the Panthers defense, which I believe is not one of the better defensive units in the league.

Lastly, I think this is an excellent opportunity to see if Gene's talent evaluation is good enough to put a perennial playoff contender, year in and year out, on the football field. So far only one of his three first round draft picks, that being Tyson, has shown the potential to become a dominant player at their position.  With QB being the most important position of them all, how Blaine performs and progresses will be the deciding factor in how successful Gene's tenure as General Manager will be gauged. But that's just my opinion. So as the headline of this post states, I think Blaine should start. What do you think?

It is predicated on one belief that I think GM Gene holds: That stopping the run is key in having a consistent pass rush. I came to this conclusion after being able to fully analyze the recent free agents that Gene brought in on the defensive side of the ball as a whole. Two linebackers and a safety that specialize more in run defense, a cornerback that is better as a blitzer than a cover guy and a defensive end that can hold the point against the run with adequate pass rushing ability. While at first sight it may seem as if nothing has been done to help the pass defense, if this belief that I think holds reigns true, by the time it is all said and done, we should see a much improved performance in both aforementioned phases of the defense. Let me explain.

I think we all know that a good pass rush makes defending the pass easier and vice versa. So how does stopping the run help the two? It's simple really. When a defense can consistently stop the run and make the opposing offense become one dimensional, it does a number of things for a defense. It lessens the affect of play action and it forces passing plays in short yardage situations. Combine those two things and it becomes less of a mental game for the defense, allowing the pass rushers to rush and the pass defenders and to cover with more confidence. With the mental aspect being such a big part of the game, when the guessing game is slightly diminished it should free each player to focus on their job instead of making mental errors by trying to overcompensate. Hopefully, this will lead to less blown coverages, bites on play fakes, more QB pressures and an overall increased playing speed of the entire defense leaving the players in a better position to make a play. Eventually getting the defense in the mode of attack rather than react.

This is what I think this has to do with this years defense (in no particular order):

Knighton, Alualu, Daryl Smith, Posluzny and Sessions will be key to it's success - If Knigton and Alualu can consistently direct running plays into the sure tackling of Smith, Poz and Sessions, that will be the first step to achieving the goal

The DPR role should increase in importance - Guys like Aaron Morgan, Larry Hart and Marc Schiel (which ever of the two make the team) could get more playing time with more offenses being forced into more passing situations

Dawan Landry will improve the play of Derek Cox and Rashean Mathis - As I believe Landry will rotate between both safety positions with Greene at strong when he is at free and Prosinski will be at free when he plays strong

We will see more of a Cover One (one safety deep) as Prosinski develops - As the coaching staff gains faith in his ability to cover over the top, which will allow the additional safety to come up and help defend short to intermediate passes, especially against tight ends

Mel Tucker will be put to the challenge - Gene has given Tuck an assortment of abilities to work with, but it will be up to him to use them the most affective way

The turnover rate should be much higher - I think we all seen a glimpse of that in the preseason opener, even though we only recovered one. Interceptions should improve along with forced fumbles as the defense bonds

More QB pressures should translate into more sacks - As the defensive line (mainly the ends) are allowed to focus on rushing passer, which should create more pressure and the secondary (mainly the corners) are allowed to focus on defending the pass more, which should create a better overall coverage; it should all work in congruency turning more of those pressures into sacks

We will see more one and two man blitzes than normal - Linebacker Daryl Smith, cornerbacks Drew Coleman and  Rod Isaac and safety Dawan Landry all make for good blitzers from their respective positions

The defense will do better on 3rd downs - for all of the reasons stated in this post

As there is still no way to know how good this defense will be against the run for any this to become a possibility has yet to be seen, I think it is totally possible that this can become a reality. Tony Boselli stated that he thinks this can be a Top 10 defense at the beginning of the broadcast before the kickoff of the first preseason game. I'm not sure if we'll be Top 10 this year but I'm sure we will be a better defense than last year. I have a final prediction: That one of our defensive ends will have a 10+ sack year. It hasn't happened in a while, which probably isn't coincidental the last time we had one is when our run defense was one of the best in the league.

*I'm going to go research when the last time we had someone get 10+ sacks in a year and update it here later, unless someone here already knows and don't mind sharing.

Dawan Landry is a Jaguar! I just came from jaguars.com and seen that they have an article about it. It doesn't get any more official than that. It's in regards to Landry and Coleman. I didn't read it, I came right back here to post this. Now I'm really excited because I got a little concerned, as few of us did, about not hearing anything about the Landry signing. No need for worry now, just a ton of excitement to get to see what this season holds for us.

I'm 23 years old and I let my opportunity to become a professional athlete go a long time ago. Granted, at this point, I only have the opportunity to be a fan of my favorite sport. With that being said, I recently asked myself: If I did pursue being a professional football player in the NFL, could I have been selected by Gene Smith?

With all of this talk about the Gene Smith 'type' of player, I wonder if I would've fit the mold. Considering their is no accurate way to predict what college I would've attended, what position my coaches would've wanted me to play, any injuries I could've sustained and what amount of production I would've had at my position, this is obviously all just speculation.

I can honestly say that my character wouldn't have been a concern, because I'm a hard worker and I respect my elders and peers. I haven't had any run ins with the law, so there is no reason for me to believe I would have, should I had pursued a career as a professional athlete. My grades weren't the best ins school, but that wasn't because of a lack of intelligence but because of a lack of effort. Had I decided to be a student-athlete, that wouldn't have been the case, because I was aware that you have to be 'student' before you get to be an 'athlete', so the motivation would've been there. I'm only 5' 9" so my positions would've been relegated to WR, RB or a DB position. If I had any say in the matter, it would've been a FS because of the nature of the position. Play center field and make plays on the ball and come in support the run when needed. My hand-eye coordinations is good, so I think I would've had a fair shair of interceptions and PBU's. I wouldn't have shied away from contact because that, to me, is the point of the sport. I don't believe that I would've had elite speed, but I think I would've had good quickness, with the ability to work well in short spaces. I probably would've weighed around 185 llbs. or so with all of the wieght lifting I would've had to do. With my combination of H-W-S, it is fair to say that I wouldn't have been a superior athlete, but a decent one to say the least.

All in all, I doubt I would've been a high round selection, but that wouldn't have been an issue to me and is not the topic of this post. The point is to see if I could've been a Jaguar. I would like to think so, even though I probably would've been more of a PS guy. Even so, it would've been an honor to be a part of my favorite professional sports team.

So what about you, should you have pursued a career as profession football league: Could you have been a Jaguar?

If the Jags stay at pick 16, I would like them to draft either DE Cameron Jordan or QB Jake Locker, with Locker being the pick if they are both are still on the board. I know a lot of people believe 16 is too high for Locker, but I disagree. I believe he has all of the makings to be a really good quarterback in the league. Also, I could see him being picked as high pick 10 by the Redskins or pick 12 by the Vikings, who are also in the quarterback hunt. If both of those players are gone come the Jags pick, DE J.J. Watt or DE Ryan Kerrigan would be good substitutes, with Watt being the pick between the two. As I have been wanting the Jags to pick Kerrigan up to this point, I altered my opinion after reading Alfie's assessment of him getting 'production in bunches'. Although that might not turn out to be a staple of his career as an NFL player, I don't think that is attractive quality for a prospect. I think Watt would be the better pick between the two because I believe that he would be more dominant against tackles in the Jags 4-3 front and play 3-4 end in the hybrid schemes that will probably be used more with Mel Tucker getting control of the defensive playcalling.

But what I would really like to see happen, is them trade back and get an additional pick. My ideal trade partner for them would be the Philadelphia Eagles at pick 23, who could be interested in leap frogging the Patriots to get DE Cameron Jordan (if still available) or DE J.J. Watt. In return the Jags would receive their first round pick and a third round pick. With the 23rd pick, the Jags would select CB Jimmy Smith, who would become the starter opposite Derek Cox. Then using their second, the third they acquired from Philly (or their third) and the fourth they acquired from the Saints last year, trade back up to beginning of the second round to select either QB Christian Ponder or QB Colin Kaepernick.

So there you have it, would I would like the Jags to do early in the draft. As I am no draft expert by any means, this is not to be being taken serious and I am expecting nothing even close to this to happen. But hey, with all of the mock drafts and draft opinions out there, my two cents can't hurt the cause. I'd like to know what you avid Jags fans think of this. So as John Oesher likes to say, have at it.

Drafting the Best Available Player is always an interesting topic of discussion. When Gene Smith became the General Manager of the Jaguars, he vowed to enter the draft with the Best Available Player philosophy. Over the last two years, it would seem as if he has lived by his words. Every draft pick he has made was chosen decisively and he has stood by the selection of that player with conviction when asked about it, mainly Tyson. Whether or not the players he picks are the Best Available Players or not will always be up for debate, but it is apparent that Gene believed they were the BAP at the time. Drafting the Best Available Player is really a matter of perception, as there is no definitive way to decide who is the Best Available Player but to use your own judgement. It can easily alter from person to person as ones' judgement is most likely made up of factors such as: view of the game, value placed on each position, and importance placed on things such as speed, strength, quickness, etc. As there could very well be other factors, I believe these are the main three that make up majority a persons view of the BAP philosophy. After the jump, I'll explain why I think Gene has been drafting the Best Available Player and how I think it is going to be of great value to the Jaguars, not only in the present but in the future also.

Continue reading this post »

I pose this question because it seemed to me as if Tyson was less effective as the season went on. I don't have an exact number of snaps he played but I thought he was on the field an awful lot. He started the season well by getting a sack in the first game of the season against Denver, but ended the season with only 3.5 sacks. By no means am I complaining about his contribution, because I think he played well. He continually got better against the run and even demanded double teams on passing plays, which proved he was getting mentioned in defensive coordinators gameplan before playing the Jaguars. But I can't help but believe D'Anthony's presence would've been beneficial to Tyson and the entire defense as a unit. The biggest concern for me was how Tyson was on the injured list through the week later in the season most weeks, although he ended up playing in those games. 

Tyson isn't the only one that needs depth behind him, as does Terrance. Douzable has been serviceable, but no one would disagree to say that an upgrade wouldn't be nice. Gene Smith said that no other positions than the defensive lines, DE and DT, work off of rotation. With that being said, defensive end is fine as far as depth goes, now we just need another nose tackle type of DT in the mold of Terrance. Acquire that, coupled with the return of D'Anthony and the Jags could have one of the best young defensive line rotations in the league. Even though the secondary is still going to need an infusion of new talent, finishing the d-line would make it less of a glaring weakness, because there were times when we still didn't get pressure on the QB.

During my routine look at the Yahoos' NFL sports section, I found this article by Jason Cole, national NFL writer for Yahoo! Sports. In this article was a list of thanks that every NFL team should be grateful for and this is what he had to say about the Jaguars:

Jacksonville Jaguars – How about being happy you have a team? By all rights, the Jaguars should be playing in Los Angeles by now if the business people and politicians out west could get their act together. Despite that, the good folks of J-ville just don’t seem to get behind this team the way they get behind the college programs at Florida, Florida State and Georgia. Pretty telling.

Wow! What a beginning to Thanksgiving. The Jags are sitting at 6-4, coming off two wins in dramatic fashion, sitting atop the AFC South and this is what they should be thankful for? Right. My natural instinct was to get upset, but for what? This is Thanksgiving and I'm thankful the Jags are in the hunt and have been playing good football, may it continue in this final stretch.

Happy Thanksgiving to BCC and all of its vistors!

After looking at the most recent mock draft by Brian Galliford and seeing some of the picks, I started wondering if any of those players were being targeted by Gene Smith. I wrote a fanpost a while ago about a specific player I was interested in potetentially becoming a Jaguar. It was CB Prince Amukamara from Nebraska and in the mock he is slotted at #4 going to the Cowboys. As we have a lot of football to be played, therefore are far from having draft spots being projected to teams, it's very possible that these players will still be some of the first to come off of the board. So with all of this being said, I was wondering if it was possible that the Jags could trade up to get a targeted player.  With the disappointment of Derrick Harvey and all that was given up in '08 draft to trade up and select him, I wouldn't be surprised if the Jaguars have become reluctant to trade up in the first round.

With the trade up in the third round of the '09 draft to select Derek Cox and the attempted trade up with Dallas in this previous draft, in the second round, to select LB Sean Lee; it's clear to see that Gene will trade up if he sees value in it. It's interesting to note that he gave up a second round pick in the '10 draft to trade up in the '09 draft to select Cox, so he uses every trade angle available to him. Going into the draft the Jags will have nine picks with two in the fourth and two in the seventh, including there original picks in the other rounds. So Gene will have trade bait to manuever without having to touch any of his draft picks from a later draft as he had to in '09. As it is impossible to tell who Gene is targeting, it is very possible there is a player that he would like to draft but would have to trade up to get him.

It might not be the player I am referring to but there are other talents such as CB Patrick Robinson from LSU, DE Adrian Clayborn from Iowa, DE Da'Quan Bowers from Clemson, WR A.J. Green from Georgia, and LB Akeem Ayers from UCLA that could fill a need on this team; that have been tagged as high round selections, that could warrant the team trading up. Lastly, there will also be a few teams that are talent rich that will have a higher pick due to their disappointing '10 seasons, that could be potential trade partners. Mainly, Minnesota, especially after them trading their third round pick for Randy Moss to the Patriots.

But as I said, there is a lot of football left to be played and we are long way from draft spots being projected, so this is pure speculation. If the Jags were to go into this draft with nine picks and left with six players, with at least three of them ready to come in and make an immediate impact and the other three having the talent to make a near-future contribution; I wouldn't be  upset at that. It would actually balance out the '09 and '10 drafts, as in '09 we had four players (Monroe, Britton, Knigton and Cox) and in '10 we had one (Alualu) come in and be plug and play type players, so it would be nice if they would leave the draft with three additional starters. Not to mention players such as Rashean Mathis and Justin Durant that have trade value, the Jags could be very active come draft time.

So what about you? Are supportive of the idea of the Jagaurs trading up to draft an unproven talent at the risk of losing picks that could be used to draft players that could make the team better? With me being behind the mantra "In Gene we Trust", I would, but it isn't without a sense of hesitation. If Gene can find Mike Thomas', Deji Karims' and Rashad Jennings' type players in later rounds, I wouldn't mind them staying put and using all of those picks on players that could come in a make this team more competitive. I wouldn't be as supportive of trading down because I don't think this team has the talent pool to be trading away first round picks yet, we aren't the Patriots. Although the second and third rounds can still deliver talented players, I wouldn't want the team to miss out on the chance to get it's next superstar, which is usually selected in the first round. But either way, whatever happens during the draft, I believe the Jaguars will leave it a better team.

Before it was the face of the franchise, Maurice Jones-Drew. But now I have a new favorite and he is the big off-season acquisition, Aaron Kampman. At one time I wanted a team full of MJD's; tough players who talent was much bigger than their body would indicate. Now I want a team full of Aaron Kampmans; overachieving players that make everybody around them better. As we all know, Kampman was a 5th round pick and has outplayed where he was drafted by becoming a master of his position. It would seem as if it was not only through his talent, but through sheer dedication to his craft and I have nothing but respect for that. If you've been to jaguars.com and watched any of his interviews, you'll see he is an intelligent man and I always feel better knowing a player like him is on the team. It's too bad he is at this stage in his career as I wish we could've had a five year younger version of him. I really hope that Larry Hart and Austen Lane follow suit and eventually have the same impact later on that Kampman is having now. They both were 5th round picks, so we know that has nothing to do with the players they can become. So this is to my new favorite Jaguar, Aaron Kampman; may he continue to leave a positive impression on this team, now and into the future.

Got another favorite Jaguar? Who is it? I'd like to know.

I know every fan is expecting the Jagaurs to draft their QB of the future in next years draft, but as we all know, Gene is a Best Available Player type of guy. With that being said, what if a QB happens to not be the best available player in the first round next year when the Jags are on the clock? Should they draft one anyways because of the need or should Gene stick with his board?

I know it's way too early to predict next years draft, but their are already mock drafts showing up on the net. Their are also value boards available showing the creators opinion of the best players regardless of positon. I have took at look at several and have highlighted a particular player that seems very interesting to me. His name is Prince Amukamara, a cornerback from Nebraska. It is being reported that he is an elite level talent and represents a huge need for the Jaguars right now. I know we have Mathis, but he is getting older and now with the disappointing situation going on with Cox, a CB becomes an even bigger value at this point. I also wouldn't mind a defensive end or a linebacker either. As you can see, my preference for a first round pick next year would be a defensive player, as I think that is the weaker unit of the team.

The Jags have an extra 4th round pick from the Saints and it is my hope that it is used as trade bait to position the team in a draft slot that would allow them to select an elite level talent, regardless of the position. As there are a list of players that have a general census of being elite level prospects such as WR A.J. Green from Georgia, CB Patrick Peterson from LSU, WR Julio Jones from Alabama, DE Robert Quinn from North Carolina and, of course, QB Andrew Luck from Stanford to name a few.

Considering the Jags could end up having a pick between 8-16, they shouldn't have to give up too much as compensation should they decide they need to trade up to get their targeted player. As every team drafts differently, a player could also slip, ala Eugene Monroe in 2009, making the possibility of trading up easier to do. But as I said, I'm hoping they get this Prince Amukamara guy. I like the idea of having a future shut down corner on the defense. What about you? Other than a QB, is there any other position that you would like to see drafted in first round next if he had the talent to warrant the pick?

I just read that the Houston Texans attempted to sign him but couldn't come to terms on an agreement. Should the Jags look into purusing him also? He seems to fit the mold GM Gene follows when signing free agents. He has had a solid career and would be a much better option at a much more reasonable price than Derrick Harvey at this point. I know the Jags are in the middle of a youth movement, but signing Schobel would eliminate the only weak link on the defensive line, that being Harvey. Having two veteran pass rushers and two young defensive tackles sounds like a nice balance to have as the young pass rushers develop. I know it wouldn't help the secondary any, but what can besides finding players in the draft or free agency next year? That would instantly put Harvey on the trading block, but after his play in the last three games, that doesn't sound so bad. Even though that would solidify the Jags 2008 draft as one of the worse in the league in recent memory. But it's something I could live with if that means making the team better and, as I said, Schobel would be a better option than Harvey. What do you think?

With the signing of Trent Edwards, should the thought of trading Garrard be entertained? If Trent can come in and do just as good as Garrard, it would make a lot of economical sense and clear the way for whichever QB the Jags draft next year. It would be a very risky move but it is something to think about, especially if Garrard isn't able to get out of his recent funk. If Edwards begins to outplay Garrard in practice and wins the starting job from him, it could very well happen. Although whatever trade value Garrard would've held before will plummet if Gene attempts to trade him under those conditions. What do you think, would it be a smart move?

I know no fans of any football team wants to entertain the prosect of their team having a losing record. Especially us Jaguar fans after an off-season of built up excitement of this team being a better one than last year. But we are three weeks in and the weaknesses of this team have reared their ugly heads and as we all know, help is not on the way. With the way the team has played thus far and looking at the schedule, it appears as if we have a long, hard road in front of us. Coming of a lopsided loss, it's only natural to see the cup half empty rather than half full. So, for the pure fun of speculation, I am going to weigh the pros and cons of what I think will be the outcome should the Jags end up finishing the season less than 8-8. Even though 8-8 should still be considered a losing record, as the expectation was the playoffs or else to some fans.

Pros: 

Well, the obvious pro is having a higher draft picks come next April. Next years draft has been deemed the find a new QB draft. With so many potential NFL QB propects expected to come out, the higher the pick, the more likelihood of Gene getting the guy he wants. It would be good if he could get the guy he wants without having to trade picks away to trade up and get him. Which is exactly what he would have to do if the Jags finish with a record that would give them a pick between 15-19. At this moment their appears to be five teams that will finish with a worst team than the Jags and they are the: 49ers, Panthers, Lions, Browns and Bills. So the Jags should have a pick between 6 and 12. I have said before that the Jags need to get away from having such high picks as the team can't afford the financial burden that comes with high draft picks. That should be lessened after this year though, as I believe Garrard and Harvey will be gone after this year, which will clear up a lot of cap room. Gene has shown that he can find productive players in the later rounds, so higher draft picks hopefully will equate to this team getting better after another draft. Unfortunately, that is the only pro I can think of that can come from having a losing record. *We gave the Saints fourth round pick, which will be a low fourth round pick as they will finish as one of the better teams of the league.

Cons:

Another long, hard disappointed season endured by the fans. Should this happen, it would come at a time when the team could afford it the least. With all of the built-up excitement from the off-season that translated into a record setting (for the franchise) amount of season tickets sold, this can not bode well for selling tickets next year. Hopefully the team can turn this thing around and avoid blackout at the end of this season, but for the team to start off next year with blackouts, our beloved team might face peril. Another con is the criticism GM Gene is going to face. All he has done to make this team more competive will be overlooked if the team can't put out a competitive showing, which they are failing to do at the moment. Another con is the result it is going to have on the players that we are depending on to get us past these hard times. Mainly, MJD, Sims-Walker, Monroe,Knighton, Kampman, Alualu and Daryl Smith. If the team can't play better around these guys, one can only speculate that it is going to weigh heavily on their confidence. We're seeing what it is doing to Garrard and we don't need the same to happen to them.

Neutral:

Jack Del Rio losing his job. I say this is neutral for two reason. One, with a new direction in personnel, Jack is just getting a chance to show his potential as a coach. He made the most of what he had before and did a commendable job, but now he is being tested early. If the Jags don't get better by the end of this year, he is the one that is going to take fall for it. Him and a couple of other coaches, especially Dirk Koetter the OC. His playcalling is so predictable, I know what they are going to do just by looking at the formation. I understand you want your guy to beat the guy across from him in a one-on-one, but if the game was that simple, a team wouldn't need so many coaches. The other reason it's neutral to me is because if they do bring in coaches, it won't be for two or three years before we know if they are the right decisions as the players adjust to it. If that is the case, us fans, need to be prepared for this team to be middle of the pack for the next few years. It sucks to think about it, but I love this team and I'm ready to wait it out.

There is a lot of football to be played, so it is next to impossible to tell how this is going to turn out. But as I said, if the the first three games are any indication of how this season is going to end, a losing season might be on the horizon. It's not my hope, but no option should be taken out of consideration. These are my pros and cons, what are yours?

In my honest opinion, this final roster is another show of GM Gene Smith's efficiency at his job. As there were a few surprise cuts which leave a lot of questions to be answered, when given another look, their appears to logic behind every move. It's obvious he has built the type of team HC Jack Del Rio wants to run, one that will run the ball and stop the run. Yet simultaneously has kept enough CB's (6) to run nickel and dime packages to defend the pass when needed. While for the most part they are unproven, they are young and should improve with more playing time.

Other than the teams core players, I think, he kept the players that he believe would not clear waivers, such as: DE Aaron Morgan, FB Brock Bolen, OT Kevin Haslem, LB Jacob Cutrera, SS Courtney Greene and TE Zach Potter. Of the players cut, there are only four of them that probably won't be available later in season, as they might find employment with another team. Those players are: SS Gerald Alexander, TE Earnest Wilford, OG Kynan Forney and CB Scott Starks. Of the other players released, they should still be free agents, should there be injuries.

Concerns of lack of depth at certain positions such as Safety, Defensive Tackle and Linebacker should not be feared either. As far as safety goes, a team should only need four Safeties on the team at a time. Which is what the Jags will have if they keep DB Tyron Brackenridge solely as a Safety, his orginal position. They shouldn't need him to play CB because, as mentioned earlier, they have six other players to do so. At Defensive Tackle they should be fine also, especially with Jeremy Mincey's ability to play both DT an DE. Should injury occur, DT Ko Quaye will be on the practice squad and DT's Attiyaah Ellison and Walter Curry should be readily available. Lastly, at Linebacker their only appears to be a lack of depth too. Again, if  injury should happen at the position, released LB's Rod Wilson, Teddy Lehman and Rod Wilson should still be available. Also, with LB's Freddy Keiaho and Kyle Bosworth being on the injury reserve, once healed, they will be options. With these positions there are only two Safeties, two Defensive Tackles and three Linebackers (two in nickle and dime packages) on the field at any given time. With that being said, you can afford to go a little light at them, especially when you have a reserve of players ready to step in should the injury bug bite. Although not the case at Safety, I'm sure Gene could find a suitable free agent should the need arise. Even at WR, as the norm was to keep six at the position, there is no issue as TE Zach Miller can be used in a Reciever capacity.

To me, it looks like Gene Smith kept who he though was the best available players. In every way possible, he went with young players that can improve over players that have probably maxed out on their potential. He has left it to the coaches to figure the rest out. I'm not sure what to expect from this team, but if nothing else, they should be competitive and should improve week in and week out. This will be fun to watch!

*On the Don Carey discussion; it shouldn't be an issue as he has CB's David Jones, William Middleton and Michael Coe ahead of him, which should give him all the time he needs to grow into the potential Gene believes he has.

*Also, as the Safety play probably won't be spectacular, they should all be able to do their job. Keep the play in front of them and make the tackle.

I found this comment on a message board where the topic was "The Jags are headed in the right direction now":

"As a life long citizen of Jacksonville I think I can speak for many in the community by thanking Gene Smith for completely rebuilding our Beloved Jaguars! After James (Shack) Harris built a team based on Thugs and Gangstas and anything but true football stars it is my oppinion that Gene Smith's commitment to charactar first first has brought a fresh new spirit to the team and the community. This team will become a winner again, surpassing the achievements of the past and winning a Super Bowl with Honor, Integrity and Charactar!
Soon the Blackouts will be a memory serving only to remind this organization that Jacksonville is a town of decent people who will not support thugs and gangstas!!"

While it is true that some of the players had character issues that shouldn't have been acceptable, they were by no means gangstas and thugs. Which players did we have that could carry that moniker? Matt Jones? Reggie Williams? Mike Peterson (not a thug)? Personally, I don't know. What 'Shack' Harris did was draft based on need and physical attributes, which got the team nowhere fast. He also made the mistake of signing washed up free agency players to high price contracts, which also hurt the team. Instead he should have been doing what Gene is doing. That is use free agency as a place to fill certain positions of need with reputable stop-gap players until it can be addressed in the draft. And approach the draft with a BAP philosophy and sticking to it with conviction. Instead of drafting physically gifted players with limited potential, drafting productive, high character young men that carry certain intangible qualities such as leadership, commitment to football, among others. While I do believe Gene will do a much better job at building this team to compete for a championship for years to come, I do not believe 'Shack' built a team of gangstas and thugs. Remember, the face of our franchise, Maurice Jones-Drew, was drafted under his tenure. This team is heading in the right direction, in GENE WE TRUST.

I've seen similar comments written by other Jag fans, here is what I think. What about you?

Between the 2000 and 2008 NFL Drafts their has been a total of 91 DEs drafted in 5th,6th and 7th rounds. Of them 26 were drafted in the 5th round, 27 in the 6th and 38 in the 7th. Here is a list of those players that have had standout careers:

Aaron Kampman - #156 5th Round 2002 NFL Draft

Brett Kiesel - #242 7th Round 2002 NFL Draft

Robert Mathis - #138 5th Round 2003 NFL Draft

Trent Cole - #146 5th Round 2005 NFL Draft

Also, here are a couple of players Jaguar familiar should recognize:

Bobby McCray  - #249 7th round 2004 NFL Draft

Jeremy Mincey - #191 6th Round 2006 NFL Draft (orginally drafted by New England)

James Wyche - #213 7th Round 2006 NFL Draft

What this says to me is that finding pash rushers that can be successful in the NFL late in the draft is a rarity. I will do further research on the other DEs that were drafted in the later rounds to see if there is a commonality between their careers, but as it stands, they all seem to be just other guys. As I wish Hart and Lane turn out to be fantastic players, the statistical chance of that happening is very little. But I believe they both will be with the Jaguars for a long time. What do you think?

*I wish I could have put separate polls for both of them, because it's unlikely their careers will have the same outcome.

With his potentially season ending injury, what impact do you think this is going to ultimately have on the team. In my honest opinion, this is devastating, mainly due to depth issues. I also believe that by seasons end he would've become a playmaker, being good enough to be a starter on most other teams. I have full faith in GM Gene's abilty to find an adequate replacement, but I doubt he'll be able to find a player to fill that void Smith was going to fill.

On a more positive note, he should come back more passionate than ever to prove himself, not only to himself, but to his teammates, coaches, the GM and owner. Also, it's going to be like he was an extra pick from next years draft as teams still won't know what to expect, therefore will be unable to gameplan against him. One thing is certain though, the Jags D-line is going to be a beast of a unit for years to come. Especially when Smith makes his return.

So this is to D'Anthony making a full recovery. Go Jags!

I know it is an old subject, but this is the first time I've had the chance to discuss it with other Jags fans. Is there another player that was available that you believe was more talented? Especially after so much emphasis was placed on GM Gene Smith following the BAP (with good character) method when drafting players. Or do you think GM Gene picked the player he wanted knowing he wouldn't have been able to trade back and still get him. We all know it was rumored that a team between #12 and #16, most notably, the Dolphins would've selected him if the Jags didn't. As I have no doubt about the selection, I would like to know what other die hard Jag fans think.

I would've been asked this, but I just joined the site last week.

*Note: Above I ask what do you think GM Gene should've done and in the poll I ask what you would have done. Just in case there is any confusion.