Is Brandon Marshall Worth It? Few Would Know Better Than This Jaguar

To steal a line from former All-American Forrest Gump, Brandon Marshall and Mike Walker go together like peas and carrots.

The wide receivers were roommates at the University of Central Florida for three years, according to a recent CBSSports.com story.

They call each other daily.

They shared tears when Walker tore an ACL during a game his junior year.

So Walker, a budding third-year player for Jacksonville, is backing his best friend when it comes to the beating Marshall is taking in the public eye these days.

Most recently, a former girlfriend said Marshall abused her, according to an ESPN report.

“Never in my life have I seen him put a hand on a woman,” Walker told CBSSports.com. “I know he didn’t do that. I know Brandon wouldn’t do that. Brandon has taught me a lot about how to treat ladies, about opening the door and stuff like that. He would never hit a woman.”

Walker has a sister and said he would approve of her dating Marshall. That’s one heaping vote of confidence.

Now imagine the ramifications for Walker if the Jaguars successfully courted Marshall.

He would surely lose his starting job and be fighting with a more slot-suited Mike Thomas for third receiver duties.

But he would be reunited with his best friend.

It’s an interesting dilemma.

Why bring this up now?

The Broncos are willing to field calls from teams interested in trading for the disgruntled wide receiver, Adam Schefter tweeted Thursday.

Marshall initially demanded a trade in mid-June.

The league knows how thin the Jaguars are at wideout. Jacksonville is toeing the line of a youth movement, leaning on three second-day draft picks to provide depth behind Torry Holt and Walker.

Marshall is only 25. Trading for him would not abandon the youth movement.

He probably wouldn’t mind coming to a small market, either. At this point it, seems like he would love to be anywhere but a mile high.

A Denver TV station reported this week that during a 2007 DUI arrest, Marshall was quoted in a police report saying, “I hate Denver. I hope I get traded. I hate this [expletive] city.”

Perhaps Marshall was blowing off steam, but he hasn’t said anything to endear himself to the city recently.

The Broncos’ asking price is rumored to be a first-round draft pick. The Jaguars have wasted first rounders on Reggie Williams and Matt Jones in past drafts.

Both had similar character issues, but far less talent than Marshall.

Should they, at the very least, give Denver GM Brian Xanders a call?

It couldn’t hurt.

Either way, the franchise employs a valuable expert on the situation.

Walker should have some input.

One Down, Eight To Go: Jaguars Sign Sixth-Round Pick Zach Miller

The Jacksonville Jaguars signed 2009 sixth-round draft pick Zach Miller, a tight end, to a four-year deal Monday.

Miller, a 24-year-old converted quarterback out of Nebraska-Omaha, is the first of the club’s nine draft picks to come to terms.

Miller has drawn rave reviews as a “difference maker” so far. GM Gene Smith told Jaguars.com that Miller is faster than the AFC South’s best tight ends, Dallas Clark and Owen Daniels.

He will compete to be the primary backup to Marcedes Lewis this season as he learns the new position.

Jacksonville Jaguars’ Rookie Wide Receivers: Fantasy and Reality

Jaguars fans and fantasy football deep leaguers alike are trying to figure just who is going to be catching passes from David Garrard this season.

Matt Jones, Reggie Williams, Jerry Porter, and now Dennis Northcutt are all gone. Torry Holt and Mike Walker are the entrenched starters heading into training camp.

The team may very well add a veteran wideout before the season—potentially Roscoe Parrish?

For now, and for the future, three names need to be known: Mike Thomas (pictured), Jarett Dillard, and Tiquan Underwood. All were taken on the second day of the 2009 draft, leaving them with a lot to prove if they are to have meaningful NFL careers.

Here is how the Jaguars may use them in 2009:

 

Mike Thomas

(5’8″, 198 lbs., Arizona)—The smallest of the trio, Thomas has the build of a slot receiver. What do you know? The Jaguars have an opening at the slot after trading Northcutt.

Thomas was the earliest receiver taken of the rookies and, barring injury, is in the best position to see the most playing time.

FANTASY PROJECTION: 35 catches, 400 yards, 2 TDs

FANTASY ANALYSIS: He’s not worth taking a chance on in most drafts, unless you’re in a really deep league. Even if Holt or Walker gets hurt, it may be Dillard or Underwood who sees a bigger bump in production.

 

Jarett Dillard

(5’10”, 187 lbs., Rice)—Dillard was the most accomplished of the rookies during his college career, albeit it was in Conference USA.

He is probably the most polished of the rookies, too, and has the best chance of stepping in if either Holt or Walker get hurt.

Remember, Holt is 33 years old, and Walker has had all sorts of knee problems. Anything is possible.

FANTASY PROJECTION: 20 catches, 250 yards, 2 TDs

FANTASY ANALYSIS: Dillard should not be on any draft cheat sheets, but if Holt gets hurt, he may be worth a flier if you have a roster spot.

 

Tiquan Underwood

(6’1″, 178 lbs., Rutgers)—Underwood has height on his side. He is three inches clear of Dillard, and five above Thomas.

Think of Ernest Wilford—that’s the best Underwood could be as a rookie, perhaps poaching some touchdowns.

FANTASY PROJECTION: 15 catches, 225 yards, 2 TDs

FANTASY ANALYSIS: He should not be drafted. If anything, he may be a better handcuff for Holt owners than Dillard because he has a better touchdown potential. That’s even a stretch, given that the term “handcuff” is usually only used with running backs.

 

Gerald Alexander Jacksonville Jaguars: How He Fits In the Secondary

The reports are out that the Jaguars have dealt wide receiver Dennis Northcutt to the Lions for strong safety Gerald Alexander.

The news on Northcutt is no surprise. The Jags had been seeking to trade him this week, and if they couldn’t find a partner, he was reportedly going to be released.

The real news here, especially for Jacksonville fans, is the incoming and not the outgoing.

Just a few weeks ago, the safety position may have been the thinnest on the roster. The team had little depth behind starters Reggie Nelson and Sean Considine, two players who are short on experience themselves.

Since, the team has re-signed free safety Marlon McCree and now added Alexander, a second-round pick of the Lions in 2007.

McCree should back up Nelson, while Alexander, if fully healthy, could create competition for current No. 1 strong safety Considine.

Alexander, 24, suffered a fractured vertebrae last October and missed the rest of the season. He had played in the first five games, starting once.

He had started 16 games as a rookie out of Boise State in 2007, registering 81 total tackles and two interceptions.

Overall, the minor trade is a good one for the Jags given their distaste for Northcutt was made public. Jaguar fans must be pleased that they got somebody halfway decent in return, especially at a need position like strong safety.

Death of Iowa High School Coach Hits Home For Jaguar Center Brad Meester

The news of the tragic death of legendary Iowa high school football coach Ed Thomas will surely hit home for one Jacksonville Jaguar.

Center Brad Meester played for Thomas at Aplington-Parkersburg High School, graduating in 1995, before playing at Northern Iowa and, since 2000, the Jaguars.

Thomas, 58, was reportedly shot multiple times and killed in the Aplington-Parkersburg weight room Wednesday.

It’s very possible it was the same weight room that Meester has worked out in during offseasons.

Meester said he would go home to work out at the school in a 2004 Associated Press report

“I don’t have to go anywhere else,” Meester said. “I can work out at the high school and get everything I need.”

Other Aplington-Parkersburg alums who joined Meester during summer workouts were Jared DeVries, Aaron Kampman and Casey Wiegmann.

All played for Thomas. When they came back to work out at Aplington-Parkersburg, Meester and the others would train alongside the current high school team.

“It’s not uncommon to have two or three NFL players in there with us,” Thomas told the Minneapolis Star-Tribune in 2003.  

Aplington-Parkersburg is not a big school. Its student body is 280 strong. To have four current NFL players is a credit to Thomas.

Meester was part of a state championship team in 1993.

“He teaches you to work hard and take pride in everything you do,” Meester told USA Today in 2003.

Dennis Northcutt: Jacksonville Jaguars Allow Wide Receiver to Seek Trade

Wide receiver Dennis Northcutt has told Jaguars teammates that he has been given permission to seek a trade, according to a ProFootballTalk.com report citing an anonymous league source.

Northcutt, who is signed through 2011, has been fighting to be Jacksonville’s second or third receiver for the upcoming season. He is on a five-year, $17 million deal signed in 2007.

Free-agent signee Torry Holt is the clear-cut No. 1. Third-year man Mike Walker was Northcutt’s primary competition for the No. 2 job.

If Nortchutt remains in Jacksonville, he would likely be no lower than a slot receiver on the depth chart. If he goes elsewhere, it’s hard to envision him doing much better.

Northcutt, 31, caught 44 passes in each of the last two seasons for the Jaguars after coming over from Cleveland.

He ranked second among Jaguars wideouts in catches and yards both years.

Keep in mind, the Jags have already parted ways with wide receivers Matt Jones, Reggie Williams, and Jerry Porter. Northcutt and Walker are the only two returning wideouts who caught more than five passes in Jacksonville last season.

The fact that Jaguars brass is willing to let Northcutt go shows that:

a) The club is very high on Walker to be the primary complement to Holt.

and/or

b) At least one of the rookie trio of Mike Thomas (fourth round), Jarett Dillard (fifth round), and Tiquan Underwood (seventh round) has proven himself ready for significant playing time already.

It’s hard to believe that this move would solely by a cost-cutting one.

Come Out For Camp Del Rio: Jaguars Announce Training Camp Schedule

If you’re going, make sure to bring sunscreen and some high-quality H20.

The Jaguars have released their open practice schedule for training camp, which, as usual, is free to attend. The fields are located adjacent to Jacksonville Municipal Stadium.

For the first time, seating will be moved onto the actual Field Turf to give fans a closer view of the action.

Sunday, Aug. 2—Players Report

Monday, Aug. 3—Practice at 10:45 a.m. and 7 p.m.

Tuesday, Aug. 4—Practice at 10:45 a.m. (special teams only) and 7 p.m.

Wednesday, Aug. 5—Practice at 10:45 a.m. and 7 p.m.

Thursday, Aug. 6—Practice at 10:45 a.m. (special teams only) and 7 p.m.

Friday, Aug. 7—Practice at 10:45 a.m. and 7 p.m.

Saturday, Aug. 8—Practice at 10:45 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. scrimmage at Jacksonville Municipal Stadium

Monday, Aug. 10—Practice at 9 a.m. and 4:15 p.m. (special teams only)

Tuesday, Aug. 11—Practice at 9 a.m. and 4:15 p.m.

Wednesday, Aug. 12 — Practice at 9 a.m. and 4:15 p.m. (special teams only)

Thursday, Aug. 13—Practice at 9 a.m. and 4:15 p.m.

 

The Jaguars have a training camp hotline number with a recording of the daily practice schedule, including time changes. That number is (904) 633-6525. 

Ex-Jaguar CB Fernando Bryant Retires After 10 NFL Seasons

Cornerback Fernando Bryant, the Jaguars’ first-round pick in the 1999 NFL Draft, is retiring, agent Drew Rosenhaus tweeted Tuesday morning.

Bryant, taken 26th overall out of Alabama in 1999, played for the Jaguars through the 2003 season before stints in Detroit (2004-07) and Pittsburgh (2008), where he won a Super Bowl ring.

Bryant, 32, will go down as a Jaguar, having started 71 of the team’s 80 games from 1999-2003.

Bryant and Aaron Beasley teamed as a solid cornerback duo, but the undersized Bryant only recorded five interceptions in five seasons.

He was judged by many to be dependable player but never reached the Pro Bowl level that teams hope first-rounders can attain.

His best year was his first.

Bryant started all 16 regular season games as the Jaguars and made it to the AFC Championship Game. He picked off two passes, recovered three fumbles and recorded a career-high 68 solo tackles.

He managed an interception off Steve McNair in the AFC Championship loss to the eventual Super Bowl champion Tennessee Titans.

Bryant ranks ninth on the Jaguars’ career tackles list.

The History of Jaguars First Round Holdouts

In their first two years of existence, the Jaguars were the quickest team to sign all of their NFL Draft picks.

Since, the club has had modest success in coming to terms with their draftees to avoid holdout situations.

In today’s (Jacksonville) Florida Times-Union, the agent for 2009 first-round pick Eugene Monroe expressed his intention to avoid a holdout this year.

Of course, agents almost always say that, especially with training camp more than one month away.

For some players, holding out hasn’t hurt their rookie-year production. For others, especially those who hold out deep into training camp, it has hindered their early maturation.

In Monroe’s case, a holdout could drastically effect his playing time. He and ex-Pro Bowler Tra Thomas are expected to compete for the starting left tackle job.

However, there is a potential snag in Monroe’s negotiations. Signing first-round picks has become a slotting system, and the picks sandwiched around Monroe are unsigned: Cincinnati’s Andre Smith and Oakland’s Darrius Heyward-Bey.

Of course, Smith had all sorts of character issues before the draft, and Heyward-Bey is a skill position player. Those are flags that their signings may take a little longer.

It also doesn’t help that Cincinnati and Oakland are two of the most unkempt franchises in the league.

But back to the Jags.

In this slideshow, we’ll take a look at the team’s history of first-round holdouts. There have been five: Renaldo Wynn, Fernando Bryant, Byron Leftwich, Matt Jones and Derrick Harvey.

Attribution credit to the Times-Union for some of the accompanying facts and figures.

Nine Months Later, Slimmer Vince Manuwai Returns To Jaguars Practice

The Jaguars’ offensive line is rounding into shape.

On Monday, guard Vince Manuwai practiced fully for the first time since being placed on injured reserve with torn ligaments in his right knee suffered in the 2008 season opener, according to the Associated Press.

Manuwai and fellow guard Maurice Williams suffered season-ending injuries in Week 1 last year. Center Brad Meester also missed most of the first half.

Those injuries threw a wrench into the offense, and the Jaguars sputtered to a 5-11 record as a result. The health of the line will be key to the team rebounding.

Manuwai, Williams and Meester are expected to be together in the starting lineup for this season’s first game.

Manuwai only took three snaps with the first-team offense Monday, but he has a couple more months to round into form.

“It’s not like they’re trying to throw me in the fire,” Manuwai told the AP. “They’re working me in. Am I anxious? Yeah, but I’m not trying to force it at the same time. I don’t want nothing bad to happen. Part of it, too, is getting your mind right before the hitting and all that.”

Manuwai beat his initial timetable for a training camp return next month and dropped 30 pounds during rehab, according to the report.

“It’s great to see him back,” Jaguars coach Jack Del Rio told the AP. “He’s really worked hard in the weight room and he’s proud of the fact that he’s got his weight under control where we’d like it to be, and that’s a big thing. Instead of fighting to get the weight in line, he can work on becoming a better football player.

“When you bring him back, you’re bringing a Pro Bowl-caliber left guard back onto your football team, and that helps everybody.”

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