Ernest Wilford Cut by Dolphins... Should the Jaguars Bite?

by silencecs on Aug 24, 2009 11:13 AM EDT in News Comment 38 comments

Wilford needs a new team after his release from Miami. Should the Jaguars consider bringing him back?

The Miami Dolphins recently cut ties with former Jaguar WR Ernest Wilford. Wilford played only one season for the Dolphins, and was cut when his position switch to TE didn't pan out as the Tuna had envisioned. Now, Ernest is looking for another team, and the Jags are looking for a few proven WR's. Ernest will likely sign somewhere for the veteran minimum, as he was anemic last season and needs to "prove it" again. He knows David Garrard and Dirk Koetter's system, and has reliable hands and good route running skills. He could fill the void left by Matt Jones' release, as the team's possession receiver.

What's your take?

-Collin

Poll

Should the Jags re-sign Wilford?

Yes, our receivers are garbage, and he's proven.

115 votes

No, can you say "youth movement"?

244 votes

359 votes | Poll has closed

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Comments

how do you say no to mr consistency on 3rd down?

how do you say no to the guy that helped make Garrard?

bring the guy home

alright, now i need slvrgun or harveyismyboy to be extra negative and balance me out

LateRoundPick.com

by Surteal on Aug 24, 2009 11:15 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

stats page

http://www.nfl.com/players/ernestwilford/profile?id=WIL057148

He is 30 years old with a birthday in January. I think the decision lies with their confidence in Garrard. Do they feel he can make the receivers better or do they need someone that has proven themselves with Garrard to make Garrard better? This move will tell us a lot about how the front office feels about Garrard.

LateRoundPick.com

by Surteal on Aug 24, 2009 11:21 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

The same way you say no to Mr. Matt Jones

Torry Holt is going to be the possession receiver. Jarret Dillard is going to be a possession receiver when he matures and finds his hands again. The Jaguars have already discovered that tall and slow don’t make for a good receiving corps. You’re really going to tell me that after Jaguars, with the worst receiving corps in the league, didn’t keep the guy and the Dolphins, who are incredibly mediocre at receiver, cut the guy as well….you want him back here?!

I’m not really sure what you mean that Wilford is proven. If by proven you mean proven that not even teams with gaping holes at WR want him, then yes, I guess he’s proven to be garbage. Sorry buddy. The way to take the Jaguars receivers out of the 32nd-ranked cellar is not by bringing back one of the founding members of the Worst WRs Club.

by MoveThoseChains on Aug 24, 2009 1:34 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Hahaha, that's funny.

We should have that next to the Pride of the Jags. The founding fathers of the Jags (worst receiving corps EVER). Wilford, R. Williams, M. Jones, Porter…etc.

by jagsfanbrunell on Aug 24, 2009 1:50 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

MTC... that post made me laugh...

All good points….

I think that having a proven guy who can catch and run routes helps. So far. Torry Holt is the only guy with proven hands on the team.

The End Is Nigh... www.infowars.com

by silencecs on Aug 24, 2009 2:02 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Just so everyone knows... At WR right now... we have players who account for LESS THAN 100 RECEPTIONS LAST SEASON!!

Is that clear… Our whole squad couldn’t account for 100 receptions, and you’re going to tell me that Ernest’s 50+ catches (what he had his last season with the Jags) wouldn’t be welcomed?

I’m sorry, I have no confidence in Mike Walker or our Rookies… or Nate Hughs… Or Torry Holt’s knee… come to think of it… They all have issues…

Yes, I think it’s smart to bring back at a cheap price one of the old vets who can catch.

The End Is Nigh... www.infowars.com

by silencecs on Aug 24, 2009 2:52 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Please refer me to your drug dealer.

by Slvrgun on Aug 24, 2009 3:47 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

get the teal kool-aid

When i said proven, i was talking about on third downs.

I have no idea how to look it up. David and Ernest were a solid combo. Nothing earth-shattering, but solid. Solid is something amazing right now.

Is there any way to look up a percentage of passes caught that converted 3rd downs? That’s exactly what #9 did not do when not throwing a bomb against the Buc’s

LateRoundPick.com

by Surteal on Aug 24, 2009 4:34 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I understand

your concern Collin, and I have some doubts as well, but I think Wilford might be a bad idea.

By the way Michael C Wright “twiitered” this about a possible Wilford-Jaguars reunion:
“That ship is saled”

Life without knowledge is death in disguise

by Zoltan from Budapest on Aug 24, 2009 4:41 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

can't improve on that MTC - awesome, funny as hell, and correct

by OGN on Aug 24, 2009 2:34 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Torry Holt

Is the Jaguars’ possession receiver. I don’t think there’s a spot on this roster for Wilford, even at the minimum salary.

by acedarney on Aug 24, 2009 11:34 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Claim him and then go IR with him or Walker

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by Tkopa on Aug 24, 2009 11:35 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I'm cool with that

I’m Pr0-competiton and pro-wilford, he was one of the guys i liked.

"HULU: An evil plot to destroy the world. Enjoy"
The Flavour of the Day is Turf. - Courtesy of the Jacksonville Jaguars

by TheTealDeal on Aug 24, 2009 6:10 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I say No because the Jaguars AND Dolphins let him go. I don’t think there is an immediate need for another TE / WR. I still wonder why Miami was trying him at TE too. If a need should arise, I would wait til cuts come around.

From NFL.com “It was only a preseason game, and Wilford’s big play came against reserves, but it suggested his recent move to tight end might work.”

Sean Jax Beach Bum

by cuffs007 on Aug 24, 2009 11:36 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

What are yall smoking?

Teal Haze?

by Slvrgun on Aug 24, 2009 1:47 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

i think he's reliable,

but who would you cut? i think the jags are going to have a hard enough of a time deciding on which 5 or 6 to keep.

by abeaugh on Aug 24, 2009 3:11 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I wouldn't dip back into that well.

I like Ernest but I don’t know if he brings anything that this team really doesn’t have.

Jacksonville Jaguars. It's what I do.

by JvilleJag2 on Aug 24, 2009 3:22 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Wilfiord was reliable

and the best of the worst. When he was cut, I remember thinking, oh great, what are we going to don on 3rd down now? He was the only wr we had that seemed to be able to find the sticks and get across them before he caught the ball. I’d love to have him back!

That said, I think we should be focusing on the new guys. This is about the future of the team, and if we truly have a great group of up-and-comers, they need reps. Because he is a fairly known commodity, he doesn’t have much upside for a team that’s rebuilding that just spent half their draft on new receivers.

While I’d love to see him out there getting those critical 3rd downs, I hope one of the new guys can handle that, and then excel beyond it, something Wilford couldn’t do.

by Pyrofish on Aug 24, 2009 3:22 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

how about this

Walker may go to IR regardless so we will skip him. We can place him on the PUP in this imaginary situation. Underwood to the practice squad has become a theme and I think it happens unless they get scared and want more speed on Special Teams.

Starters: Holt, Williamson
Backups: Thomas, Dillard, Hughes

What concerns me about that group (and i have a lot of faith in Dillard, which i have not hidden) is that most people think Holt will get injured and that would leave 4 people. The most notable thing of that group is a preseason performance.
You add Wilford for a one-year, incentive-laden deal and you have a security blanket. He will be cheap and he doesn’t have to start. We’ve all talked about in the past how David is only good with receivers that he trusts….well, we know he trusts Wilford.

Now, that I’ve said all that, Wilford is 30. He was part of the “worst wrs club” and somehow shined out of that group. Shining in that group is meaningless. He would take up a roster spot that could go to some developing player. He might not even be as reliable as he was.

Or he might make that one third down grab that we need against Tennessee or Buffalo.
We don’t know.

So i say we get him, then see if he beats out a rookie. If not, cut him. If he is the same, well great. We have two people that can catch

LateRoundPick.com

by Surteal on Aug 24, 2009 4:43 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

yeah - but security for what - a playoff run?

If seen through the prism of a 2 -3 year rebuild job, signing Wilford is not moving forward. If we had a legit chance of going somewhere in the post season, then I think your idea has merit – absent that – move on.

by OGN on Aug 24, 2009 5:00 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

What about

Underwood?

Cut? Practice squad?

Life without knowledge is death in disguise

by Zoltan from Budapest on Aug 24, 2009 5:07 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

i wrote practice sqaued

OGN- if theyre ready to dump the season to develop guys, then yeah ignore Wilford

LateRoundPick.com

by Surteal on Aug 24, 2009 5:11 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think that's where we're at

the coaches will never say it in public of course, but I’d be willing to bet that by the 2011 season – this roster will have been turned over by at least 75%.

by OGN on Aug 24, 2009 5:32 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'd rather have Underwood over Wilford

He gets open, but he just hasn’t been able to catch the ball. Given a year in the NFL, he’ll be better than Wilford, and he won’t be 30. If you’re going to keep 6 receivers, don’t go get Wilford when you have a good developmental project on the roster already.

by acedarney on Aug 24, 2009 9:43 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Why not?

I understand that Wilford will likely be little to no help for this receiving squad, but why not give him a shot? Wilford is going to be desperate for a job and will likely sign for a minimum contract with the hopes of making a squad.

The Jaguars could bring him in tomorrow for a tiny contract and give him a shot to compete. I’d give him very little chance at making it on this team’s WR corps. The Jags will likely want to keep as many of the younger guys as they can. The only way Wilford makes the squad is if he plays excellently in the final weeks of training camp and preseason. In that case, the Jaguars make a great move.

There’s absolutely no risk in investing such a minimal amount on him.

by SoCalStites on Aug 24, 2009 5:34 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

you risk giving up a valuable roster spot

by OGN on Aug 24, 2009 5:37 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

If he plays well enough to earn a spot

Then he played well enough to earn the spot.

by SoCalStites on Aug 24, 2009 5:40 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

you make a good point and I concede that one :-)

I’d still favor development for the future – in this case, with no playoff run hinging on the decision, I believe upside and development for the future trumps the here and now.

by OGN on Aug 24, 2009 5:56 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Play a little Vic's advocate

What if the guy you cut keep Wilford turns out to be the second coming of Jerry Rice in 3 or 4 years? If you draft talent, it’s difficult to say a proven mediocre commodity is better than a guy that may not be as good this year, but may be a superstar in 3 or 4 years. IIRC, Jimmy Smith took 4 years to become the receiver we like to remember.

So the question becomes, future or present? Last year, when I drank the Teal cool aide and was brimming with SB expectations, I’d have said keep him. This year, with a 16 game expectation, I say let’s see what the new guys have.

by Pyrofish on Aug 24, 2009 6:42 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

reasonable and i fully understand

but competition breeds awesomeness

that said, let wilford be competition and if it’s close with Wilford winning. Cut WIlford and develop.

How about that?

LateRoundPick.com

by Surteal on Aug 25, 2009 12:43 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Exactly

Wilford would have to play phenomenally to take a spot away from a draft pick. The simple fact that the Jaguars can develop these younger guys gives them the one-up on Wilford. The odds would be stacked against him to make the squad, so why not just give him a shot to shock us?

by SoCalStites on Aug 25, 2009 12:50 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'm all more Wilford coming back

Now let me explain why =).

1. Wilford is an experienced WR who has played in games and does not have an injury riddled career,
2. I was at the Buffalo game when he caught the game winning TD, he can catch and he is what i classfy as a Clutch Possession WR.
3. He can be cut at anytime if he is not worth the roster spot.
4. More competion, makes for a better team, waive stephenson or someone who doesn’t have much of a chance.
Its a no risk, low to moderate reward, pull the trigger Gene.

"HULU: An evil plot to destroy the world. Enjoy"
The Flavour of the Day is Turf. - Courtesy of the Jacksonville Jaguars

by TheTealDeal on Aug 24, 2009 6:08 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs