Jaguars deal McDaniel to Dolphins

Well, Gene Smith said he was going to do it...he warned you...you didn't believe him. Smith told everyone that no job is safe and that if you want to be here you better prove it...put up or shut up.

Tony McDaniel is just the latest casualty to Mr. Smith's "cleansing of the roster". McDaniel was dealt to the Miami Dolphins yesterday for one of the Dolphins three 7th round picks. It has not been released what pick in the 7th round it actually is but it gives the Jaguars one pick in each of the seven rounds in next months draft.

McDaniel never lived up to the hype that Jack Del Rio set upon him. He was often injured missing 23 games in his short 4 year career. Wrist, Knee, and other injuries kept him from becoming the next Marcus Stroud. McDaniel will excel in the Dolphins 3-4 based defense in which he will no doubt be playing defensive end.

I expect this is not the last we have seen of Gene's ax.

Jags at the Draft: Part I

For the next couple of weeks I will be looking at different players that the Jaguars are currently thinking about picking with the #8 overall pick in this years NFL Draft. Today we will start with Matthew Stafford.

Matthew Stafford
6'3"
237lbs.
Georgia

Stafford has an amazing arm, he can make all the right throws, and he's especially mobile outside the pocket. His accuracy is not always his strong suit but with time and learning that will improve. He was the leader at Georgia as well as a 3 year starter. He's often compared to another former SEC gunslinger in Jay Cutler.

Stafford is slated to be a top 5 pick but with the way the draft goes...that's never a sure bet. The Detroit Lions have an immediate need for a franchise QB but...they also have tremendous needs elsewhere like the offensive tackle position, which is key for the QB's protection. If the Lions choose not to draft Stafford he could fall all the way to where the Jaguars are drafting at pick #8. Now, the Jaguars don't have an immediate need for a quarterback but David Garrard is not getting any younger at the ripe old age of 31. The Jaguars also do not currently have a QB they are grooming to take over for Garrard in the near future. If Stafford is available when the Jaguars are picking look for their selection to be Stafford. Staff could sit on the bench for a season or two and learn from Garrard and Mike Shula (QB's coach) and eventually take over the reigns.

I'm not expecting Stafford to fall to the Jaguars but it very well is possible.

Up Next: Michael Crabtree, WR, Texas Tech

Matt Jones, Oh We Hardly Knew Ye...

Well guys, the Matt Jones experience is over...officially. As of 03/16/2009, in the morning hours, Matt Jones was officially released by the Jacksonville Jaguars after he was released from an Arkansas County Jail early on Sunday. This jaunt in jail was due to Jones violating terms of his parole and violating his substance abuse policy that he agreed on in order to stay out of jail when he was arrested last year for possession of cocaine. He admitted to the judge a week ago that he failed his drug test because he had been drinking some beers the day before with some buddies on the golf course. Now...he must have been doing some shots or whatever for the alcohol to stay in his system THAT long. Alas, he was upfront with the whole thing and the judge even gave him some kind words...it just wasn't enough.

General Manager of the Jaguars, Gene Smith, is a no-nonsense type of guy. He cut wide receiver Jerry Porter and corner back Drayton Florence only one year after spending a combined $23 Million dollars on them...all because they weren't "TEAM" players. Matt Jones has had an up and down stint here in Jacksonville. His rookie year was deemed "ok" by my standards where he had 35+ receptions for 400+ yards and a couple of touchdowns, followed by his sophomore season where he had even more production. Then there was his junior year where he just fell off the face of the map and had very little contribution to the team that year. He quickly fell out of favor with the coaching staff because his "I don't care" attitude. Then came his cocaine arrest...which had seemed to light a fire underneath Matt Jones and he came into training camp last year with the idea of succeeding and making a name for himself, a name other than "bust". He proved us all wrong althroughout training camp, pre-season and just about all of last season. Yes, Jones was never that deep threat that the Jaguars needed all of last year, and yes, Jones was not a touchdown machine and at times it seemed as if he didn't make the big play on purpose...BUT...Matt Jones gave his all last season and I have no doubt about that. I think he got a raw deal here in Jacksonville due to his high draft status and his HUGE expectations coming out of college where he was labeled the next big thing and the next prenenial pro-bowl wide receiver. It just wasn't there. Jones was one of the consistent things about the Jaguars last season in 2008, you could count on Jones catching at least 6 balls for 70 yards and you could always count on Jones catching a 9 yard pass when the offense needed 8 yards for a first down...that's what Jones had become, he had become a constant, he had become a "go-to" guy on the offense in which David Garrard could count on.

It's a shame that Jones was never utilized properly here in Jacksonville and he will go to a team where he can be the solid number two guy and not have to worry about HUGE expectations, some place where he can fish, hunt, and just be Matt.

So long Mr. Matt "Coke Zero" Jones!

3-15-2009 1st NFL Mock Draft

Alright folks...it's quite a while since I've been seen in the blog game...so I'm back! (Whoa Oh!)

The draft is quickly approaching us, only a little more than a month away still and it's a frantic time of year. The "big names" in Free Agency have been signed, the teams are turning their attention towards the draft, and potential draftees "Pro-Days" are all the talk...

so without further ado...my first published mock draft for 2009!

1) Detroit Lions- Matthew Stafford, QB, Georgia
2) St. Louis Rams- Jason Smith, OT, Baylor
3) Kansas City Chiefs- Aaron Curry, OLB, Wake Forest
4) Seattle Seahawks- Michael Crabtree, WR, Texas Tech
5) Cleveland Browns- Brian Orakpo, DE/OLB, Texas
6) Cincinnati Bengals- Eugene Monroe, OT, Virginia
7) Oakland Raiders- BJ Raji, DT, Boston College
8) Jacksonville Jaguars- Mark Sanchez, QB, USC
9) Green Bay Packers- Everette Brown, DE/OLB, FSU
10) San Francisco 49ers- Andre Smith, OT, Alabama
11) Buffalo Bills- Brian Cushing, OLB, USC
12) Denver Broncos- Malcolm Jenkins, CB/S, Ohio State
13) Washington Redskins- Michael Oher, OT, Mississippi
14) New Orleans Saints- Vontae Davis, CB, Illinois
15) Houston Texans- Clay Matthews, OLB/DE, USC
16) San Diego Chargers- Rey Maualuga, ILB, USC
17) New York Jets- Jeremy Maclin, WR, Missouri
18) Chicago Bears- Tyson Jackson, DE/DT, LSU
19) Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Josh Freeman, QB, Kansas State
20) Detroit Lions- Peria Jerry, DT, Mississippi
21) Philadelphia Eagles- Knowshon Moreno, RB, Georgia
22) Minnesota Vikings- Hakeem Nicks, WR, North Carolina
23) New England Patriots- Aaron Maybin, OLB/DE, Penn State
24) Atlanta Falcons- Alphonso Smith, CB, Wake Forest
25) Miami Dolphins- Jame Laurinitis, ILB, Ohio State
26) Baltimore Ravens- Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR, Maryland
27) Indianapolis Colts- Chris Wells, RB, Ohio State
28) Philadelphia Eagles- William Beatty, OT, Connecticut
29) New York Giants- Kenny Britt, WR, Rutgers
30) Tennessee Titans- Evander Hood, DT, Missouri
31) Arizona Cardinals- Donald Brown, RB, Connecticut
32) Pittsburgh Steelers- Duke Robinson

I would do a second round as well...but I kindof don't feel like it.