Rashad Jennings of the Jacksonville Jaguars: The Big “If”

When the Jacksonville Jaguars selected running back Rashad Jennings in the final round of the draft this past April, they were thrilled to land a quality player at a point in the draft when most of the options are long shots to make a roster.

What they did not realize is that they had drafted a player who was not only a special talent, but a true renaissance man.

The path Jennings took to get to this point in his football career is not the traditional road map most players follow.

It is part of what makes Jennings the quality individual he is.

Coming out of high school, the running back had a few offers to play college football. He chose the Pitt Panthers because he felt it was a good fit for his style of play, and because there was a fifth year senior starting he felt he could learn from.

Not only did Jennings learn from the veteran player, but he replaced him as a true freshman. In eight games, Jennings managed to generate more than 400 yards rushing, which was good enough for second on the Panthers’ roster.

To even the casual observer, it would have been readily apparent that his arrow was pointing upward. So, it came as somewhat of a surprise when he decided to transfer to Liberty College after his freshman season.

For those who knew Jennings, it was hardly a surprise. In fact, it was what they expected.

In a recent interview with Jaguars Radio’s color analyst, Jeff Lageman, Jennings offered some insight into the type of man he is, giving people a unique view of what makes him tick.

During his freshman season, his father suffered serious health issues that became a distraction for the player. As a long-time diabetic, Jennings’ father was forced to have a leg amputated as a result of the ravages of his disease.

Jennings made the decision that his family came first, and without hesitation requested a transfer.

Liberty College was a small Christian school only a few minutes from his family home. They offered the curriculum he was interested in, and allowed him to continue his football career with some hope that he could take his game to the next level eventually.

Most important, it allowed him to be there to support his family.

He pursued a double-major in Sports Management and Business Administration with a minor in Biblical Education.

He also established himself as one of the best running backs in the country at Liberty, earning honors as a finalist for the Walter Payton Award, as an All-America first-team selection by NFL Draft Report, earned an All-Big South Conference first-team pick, and was named as the Offensive Player of the Year in the conference. 

He was ranked fifth in the nation with his 1,500 yards rushing on 263 carries and 17 touchdowns. He averaged more than 136 yards per game on the ground in 11 games.

Because Jennings does not smoke, drink, or party, he had to find creative ways to entertain himself during his college days.

He and a group of classmates at Liberty decided to take up different hobbies each semester, attempting to master the skills as quickly as possible. He tried the piano, writing left-handed, and even card tricks.

When he decided to take up the guitar in his senior season, he fell in love.

He continued to develop new skills playing the guitar, writing songs, and having fun jamming with his friends.

When he reported to rookie camp, he was not given much information about what he should bring along. Unsure of what he needed to bring precisely, he decided to wing it. He packed underwear, socks, shirts, pants, shorts, his computer, and his guitar.

With all of the time requirements surrounding playing football and obtaining a degree, Jennings still found enough time to start writing a book with his brothers.

The working title, The “If” in Life, centers on the decisions people make in their lives as they follow their path. Some of the decisions are the right ones, and others are not.

He and his brothers also started a ministry at their church to put into practice what they had learned while putting the book together.

For this rookie, he is making all of the right moves both on and off the field.

He is a diverse, interesting guy.

He is a pretty good football player, too!

When Jennings arrived for rookie mini-camp after the draft, he immediately went about the business of getting himself acclimated to the NFL, and it was an impressive first-time effort.

Jennings showed that he can be the complete back, showing good instinct in carrying the football, allowing lanes to clear and following his blocks. He also showed outstanding hands as a receiver coming out of the backfield.

His performance was impressive enough that he has gone from a possible special team contributor to a player who could wind up getting up to 15 touches per game, splitting duties with Maurice Jones-Drew.

He could quickly become a fan favorite if he can prove to be productive on the field. He is a guy who exemplifies what the new era of Jaguars football is about under Gene Smith.

In a town where fans love to root for their blue collar, family oriented players, the community will be eager to embrace Jennings. He is a great story for a franchise looking for stars.

As a seventh round pick, he comes to Jacksonville as an underdog worth rooting for.

For the Jaguars, he is the big if.

If he can step right into his role as the primary backup for Maurice Jones-Drew, he will be able to establish himself as one of the best seventh round draft picks in franchise history.

If he can take advantage of this opportunity and become a productive outlet for the Jaguars, he will help this team turn things around quickly.

As the Jaguars continue the process of rebuilding this roster, he is one of the players who could become the foundation for a new wave of success for the team.

He is the “if” in life, moving forward for the Jaguars.

Jacksonville Jaguars’ Eugene Monroe Should Take a History Lesson

This is the time of year in the NFL when teams send the players off to rest and prepare for training camp. It is the stretch on the calendar where endless speculation fills the void left by little in the way of actual news.

To fill that empty space, fans enter what is referred to as “hand wringing season.” 

The premise of this particular season is that fans focus on their favorite team, speculating about when they will get their rookie draft class signed.

They speculate endlessly over how much each player will get, and how far their perspective team is willing to bend in order to get signatures on contracts.

It is no different in Jacksonville.

The musing began within a few days of the draft concluding, and it will continue until the last player signs.

Much of the concern this year swirls around first-round selection Eugene Monroe. Will he be in camp on time? Will he hold out and create problems? Should the team just up the ante and get the deal done to avoid a protracted absence?

There is an argument for getting a deal done quickly. The faster the two sides can come together, the more time the rookie offensive tackle will have to work with the team and develop his skills at the NFL level.

That is certainly a logical approach.

But, should the team deviate from their negotiating approaches and soften on fiscal responsibility in order to get the deal done sooner?

Not a chance.

For a small-market team dealing with a tight financial situation already, tossing aside the model they have used since Paul Vance, vice president and general counsel for the Jaguars, inherited a team in salary cap Hell would be ill-advised and completely illogical. 

Under Vance, the Jaguars have been able to reverse a financial mess brought on by early abuse of the salary cap. The salary cap hole the team was in when he arrived in Jacksonville was bad enough that the team was forced to jettison many of their popular players in order to just get things moving in the right direction.

Poorly negotiated contracts and deals given to players that simply did not pan out devastated the Jaguars financially, forcing them to take a different tact once they regained control.

Since his arrival, Paul Vance has become a tactical negotiator, establishing a firm position for the team in all dealings. The team has been willing to take a stance when necessary in order to maintain their control over the salary cap.

That does not mean they are cheap. The Jaguars are willing to work with agents to assure that players are fairly compensated. But, the team is not going to overspend on a player for the sake of getting a deal done more quickly.

Last year, the Jaguars ran into a situation with Derrick Harvey involving the overall dollar amount and the term of the contract. Because the two sides could not come together quickly, the negotiations spilled over into training camp, and Harvey did not sign a deal until just before the season began.

His agent, Ken Kremer, was looking for a deal that was in line with the draft picks ahead of Harvey. That was understandable, considering the fact that the market had been thrown into complete chaos by the deal the New York Jets agreed to with defensive end Vernon Gholston. It blew the expected slotting out of the water.

In normal years, player contract values are loosely based upon what the player in the same draft position received the year prior. But there are always exceptions based upon the position the player plays. Quarterbacks traditionally receiver bigger contracts, so if a defensive end is drafted in the same spot that a quarterback was the year before, the deal will be adjusted accordingly.

Last year, the Jets handed Gholston a contract that would have been warranted for a player being selected in the top 5 with an incredible $21 million guaranteed. That reset the contracts for picks following Gholston in the mind of Ken Kremer.

The Jaguars had a different viewpoint. They were looking at the eighth pick in the 2007 draft to determine what they intended to use as their starting point.

They had good reason to use this as their starting point. The Atlanta Falcons selected Jamaal Anderson and signed him to a five-year contract that was just shy of $31 million with guarantees in the $15 million range.

This is where the Jaguars wanted to begin the negotiations.

Kremer had different ideas because the team had traded up to get Harvey. He felt that this maneuver warranted consideration in sweetening the pot for his client, since the team was willing to give up additional picks to grab Harvey.

He felt he had the necessary leverage to push the team into a deal more in line with the picks ahead of Harvey.

The Jaguars did indeed up the ante in the negotiation, but then sat on the offer as the calendar continued to roll.

By the time the deal was finalized, the Jaguars gave Harvey a deal much closer to their original offer than the one that his agent envisioned. Kremer blinked first.

Still, it was not a bad haul for the agent and his client, as Harvey’s deal came in at $33.4 million, with half of that guaranteed.

Fans were rattled by the protracted talks. They wanted their draft pick in camp. There was little tolerance for the business side of the process, and they expressed their displeasure on call-in shows, on message boards, and in the media at every opportunity.

Still, the blame was divided equally.

With the Jaguars sitting in the same position with Eugene Monroe, the grumbling has already begun.

Fans want the team to soften on their stance to get a deal done quickly for the big offensive tackle. They do not want to see a drawn out contract negotiation impact the development of another player in the same manner it did with Harvey.

The Jaguars have been formulaic in the approach they have taken, and they will not be swayed by the opinion of fans. It is always going to be about the bottom line for the team, and the deal that is finally signed will be more to the liking of the team regardless of how long it may take.

The lesson learned from the Harvey negotiations is simple enough: The Jaguars’ front office will not be pressured by what is happening ahead of or behind them with players drafted. Their only focus will be on what was spent last year in relation to the draft position they are in currently. 

Since they know this number intimately, it should be simple enough to determine what they plan to offer.

No matter what, Monroe will wind up a very wealthy man. He will wind up leaving the table with somewhere in the range of $20 million in guaranteed money in his pocket.  Whether he is willing to hold out to make a point over a few extra dollars remains to be seen.

If his agent does decide to push back, he will not have leverage in demanding too much from the Jaguars.

They have an insurance policy to assure this with Tra Thomas.

The Jaguars currently have a starting caliber left tackle on the roster. Should Monroe take the approach of holding out for more, he will discover very quickly the Jaguars will not bend.

The team will not be intimidated by the threat of a holdout. They will make their offer and wait to see what they get in return. No matter how long it takes, the negotiations will look very familiar to anyone watching this process last season.

Ultimately, it falls upon the shoulders of Monroe and his agent to reach some sort of agreement that everyone is happy with, and to do it as quickly as possible.

Marcedes Lewis: Ready To Shine for the Jacksonville Jaguars

Marcedes Lewis has to be feeling the heat. After watching his fellow first-round draft selections fall by the wayside over the past few years, he must be squirming a bit knowing that he could be next. 

The discomfort he might be feeling is especially relevant now that the general manager has made it crystal clear that he will not be swayed by draft pedigree or contractual obligations. He is going to do what is best for the sake of the team—even if that requires some short-term sacrifice.

Byron Leftwich, Reggie Williams, and Matt Jones are all gone. Each player was considered a disappointment based upon where they were selected by the team. Leftwich was the only one of the first-round selections that was actually released by the same personnel guy that brought him into the league.

The other high-profile cuts came from “Guillotine” Gene Smith as he did his player evaluations and subsequent roster purge.

It is not that Marcedes has been a bad player, or caused any sort of distractions for the team with his off-field antics. In fact, Lewis has been one of the better citizens over the past few years here in Jacksonville.

His numbers have just not lived up to the expectations attached to where he was drafted. The bar is always set considerably higher for first-round draft picks, and Lewis has struggled to meet the standard.

He was dealt a bad hand as a rookie when he suffered a serious high ankle sprain early in the year. It hampered his ability to become more integrated into the offensive scheme and caused him to struggle as a rookie.

The highly touted pass catching tight end was relegated to a secondary role as a rookie. This was not a role that he was familiar with coming out of UCLA. As the winner of the 2005 Mackey Award, he was considered one of the top collegiate tight ends in the country.

This is not a guy that was accustomed to any sort of struggles on the gridiron, but his transition to the NFL had a slow, sputtering start.

Upon arriving in Jacksonville, the Jaguars focused on improving his blocking skills. This was the weak link in his game, and a critical component in the offense that the Jaguars like to operate. His pass catching abilities were never questioned, but probably should have been more of a focus as he struggled at the NFL level.

He started to round into form in 2007, as he shook off his injury issues as a rookie and started all 16 regular season games and both playoff games. 

He seemed to have hit his stride, as he helped the Jaguars rushing attack compile nearly 2,400 yards. He contributed significantly in creating the lanes that both Fred Taylor and Maurice Jones-Drew enjoyed in 2007 on their way to the second best rushing attack in franchise history.

He hit a wall in 2008, and his struggles mirrored the rest of the team. While he did manage to establish new career marks for receptions (41), total yardage (489), and yards per catch average (11.9), he also started to experience a problem with catching the football.

Early last season in a game against Minnesota, he dropped a touchdown pass. He was wide open on the play, and the ball was delivered perfectly. He just muffed it.

The following week against the Houston Texans, Lewis dropped four passes.

There were times last season where he almost appeared to be fighting off the passes. It was a source of frustration for Lewis, and a point in his career from which he now draws significant motivation.

He wants take away the necessary lessons from those mistakes and then erase those memories all together.

Granted, it was not all bad for Lewis.

He became a legitimate pass-blocking tight end. He had improved in this area to the extent that some analysts considered him to be one of the best in the league in this category.

It certainly is not considered a sexy aspect of the game for tight ends from the fan perspective.  But, it is a critical component for a team that takes a great deal of pride in running the football.

At the end of the 2008 season, Lewis understood there was a level of dedication required to take his game to the next level.

The pressure to improve and become a complete tight end has clearly been a primary focus this offseason.

According to local media reports, Lewis has spent the entire offseason here in Jacksonville instead of jetting back and forth to his home in California.  He also spent a significant amount of time at the stadium, studying game film, critiquing himself and watching tape on Tony Gonzalez.

His goal is to pick up the little nuances that make a good tight end a great one so that he can take that next step in his progression and meet expectations.

The hope is that this new dedication and attention to detail is going to serve him well in the passing game.

Entering 2009, Lewis has rededicated himself to regaining the pass catching skills that landed him in the first round.

During minicamp, he dropped one pass the entire weekend, and that was an errant pass he made a terrific effort to try to haul in. Aside from that drop, it has been reported that he has overcome his issues and is catching everything thrown in his direction.

That is encouraging.

With all of the upheaval on the roster, Lewis will undoubtedly become more of a focal point in the passing game.

At 6’5”, he provides quarterback David Garrard with a massive target who is easily found in traffic. 

The concern centers on his reliability as a pass catcher.

His quarterback has a tendency to target those players more often with whom he has a certain level of trust. After his performance last season, rebuilding that relationship will be critical in regaining his status as a trustworthy outlet for Garrard.

By focusing on working with his quarterback during this offseason, Lewis is moving in the right direction in developing the chemistry and trust that can make the tandem far more effective when the passes matter most.

The coaching staff has every intention of getting him more involved. Based upon the amount of time and effort he is putting into becoming a more complete tight end, he could find himself being one of the unexpected stars for the Jaguars in 2009.

Maurice Jones-Drew, the Jaguars’ Superman, Gets His Cape

The torch was passed to a new generation on Feb. 16, when Gene Smith, Jack Del Rio, and Wayne Weaver hopped a charter jet and made their way to Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. to meet with longtime running back Fred Taylor.

By the time the jet was wheels-up and headed back to Jacksonville, arguably the greatest Jaguar in franchise history was a free agent in search of a new team, and a new era had begun for the Jags.

The move had to be the most difficult decision in the very short tenure of new general manager Smith.

After 11 seasons with the Jaguars, Taylor had become the beloved veteran as he progressed up the list of all-time great running backs in NFL lore. He was given respect around the league and was a fan favorite at home. Fred WAS the Jacksonville Jaguars.

As good as Taylor was during his time in Jacksonville, the team had made the tough call to part ways in order to make way for the beginning of a new era. A young, dynamic playmaker was waiting in the wings, and it was his time to shine. The 33-year-old Taylor could no longer hold back the inevitable.

Rather than create an awkward transition, the team sat down with Taylor to hammer out an arrangement that would allow him a graceful departure. The release was one of the most amicable in recent memory. Taylor was given ample opportunity to say goodbye to the fans, and the community was able to express their well wishes.

Behind the scenes, the shift had happened toward the end of the 2008 season as Maurice Jones-Drew became the focus of the offense. His big-play ability provided the Jaguars with a home run threat that they had not seen since Taylor was in his prime.

Jones-Drew was now the centerpiece of an offense that prides itself on being one of the most potent rushing machines in the NFL. The team moved quickly to secure his future with the Jaguars, extending his contract a little more than two months after Taylor was released.

The new focal point for the offense had quickly entrenched himself as the face of the franchise over the past two seasons, as his highlight reel continued to grow. His demeanor and media savvy off the field made him a popular interview subject on a national level. His work ethic gained the respect of his teammates.

Maurice Jones-Drew is a dynamic player who has earned his stripes with the Jaguars. He may wind up being the best player acquired during the Del Rio era. We could find him being discussed along with Fred Taylor and Tony Boselli as one of the greatest Jaguars of all time when his career winds down.

At a time when the Jacksonville Jaguars need someone who can step into a lead role as the face of the franchise to get the fans excited about the future, Jones-Drew appears to be just what the franchise required.

The self-proclaimed “Superman” may very well be the guy that has the ability to pull the franchise back from the precipice and provide the necessary spark that will put to rest any concerns there might be about the team and its long-term future in Jacksonville. 

When Jones-Drew came into the league, he arrived with a chip on his shoulder. He fell to the second round, passed over at least once by every team in the league. When the Jaguars drafted him with their second-round pick in 2006, he made his displeasure with being passed over known.

Usually this type of rookie bluster fades into the oblivion as players deal with the usual struggles rookies encounter. They hit the proverbial rookie wall and fade into the background.

With Jones-Drew, this never happened. 

He set a standard as a rookie as the best running back selected in the draft. He produced better stats than his more highly touted draft mate, Reggie Bush, and finished second to Vince Young for Rookie of the Year honors.

Based on his production, he probably should have won the award, but Young had become the media darling during his rookie season. Jones-Drew was never able to get the type of media recognition to mount a serious campaign for the award.

This provided the running back with yet another bit of motivation.

From their inception, the Jacksonville Jaguars have always looked for a homegrown player who carried the star power necessary to become nationally recognized. The team has come close on several occasions but never quite hit the mark.

Maurice is a player with all the necessary ingredients to be a genuine star for the Jaguars.

His stature gave him the “little guy” tag.

His draft slotting gave him “underdog” status.

His personality gave him a marketable face and persona.

He has just enough swagger to let others know that he is confident, but not too much to come across as being cocky.

His performance on the field gave networks the type of film that high-profile players dream of having.

Maurice has become the face of the franchise and a legitimate star in the National Football League. That is a tall order for any player competing in a small market.

Jones-Drew has yet to find an obstacle on the field or off that he cannot run around, over, under, or through.

As he enters the 2009 season, he faces one of the most difficult challenges of his football career: taking the torch from a legend and carrying on alone.

If his responses to previous challenges have set any sort of precedent, it is probably safe to say that you do not want to bet against Maurice Jones-Drew in 2009.

For a franchise that truly needs a player to step up and bring the star power to the table, the Jaguars have found their Superman, and they have now handed him his cape. The sky is the limit for Jones-Drew.

McNair Shooting Puts Gun Violence Back in Focus for NFL

As the tragic events in Nashville unfold, former Titans quarterback Steve McNair has become the latest victim in a disturbing trend of current and former NFL players being victims of violence, especially with guns.

Since 2000, there have been a dozen incidents involving NFL players and gun violence.

The Jacksonville Jaguars felt the impact of this with the Richard Collier shooting last year. Collier did survive the encounter, but he lost a leg and was paralyzed in the incident. The shooting ended a promising NFL career.

Sadly, the most common outcome in violent incidents involving NFL players is death.

Sean Taylor, the talented safety for the Washington Redskins, was cut down during a robbery at his home in Florida.

Denver Bronco cornerback Darrent Williams was cut down in the back of a limousine in a drive-by shooting.

Plaxico Burress accidentally discharged a firearm in a nightclub in New York City, shooting himself in the leg and landing in hot water with the league and the city. He currently awaits his trial on two felony counts. The league has suspended him indefinitely.

Adam “Pacman” Jones was allegedly involved in an incident in Las Vegas that ended with a bouncer paralyzed when someone in Jones’ entourage discharged a firearm in a night club.

The NFL is a violent game. It is also a sport where players become targets because of the amount of money they earn. For those who are unable to rid themselves of the thug element, the legitimate threat of being shot is just a fact of life.

For McNair it appears to have been a domestic issue. However, in 2003 while still with the Titans, McNair was arrested and charged with driving under the influence, and carrying an illegal firearm. The charges were later dropped because of a lack of evidence. But, it showed that even a former league MVP felt compelled to carry a gun.

Because NFL players are targets, many of them own guns for personal protection. They are within their rights to own a firearm.  As long as they acquire them in a legal manner, receive proper training, and go through the obligatory background check, there is nothing to prevent them from owning guns.

While the league cannot prevent players from owning guns, it can offer additional training for players to give them a better understanding of how to avoid confrontations where guns may become a factor.

To a certain extent the NFL does do this during the rookie symposium as they attempt to teach their players how to deal with the business aspect of the NFL, and in how to contend with situations which may arise with difficult people.

Beyond the initial training, the NFL does not have a more comprehensive program to better prepare players for gun-related issues. Constant follow-up should become part of an all-encompassing effort to educate players on how to deal with any situation where the potential for violence may exist.

One tragic situation is too much. The league has been hit by at least one of these incidents on average per year over the past decade. In a culture growing ever increasingly violent, protecting the most important asset that the league has needs to become a top priority.

In turn, players need to be more aware of their surroundings and do what they must to avoid situations where they could be at risk of becoming a victim of violence.

As details continue to come out about the McNair shooting, there is a lesson to be learned about how dangerous things can become and how quickly they can turn tragic when guns are involved.

Will All the Moves Pay Dividends for the Jacksonville Jaguars?

The Jacksonville Jaguars have had quite a bit of roster movement for a team that insists it is not rebuilding. To date, 12 players who started at some point last season have either been traded, released, or allowed to leave through free agency.

That figure may continue to rise as younger, cheaper players compete with more expensive veterans at both offensive tackle positions, and at safety and cornerback.

When the dust settles, the Jaguars could see as many as 15 new faces starting for them on opening day.

It would take very little for the 2009 Jacksonville Jaguars to show improvement over last season. A record of 5-11 establishes a low threshold for improvement in 2009.

How the team fares this season will determine whether or not the critics will continue to hammer away at the team. It could also be a major factor in whether or not the head coach gets more time to continue his quest for a title in Jacksonville.

Most of the moves have received positive feedback and little criticism.  Gene Smith has done a good job of establishing a standard for getting rid of players with the potential to serve as a distraction, replacing them with quality individuals.

Still, 15vnew starters is a lot of turnover for any team, and it creates a distinct set of challenges for a team trying to rebound from a disappointing season in one of the most difficult divisions in the NFL.

Character certainly counts for something, but in the end it is wins and losses that ultimately determine whether the moves were right.

With so much change, what will determine whether all of the effort was successful or not for the Jaguars?

Will one additional win be enough?

Will a winning season satisfy the critics?

Does the team need to return to the playoffs to make this a successful rebuilding effort in 2009?

And what if the Jaguars fail to show significant improvement in their record this year? Will the head coach still have a job? Will there be even more significant change to the roster and coaching staff as a result?

To the savvy football fan, any improvement over last season would be a welcome outcome even if it means another losing season.

There were many areas where the team simply broke down last year. Marked improvement in those areas may not make a dent in the wins and losses, but it will provide some hope things are moving in the right direction.

For those fans who are not quite as versed, the standard is different. Their expectations range from a non-losing season to a deep playoff run.

While that sounds great, it is hardly realistic to think this team could turn things around quickly enough to make significant strides.

In a perfect world, the Jaguars would find a way to leverage all of the changes into a winning record with a playoff berth. We all know things rarely go perfectly.

What is an honest expectation for the Jags as they enter 2009?

Because of the significant number of changes that have taken place on the roster, in the front office, and among the coaching staff, the Jaguars are a better team on paper.

But, paper does not always equate to success where it counts. The record will be the deciding factor in whether or not the changes worked.

Based on the moves so far, the Jaguars should see their fortunes improve. Still, it will be the type of improvement that will satiate the football purist but not the fair weather fan.

The Jaguars will begin the process of getting the situation under control. The end result will be a two or three win swing for the team. While that does not sound encouraging, it will be the way they end the season that should provide a great deal of hope for the future.

The team will steadily improve throughout the year as the younger players gain necessary experience and become more accustomed to the NFL.

As this improvement takes hold, the Jaguars will regain their position as one of the better teams in the league, especially on defense.

The team may not make it to the playoffs this season, but they will certainly play a deciding factor as to which teams will represent their conference in the post-season.

The Jaguars are still at least a year away from returning to the post-season, but the improved play will win over fans as the season progresses.

Will a .500 record be enough to provide Jack Del Rio with job security?

It all hinges on how the team shows improvement, and particularly how they finish the season. If Jack Del Rio can get the younger players to play up to their potential, the team should start to hit stride later in the season.

If that happens, it will go a long way toward assuring Del Rio of another season at the helm in Jacksonville.

Look for the Jaguars to find a way to get back to an eight-win team. It will not land them in the playoffs, or even get them out of the cellar in the AFC South. But, it will set a trend for the team that will set the table for 2010 and beyond.

 

Joey Z of the Jacksonville Jaguars Joey Z Talks Back

Joe Zelenka has been the Jacksonville Jaguars long snapper for the past decade. During that stretch, he has seen several special team coordinators come and go, and he has played for two head coaches.

Playing a position in the league that would normally command anonymity could not harness the personality, sense of humor, or the genuine humanity that Zelenka possesses. He is one of the good guys in the National Football League.

It is not very often that a specialist gets the type of attention that Joe Zelenka has received. But, he has become a part of the family here in the Jacksonville.

Joe has the distinction of being the only long snapper in the NFL to claim his own fan club.

John “Arrowman” Rezsonya, a Hall of Fame fan of the Jacksonville Jaguars, started the fan club several years ago, and the group has grown to include members from around the globe. You can see their presence at every Jaguars home game with the banner proudly displayed in the south end zone.

I wanted to gain some insight into what makes the player tick, and I was given the rare opportunity to pose the questions below to Joe. I am appreciative of the fact that he was gracious enough to actually answer them.  

Enjoy!
 
BR: You’re entering your 11th year.  Did you ever see your career going this far?

JZ: Never. If you would have told me that I would be here a decade later I would have laughed you right out of the building. 

My rookie year, I never unpacked my suitcase. I thought that every game was going to be my last, and that I would be on the next plane home. There were so many guys that I played with growing up that were so much more talented. 

I never felt like I had any right to be here. 

I guess in a way I still think that way.  I still don’t belong here, but at least I have unpacked. 
 
BR: As the only snapper with a global fan club, do you have any bragging rights over other long snappers in the league?
 
JZ: Oh sure. Every year at the long snapper convention in Milwaukee, WI, I get the chance. 

Who am I kidding?

No, I have no bragging rights. I am a long snapper. But, the fan club thing is so sweet!

It would be even sweeter if there really was a long snapper convention.
 
BR: Do you think it is time to ditch the TE label?
 
What and make me a real specialist?  No way! I earned that distinction with some really awesome goal line play. 

Sure you might be more likely to play TE than me now. But, please don’t make me into a glorified kicker!
 
BR: If you weren’t in the NFL, what would you be doing?
 
JZ: I would be the greeter at Wal-Mart. No, really. I would love that job. I love saying “Hi” to people.
 
BR: What are your plans for the future?
 
JZ: I thought I just told you a greeter at Wal-Mart, or a game show host. 

My heart broke a couple of years ago when Drew Carey took over The Price is Right.  That job was made for me. I have been grooming myself to take over for Bob Barker for the last 30 years. But CBS couldn’t wait. 

Oh well, there is always Wheel of Fortune.
 
BR: How important is it to maintain a relationship with the fans, and to leverage that to support causes that you are passionate about?
 
JZ: Jacksonville has the greatest football fans in the country. 

I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for the fans spending their hard earned money to see the game. I am so grateful for all the people that I get to meet in this great city. 

It is really cool to go to dinner and be recognized. It is never a burden to talk to someone about the Jags. 

It is also so great to be able to help some of the charities in this city. 

If I can use my name to give back to others, I am totally on board. 

It just goes to show you how great the fans are in Jacksonville that they would support the long snapper. 

I mean, how many fans even know what a long snapper is? And, I have people begging to get to the Joey Z Bowling Classic? 

Jacksonville has the greatest fans!

Enough said.

In the Jacksonville Jaguars’ Battle with the Economy, It’s the Fans Who Lose

It matters very little where you look.
 
You can surf the Internet, thumb your remote to scan the news and sports channels, spin through the radio dial, flip through newspapers or magazines, or simply talk to friends and neighbors.

Things are tough all over. 

Economic fragility can create a sobering reality in every facet of your life. As people assume a bunker mentality to contend with the current collapse of the global economy, sports franchises are dealt a double-whammy.

First, they rely upon fans to support their product. This reliance takes many forms. Ticket sales sit near the top of the pyramid. But television revenues, licensing, endorsement deals, and sponsorships are all tied to the economy.

Even iconic figures have felt the pinch.

Tiger Woods enjoyed major sponsorship support from General Motors, with Buick as a major product endorsement. They parted ways earlier this year as General Motors prepared to file for bankruptcy.

The Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants have struggled to find ways to generate additional revenue for the new cathedrals they have spent billions erecting. Long time season ticket holders were squeezed out by massive price increases as the teams focused their sights on the almighty corporate dollar.

Meanwhile, corporate dollars were disappearing at an alarming rate as companies who had always been relied upon for sponsorship were simply unable to continue due to hardships of their own.

The New York Mets will be searching for a named sponsor for their brand new stadium next year as Citibank has opted to end the arrangement as they deal with significant pains from the banking collapse.

The New York Yankees, the big dog of all professional sports franchises, had to rework their ticket pricing to deal with the empty seats at home games in the new Yankee Stadium.

It stands to reason that when the elite are struggling to maintain in the current economy, trickle down to the smaller markets is inevitable.

The Jacksonville Jaguars have been feeling the pinch for a few years now. With things continuing to wallow near recession levels, it does not appear things are going to get better in the near future.

The most visible way to get a sense for how a team is doing is to look at their ticket sales. When the Jaguars announced last month that they had sold a little more than 35,000 season ticket packages, the red alerts went up like a fireworks display on the Fourth of July.

Avoiding blackouts for the home season with such a large block of tickets remaining unsold is a monumental challenge for big market teams. For a small-market franchise like the Jaguars, it is practically impossible. 

Jaguar fans and local media have openly discussed strategies that might help them weather the storm.

The stark facts are simple to understand.

When people fear for their personal future, they are less inclined to spend what disposable income they do have on things like tickets or merchandise.

They tighten their belts to ride things out, and as this trimming becomes more commonplace, franchises struggle to keep up.

There is no marketing strategy that can adequately contend with the perfect storm the Jaguars are in the midst of in 2009.

A relatively weak home schedule lacks the pop to draw attention.

The team is rebuilding after a dismal 5-11 season.

The lack of consistency on the field has created a sputtering effect in drawing fans to games.

Unemployment in Jacksonville hovers around 10 percent.

Taxes and fees are going up for homeowners while their real estate values continue to plummet.

How do you sell tickets when this is your starting point?

If there was ever a time when blackout rules should be revisited for the NFL, 2009 is the perfect opportunity.

The Jaguars are not alone in their struggles. The entire league is dealing with similar circumstances. In fact, the entire professional sports world is caught up in this, and there is little anyone can do to counter the impact.

Sports are a necessary distraction in difficult times. In many instances, sports have been the one thing that people lean upon when things are at their darkest. They can help to inspire recovery and motivate the masses.

The “Miracle on Ice” at Lake Placid in the 1980 Winter Olympics sparked a wave of national pride that guided the country out of a period of malaise that was similar to our situation today.  That gold medal hockey team contributed to a swell in national pride that continued on for more than two decades.

When struggles are significant, finding an outlet to provide some joy is a great way to maintain sanity.

As football continues to grow in popularity, it has surpassed baseball as America’s pastime.

For more than five months out of each year, people take solace in the fact that they have a team to root for regardless of their personal situation. For a few hours on Sundays in the Fall, they can escape from their woes and find hope on the gridiron.

Unfortunately, for teams like the Jacksonville Jaguars, escaping the reality of an economic recession is going to require people to tune in on their radios or buy tickets for home games because that is the only way they will be able to support their team and vacate reality for a short while.

At a time when people are being victimized in so many ways because of the current economic crisis, something has to change. The Jacksonville Jaguars hands are tied because of blackout rules leaving them with no alternative.

It is up to the league and our legislators to find some way to provide people with some escape from the current realities, even if it is only for a few hours on Sundays.

Jacksonville Jaguars Among NFL Franchises Longing for Rookie Salary Cap

It is the season where young men coming from the college ranks will discover new wealth at the professional level. 

With nine draft picks to sign, the Jacksonville Jaguars are going to be making a significant impact on the lives of many families.

This is the culmination of a lifetime of hard work and dedication to a sport that can both financially reward players heavily and destroy them physically. 

With news that the Jaguars closed a deal yesterday with their sixth-round draft pick, Zach Miller, discussions should start to heat up with the remaining players waiting for their moment in the sun.

The contract signifies their arrival as a professional athlete.

Realistically, not every player is going to put pen to paper on a blockbuster deal that will give them life-changing financial freedom or generational wealth.

In fact, the average NFL salary in 2009 is a little more than $750,000, and the average for rookies entering the league hovers around $400,000 annually.

It is not bad coin if you can make it, and for the late-round draft picks like Miller, these deals amount to significantly more than they would probably make leaving college with their degrees in basket weaving or physical education.

The NFL has become a gravy train for many athletes with enough skills to latch on with a team. Each year it seems as if rookies coming into the league are setting new standards for compensation, while veterans who have been producing sit back and watch these unproven entities cash in.

As the league and the NFL Players Association (NFLPA) attempt to hammer out a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) to avoid sheer chaos for a league that has enjoyed relative calm on the labor front over the past 15 years, one of the major issues of contention is a rookie salary cap similar to what the National Basketball Association currently employs.

Equitable distribution of the salary cap would normally dictate that established players in the league would be more highly compensated than rookies just entering the NFL.

This scenario does eventually play itself out as veterans renegotiate their deals, but not before rookies get the advantage and establish the new bar.

Salaries border on the ridiculous, but under the current CBA, the league owners are obligated to designate 60 percent of league profits to the current salary cap.

Agents and players have taken this as an opportunity to cash in on the influx of cash, starting with the rookies and then trickling down to the veteran players.

Each year the salary cap expands significantly. Because there is currently no rookie salary, teams are annually raked over the coals by agents leveraging their draft picks to squeeze every penny possible out of the owners.

Something has to give.

Small market franchises are being pressured to keep up with big market teams. Rookie contracts continue to skyrocket, and with them the guaranteed money associated with these deals rises to the point where a $30 million signing bonus is not unheard of for rookies taken in the first round.

The lack of a rookie salary cap forces teams to spend an inordinate amount of energy negotiating these contracts.

In many instances, the negotiations drag on for weeks or even months. Players wind up missing valuable development time by holding out until a deal is reached. 

The Jaguars dealt with this last season with their first-round draft pick. Derrick Harvey held out and missed training camp completely as he waited for finalization of his contract.

In the end, the Jaguars got the deal that they were sticking with, but Harvey missed training camp entirely and consequentially struggled to get up to speed. By the end of the season, he was starting to catch up.

In a league where expectations are almost instantaneous, having a player miss weeks of preparation for the upcoming season can be catastrophic to a team.

By implementing a rookie salary cap, the parties would be able to slot the draft picks and establish the compensation level for each spot. No negotiation would be necessary.

Players would know exactly what they were going to receive contractually the moment they were selected.

In turn, teams would be better equipped to deal with veteran contract discussions, and players would be in a position to fully participate in all training camp activities.

The NFLPA has resisted the suggestion of putting a rookie cap in place for obvious reasons. As they market themselves, they can use the ever-increasing salaries of rookies coming into the league to show that they are serving the better interest of the players.

In reality, they are driving the league into a crisis situation as teams struggle to keep up with the salary demands.

With the prospect of an uncapped season in 2010, the league, the owners, and the NFLPA should all be working together to develop a new CBA. Any new agreement must take into account that untested rookies should have their salaries predetermined based upon where they are selected in the draft.

It would take away some of the power that agents have over the league currently, and it will diminish the influence that the NFLPA has as well. However, it will assure that the league can survive fiscally for the long haul.

All parties will need to make concessions in order to assure the viability of the NFL.

Will Jacksonville Jaguars Pursue Veteran Options at Wide Receiver?

By trading Dennis Northcutt to the Detroit Lions for safety Gerald Alexander, the Jacksonville Jaguars added much needed depth at one position while leaving another unit depleted of veteran talent. Behind Torry Holt, the Jaguars depth chart tends to get a bit murky.

Many fans applauded the trade because Northcutt was never embraced in Jacksonville.  His inability to win the fans over was the result of one dropped pass in the playoff loss in New England back in 2007. Aside from the infamous drop, Northcutt proved to be a reliable receiver for David Garrard. 

With Northcutt out of the picture, the second most experienced receiver currently on the roster is Troy Williamson.

Williamson was an afterthought last season, and it seems unlikely that he will ascend the depth chart in any meaningful way this year. The former first-round draft pick has never lived up to his draft pedigree. With less than 1,100 yards receiving over a four-year career, Williamson is the second most productive receiver on the team right now.

Those statistics hardly inspire confidence that things will be fine.

The only other receiver currently on the roster with a single catch in the National Football League is Mike Walker. 

Sixteen catches for 217 yards.  Those are career statistics.

It only gets worse from there as no other receiver has a single reception in the NFL. 

With a serious lack of experience aside from Torry Holt, the Jaguars will need to have an eye on the waiver wire to see what shakes out over the next several weeks.

The first player to come up on the Jaguars radar is Roscoe Parrish. 

If the Jaguars were to pursue Parrish, he would wind up being the third most productive receiver on the roster. Again, this is hardly the thing legends are made of.  Trading for his services seems somewhat unlikely due to the fact that he will probably wind up being released at some point. 

The Jaguars could certainly roll the dice and go with the current group of receivers. This seems to be the least appealing option for the team as they continue the rebuilding process. Putting everything on such an inexperienced wide receiver corps would be nearly the equivalent to surrendering the 2009 season. 

Sure, the team might have struck gold with at least one of their recent draft picks. History tends to indicate otherwise as rookie receivers struggle more often than not to succeed initially. There are rare occasions when a rookie will arrive on the scene and immediately have an impact for a team.

Receivers normally require adequate transition time to get acclimated to the NFL.  Adjusting to the speed and physical nature of the league can often be an obstacle too difficult to overcome.  Troy Williamson is a perfect example of a player struggling with the game at the next level.

Some players never make the move and wind up with pedestrian statistics and a bust label to show for their effort. Some rise to the challenge and find their way in the league. It is literally a roll of the dice. 

So, putting high expectations on a young group of receivers to all hit the ground running for the Jaguars seems unrealistic. With Torry Holt nursing a knee that will never be anything close to fully recovered, the team is putting a lot of pressure on young, inexperienced receivers to carry the burden. 

History does not side with the Jaguars on this.

Trading Dennis Northcutt was a business decision based on a player being dissatisfied with his situation and hoping to get an opportunity elsewhere. Northcutt was certainly not a receiver that would be considered a play maker, but he was solid enough with his production that his presence will be missed for this group. 

If Torry Holt and Mike Walker can both stay healthy and be as productive as the team hopes, things will be much better for the younger receivers. However, if either of the starting receivers stumble, the passing game could be in serious trouble in 2009. 

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