Posts belonging to Category Jaguars

This was a make-or-break draft for Jaguars GM Gene Smith. Plenty of fans are already growing impatient with his obsession with small school prospects – a theme which continued in this draft – and now that he’s attached his legacy to Blaine Gabbert, Smith will sink or swim based on Gabbert’s performance.

There’s no denying Gabbert’s talent, but taking him 10th overall has to be seen as a risk. He’s more raw than your typical top-10 pick (although significantly less so than the two quarterbacks taken ahead of him). That said, I really like his chances to succeed in Jacksonville. He isn’t ready to start in the NFL, but he does have the intelligence and the work ethic to quickly develop while watching from the sidelines. Hopefully the Jaguars bring him along slowly and allow him to watch and learn from David Garrard for at least a full season.

To no ones surprise, Gene Smith spent each of his next two picks on non-FBS prospects. Will Rackley played left tackle at Lehigh but will likely shift inside to guard or center in Jacksonville. Depending on how quickly he adjusts to the position change, he could compete with Uche Nwaneri for a starting spot.

In the 4th round Smith made Cecil Shorts the highest drafted D-III player in NFL history. He’s an undersized deep threat – essentially a poor mans Mike Thomas – and I just don’t see how he’ll fit into the game plan in Jacksonville. At best, he’s their 4th option this season.

Chris Prosinski was a reach in the 4th round, but he’ll have a chance to earn immediate playing time at free safety. Depth is lacking in the Jaguars secondary, so anyone and everyone will be given an opportunity to win a job.

Rod Issac is an athletic but undersized corner who could compete for the nickel corner job. He isn’t anything special, but neither are Scotty McGee, David Jones or Terrence Wheatley.

The success of this draft hinges on the development of Blaine Gabbert, as does Gene Smith’s career. If Gabbert is a success it will make up for the lack of depth in this draft. If he fails, however, it will set the franchise back at least three years. It’s never easy to recover from a bust at quarterback, and the fact that they added only one other potential long-term starter in this class will make it even more diffiuclt.

Rackley is one of the top small-school prospects

According to Josh Buchanan of JBScouting.com Lehigh offensive lineman Will Rackley is lining up a number of visits and private workouts.

He’ll be one of the busiest prospects over the next month, as he meets with the Browns, Cowboys, Rams, Chiefs, Dolphins, Lions, Jaguars, Patriots and Jets.

Rackley played left tackle in college but is probably best suited for guard at the next level. That said, his potential versatility certainly gives his stock an extra boost.

Based on the amount of interest in Rackley he is starting to look like a pretty safe bet to go in the first three rounds. A team like the Cleveland Browns, who could use help at both right guard and right tackle would be a good fit. The St. Louis Rams, who desperately need to upgrade their interior line would also make sense.

Matt Peterson tracks the offseason needs of every team in the league. Today’s franchise, the Jacksonville Jaguars [full archive here].

Season Recap - The Jaguars had a shot at winning their first division title since 1999, but a week 15 loss to the Indianapolis Colts destroyed any chance. Jacksonville did some things well (3rd in rushing yards) and some things not so well (28th in defense), and the 8-8 record backs their average play in 2010. Jack Del Rio hasn’t led the team to the playoffs since 2007-meaning time is winding down. Hopefully the Jaguars can make some improvements and overtake Indianapolis in 2011.

Needs:
1. Defensive End – The Tyson Alualu selection shocked the world last year, but surprisingly paid off. Alualu started all season and made the all-rookie team. Now, Jacksonville needs to add a pass rusher to compliment Alualu. Aaron Campman is coming off an ACL tear, and Derrick Harvey has failed to live up to expectations. Jacksonville can use their first round pick to fill the need. Aldon Smith, Ryan Kerrigan, and Adrian Clayborn are options at #16. (more…)

Bob Sanders is a former defensive players of the year who turns 30 on February 24. Normally, he would be one of the most coveted free agents on the market.

Sanders can still help a team, even if its only a part-time role

Unfortunately, Sanders has played more than six games just twice in his seven-year career, and the only real mark he’s made in the NFL is as one of the league’s all-time most injury prone players.

That said, a number of of teams will give him a call this offseason and his price tag is made more valuable by the lack of talent in this year’s draft. Anyone looking for an upgrade at safety is better off calling Sanders – even with the injury risks – than turning to the draft for help.

Rahim Moore is my highest-rated safety, with an early 2nd-round grade. After him there are four players with 3rd-round grades, but none of them are guaranteed answers for a team looking for a starting safety.

The best option for a team looking to upgrade the position would be to sign Sanders and then draft someone as insurance. A team like the Seahawks, Jaguars or Jets, which is hoping to compete in 2011, could role the dice on Sanders and then try to land someone such as Tyler Sash or Deunta Williams in the 3rd or 4th round. That way, even if Sanders gets hurt (which he will), he will at least be around to assist in the development of his replacement.

Cardinals – Need a lot more than one aging receiver to fix their quarterback situation.

Falcons – Why mess up a good thing between Matt Ryan and Roddy White?

Ravens – No room with Boldin, Mason and Housh. Moss would pout, ruin chemistry.

Bills – Ryan Fitzpatrick has been pleasantly surprising. Don’t mess with a good thing.

Panthers – Think Moss will be a good soldier on a team competing for the No. 1 pick?

Bears – Lovie and Martz have their hands full already with Jay Cutler in the locker room.

Bengals – T.O.  and Moss in the same locker room? No thanks.

Browns – If Mangini can’t get along with Braylon Edwards, how would Moss fit in?

Cowboys – The last thing they need is another distraction.

Broncos – Do you really think McDaniels will get along with Moss better than Marshall?

Lions – Can you picture Moss accepting role as a No. 2 receiver on a 2-5 team?

Packers – Chemistry on offense seems to be great. Don’t mess it up.

Texans – See above.

Colts – Manning prefers his no-name receivers. And it works just fine for him.

Jaguars – Last place Jags aren’t going anywhere. Don’t waste the money.

Chiefs – Already hold a big lead in a weak division. Why mess with what’s working?

Dolphins – Marshall and Moss is too much ego for any coaching staff to handle.

Vikings – Been there. Done that.

Patriots – Been there. Done that.

Saints – Brees seems to be doing o.k. for himself without an elite receiver.

Giants – Can you picture Moss backing up Nicks and Smith?

Jets – I think they’ve learned their lesson with Braylon Edwards.

Raiders – Been there. Done that.

Eagles – Been there. Done that.

Steelers – After trading Holmes, adding Moss would be a step backwards.

Chargers – Vincent Jackson is back.

49ers – Can you picture Moss being happy in last place in the worst division?

Seahawks – The last thing Mike Williams needs right now is a bad influence.

Rams – Last thing this young, overachieving team needs is a bad influence like Moss.

Bucs – See above.

Titans – Kenny Britt has enough issues to overcome without Moss influencing him.

Redskins – McNabb and T.O. didn’t work. Why would it work with Moss?

OFFENSE
1. Jahvid Best, Lions
Best remains the most effective player in the Lions offense. He’s averaging just 3.5 yards per rush, but is also averaging over 10 yards per reception.

2. Sam Bradford, Rams
Every rookie is bound to have a game like Bradford’s against the Lions at least once. It’s a minor setback, but he’ll learn from it.

3. Aaron Hernandez, Patriots
Hernandez ranks second to Best in receiving yards by rookies.

4. Mike Williams, Bucs
Williams has improved throughout the season and has his biggest game yet with seven catches for 99 yards against the Bengals.

5. Rob Gronkowski, Patriots
Gronkowski has just six catches (two for touchdowns) but he has been as good as advertized in terms of being an elite blocking tight end.

DEFENSE
1. Nate Allen, Eagles
Allen isn’t just the best rookie safety, he looks like one of the best free safeties in football this season.

2. Koa Misi, Dolphins
Misi and Dolphins are coming off a bye week. He’s still tied for 2nd among rookies with two sacks.

3. Tyson Alualu, Jaguars
Alualu has been impressive both against the run and as a pass rusher. He has two sacks, two hits and seven QB pressures.

4. Earl Thomas, Seahawks
Thomas looks like an elite safety in coverage. Teams are avoiding throwing his direction, and he’s made them pay with three picks when they do.

5. Ndamukong Suh, Lions
Suh is a nightmare for interior offensive linemen to block in passing situations (leads rookies with three sacks) but he is still developing against the run. He’s been a liability at times when teams run directly at him.

OFFENSE
1. Sam Bradford, Rams
Bradford continues to improve and now has the Rams in 1st place. He’s completed over 56 pct of his passes in all four games this year.

2. Aaron Hernandez, Patriots
Hernandez had another five catches on Monday night against the Dolphins. He leads all rookies in receiving yards.

3. Jahvid Best, Lions
Best was effective against the Packers, but didn’t break off any game-changing plays. He also lost a costly fumble.

4. Dez Bryant, Cowboys
Bryant and the Cowboys were off this week. He’s averaging over 50 receiving yards per game.

5. Mike Iupati, 49ers
Not much has gone right for the 49ers, but Iupati has emerged as one of the league’s best run-blocking interior linemen.

DEFENSE
1. Koa Misi, Dolphins
Misi had another big game against the Patriots on Monday night. He recorded his second sack of the season and two quarterback pressures.

2. Nate Allen, Eagles
Allen has been one of the best all-around safeties in the game this year. He excels in coverage, in run support and even as a pass rusher.

3. Tyson Alualu, Jaguars
Alualu was mostly held in check against the Colts last week, but his overall body of work keeps him in the top three.

4. Devin McCourty, Patriots
McCourty looked very good on Monday night, allowing just two catches for four yards. He’s been consistent all season despite being a frequent target.

5. Brandon Graham, Eagles
Graham is arguably the best rookie pass rusher, which is enough to land him a spot on the list, but he is one dimensional. His lack of skills against the run will hold him back from moving much further up the list.

OFFENSE
1. Jahvid Best, Lions
Best was injured in the Lions Week 3 loss to Minnesota, but he has still be easily the most productive rookie on the offensive side of the ball. However, his status is up in the air for Week 4, which could allow someone to sneak up and steal the top spot.

2. Aaron Hernandez, Patriots
Hernandez has emerged as a favorite target of Tom Brady, running many of the same routes that Wes Welker runs. He leads all rookies in receiving yards and has looked like one of the top receiving tight ends in the game through three weeks.

3. Sam Bradford, Rams
Bradford picked up the first win of his career last week against the Redskins. It was easily the most productive game of his short career as he completed over 60 percent of his passes for 235 yards.

4. Dez Bryant, Cowboys
Bryant isn’t threatening Miles Austin as the Cowboys top receiver, but he has topped the 50-yard mark in all three games so far this season. That, coupled with his production on special teams, has made him one of the most productive rookies.

5. Jordan Shipley, Bengals
Shipley falls from 2nd to 5th this week after catching just three passes against the Panthers.

DEFENSE
1. Koa Misi, Dolphins
Misi remains the most productive defensive rookie for the third straight week. He has become the most productive all-around linebacker in Miami, making him a perfect compliment to the pass rushing skills of Cameron Wake.

2. Tyson Alualu, Jaguars
Alualu picked up his second sack of the season and added two more quarterback hits. His production against the run needs work, but he has looked dominant at times as an interior pass rusher.

3. Derrick Morgan, Titans
Morgan has been coming off the bench, but it may only be a matter of time before he’s starting. He has impressed as a pass rusher and against the run.

4. Nate Allen, Eagles
Allen has changed the Eagles secondary, which struggled at times last season, and filled the void at free safety. He even picked up a sack this past week against the Jaguars.

5. Brandon Graham, Eagles
Graham is arguably the best rookie pass rusher, which is enough to land him a spot on the list, but he is one dimensional. His lack of skills against the run will hold him back from moving much further up the list.

The Eagles announced that Michael Vick is their new starting quarterback, essentially ending the Kevin Kolb era after a quarter of football.

Has Kolb thrown his last pass in Philly?

But Kolb is just 26 years old and has looked good in limited playing time – enough so that the Eagles traded away Donovan McNabb in the offseason. If Vick is now their starting quarterback for the long term, it would make sense for the Eagles to trade Kolb – and they should probably sooner rather than later to avoid any distractions.

So who might be in the market for a starting quarterback? Here are a few options…

5. Jaguars
The Jaguars likely won’t show an interest in Kolb before the trade deadline, but he could be an option if he is available next offseason. The coaching staff isn’t particularly fond of David Garrard and would likely entertain the idea of trading for a younger signal caller with more upside. That said, I wouldn’t rule them out as an immediate option. If the asking price is right it may be a good way to motivate Garrard while also giving them an insurance policy on the bench.

4. Vikings
The Vikings have every reason to be concerned about their 0-2 start considering the shaky play of Brett Favre. He isn’t the same quarterback from 2009 and he may have finally suffered one to many injuries. The Vikings aren’t going to bench Favre, but trading for Kolb may not be a bad idea if they want an insurance policy. Even if Kolb sat behind Favre for 2010, the job would be his next season.

3. Cardinals
The Cardinals are a logical choice because we know they’re capable of being a contender with the right quarterback. And Derek Anderson likely isn’t that guy. The reason they may not be interested is the fact that Kolb is still an unknown. We know from the 2007 season that Anderson can be a serviceable quarterback in the right system, and once Beanie Wells returns the Cardinals offense may be just fine. But Kolb has only played two full games in his career and the Cardinals may not want to take that risk.

2. Bills
The Bills have already given up on Trent Edwards and are handing the starting duties back to Ryan Fitzpatrick. In another couple weeks when the Bills are 0-6 or 0-7 Brian Brohm will likely get called upon to start. And then when he fails they’ll hand it back over to Edwards, and so on. It’s not a pretty picture in Buffalo, and Kolb could provide some much needed stability.

1. Browns
Cleveland makes the most sense because of their dreadful quarterback situation as well as GM Tom Heckert’s connection to Kolb (he came over from Philly this offseason). In fact, the Browns have already reportedly contacted the Eagles who said that Kolb was not available… at this time, anyway.

It sounds like Leinart may be done in Arizona

Alright, maybe this is a little premature. The Cardinals haven’t cut Matt Leinart yet. Heck, they haven’t even announced who their starting quarterback will be. But its fun to look ahead and wonder where the former top-10 pick may end up. Here are the five most likely destinations:

5. Bills – They already have four incredibly mediocre quarterbacks on the roster, so why take on another? Well they’ve already seen Fitzpatrick, Brohm and Edwards in action and none of them have shown much upside. Perhaps bringing Leinart to Buffalo – the NFL’s Siberia – would get him out of the hot tub and into the film room.

4. Jaguars – Jack Del Rio isn’t particularly fond of David Garrard. Luke McCown is the current backup and appears to have played well enough this summer to make the Jaguars comfortable with him as an option if Garrard went down. But that doesn’t mean Del Rio wouldn’t make a push for the team to sign Leinart, a fellow USC alum, to add another body to the mix fighting Garrard for a starting spot.

3. Texans – Matt Schaub is on the verge of stardom, so Leinart wouldn’t be competing for playing time in Houston. However, Dan Orlovsky is the current backup and Schaub has a fairly extensive injury history. At worst Leinart would be a slight upgrade.

2. Giants – With Jim Sorgi headed to the IR, the Giants are left with Rhett Bomar as their backup. Bomar is a developmental prospect who likely isn’t ready to see an NFL field. Leinart would be a significant upgrade and give them adequate insurance behind Manning.

1. Bears – The Bears have asked (and begged) every available veteran quarterback to come replace Caleb Hanie as Jay Cutler’s backup. Perhaps Leinart will finally be the man for the job.

What? No Seahawks? Here’s my reasoning: who knows Leinart better than any coach other than Ken Whisenhunt? Pete Carroll. He is all too well aware of the lifestyle that Leinart leads and knows that that isn’t what it takes to win the NFL. He’s content with his combo of Hasselbeck and Whitehurst. It’s unlikely that they would bring Leinart aboard just to compete for a backup job which wouldn’t even be guaranteed.