[Note by River City Rage, 05/28/08 12:40 PM EDT ] As of right now, Vic Ketchman of Jaguars.com confirms the injury and says it is a hamstring pull.

Jacksonville Jaguars Wide Receiver Jerry Porter was injured today while running drills during their offseason training today.  Jerry, according to 1010XL, a Jacksonville Radio Station, went down after favoring one knee, and "slammed his helmet on the ground".  Jaguars training staff stretched him out on the field and he did leave the field under his own power.

Porter recently missed a few repetitions during a previous OTA with what seemed to be a strained achilles.  This is his second injury in as many weeks.  Pete Prisco, who was present at the OTA, said that the injury did not appear to be serious, but the Jaguars should consider dialing down his participation to prevent a very expensive injury

Panic should be shelved, Jerry Porter is not the one shot answer to a Jaguars Super Bowl run.  He is one piece of a very strong offense that is on the rise.  There is no need to run to panic or worry that the team made a big mistake.  Injuries, especially to skill position players, happen.  The Jaguars should be very careful from here on out.  Jerry is not a fragile player per se, but he's showing signs of vulnerability, and I would much rather have him rest and study rather than risk an injury in his underwear.  David needs to get in to a comfort zone with his receivers, but with a guy like Jerry that will happen in due time.

This is something to keep a passive eye on, not something to freak out about.

-Chris

Quick Bytes: The daily digest of everything you need to know about the Jacksonville Jaguars (and other things).

:  Monday's OTA:

• Key Injuries: DE Brian Smith and WR Mike Walker are were both sidelined.  Walker is clearly on an intentionally slow recovery.  Better to let him ease through the summer rather than send him to camp injured.
•  Brian Smith, on the other hand, will not be a Jaguar on September first.  His injury is simply too nagging and will not allow him a chance to even try out for the roster.  The Jaguars took a risk on Smith and missed.  With all the competition on our roster, it'd be foolish to deny someone who can prove themselves a spot on the team or practice squad for an unknown quantity in Smith.  He clearly wants to play, but his body won't let him.
• Defensive End Reggie Hayward was absent from both OTA's so far this week for reasons unknown.  He is expected to practice on Thursday (today), so I assume this a no-news equals good news event.
•  The Wide Receiver battle of Troy Williamson and John Broussard is proceding as predicted.  Both are competing for the same "fast deep threat" role in the offense, and both are making impressive catches.  Yes, Troy Williamson is catching the ball.
• QB Todd Bouman, according to Vic Ketchman, has the most impressive arm so far in camp.  Though Garrard looked his best so far on Monday.  Bouman is locked into an epic battle with UDFA Paul Smith for the "number three" QB spot.  I can tell you for a fact that this is a battle that the coaches want Paul Smith to win, but Bouman will not go down without a fight.
• Each observer of the OTA's has commented on how quick Quentin Groves is looking so far.  Certainly, everyone looks fast when they're in t-shirts and there is no real contact, but it's a very positive sign.  Quentin is very excited about being a defensive end, which is also uplifting.
• Matt Jones had a very bad practice on Thursday, which led to his lack of reps on Monday and Tuesday.  There is something afoot between the Jaguars and Matt Jones right now, and it isn't good for either one.  More on this later.
• Donnie Henderson is a very vocal coach.  If it makes our secondary stronger, yell away. 
  

: Tuesday's OTA

• The "starting DE's" with Hayward and Spicer absent are James Wyche and Kenny Pettway.  This is a good time for both of them to be impressive, as they're competing the fifth spot in the rotation, presuming of course that Hayward, Spicer, Harvey and Groves make the team. 
• Something to watch: DE/DPR Brent Hawkins took some reps at linebacker, as well as at DE.  Hawkins needs to prove himself as useful as possible, considering the crowd at both DE and LB
  
• Brian Williams, as usual, was the starting strong safety.  Shame on you Vic Ketchman for being all wishy washy about Williams move to safety, then mocking the fans for not seeing the obviousness of the move.  It was you, good sir, that put the doubt in our minds.  The Collective Fanbase saw the Florence Signing as the writing on the wall for the move, your resistance toward confirming that was silly and should not entitle you to mocking us. 
• Matt Jones caught a pass.  At this point, this is news

• Jerry Porter has some sort of Achilles strain that is having him iced up rather than on the field.  Nothing to worry about, he's probably working a little harder than he should to make an impression with the team. 
  
• Chauncey Washington and D.D. Terry are having a bit of a competition for a backup running back spot.  Word on the street is that the coaches are very happy with Terry. 
• Vince Manuwai has moved from left guard to right guard, putting him next to Tony Pashos on the line.  The Jaguars are going to have a whole lot of big runs to the right side with the two of them run blocking.
  

Hopefully we'll have more updates as the Thursday Morning OTA concludes!

-Chris

In recent years the Jacksonville Jaguars have faced a "yeah, but" problem with their offense.  The solid running game, the productive line play, even with the quarterback problems, the sore thumb of the Jaguars offense is the Wide Receiving Corps.  Despite having two first round draft picks in Reggie Williams and Matt Jones, the Jaguars have not yet found the heir apparant to Jimmy Smith, and even throughout the outstanding 2007 season lacked the receiver that guaranteed a double team and that would strike fear into defensive game planning.

While the Jaguars went through an offensive explosion last season, there are still question marks surrounding the receivers.  Will Reggie Williams repeat his 10 touchdown and 600 yards or was those merely outliers?  Will Matt Jones wake up or stay in Jack Del Rio's doghouse?

The offseason only added to those questions as the Jaguars charted an aggressive course to surround quarterback David Garrard with as many weapons as possible.  Jerry Porter left the miserable and hopeless Oakland Raiders in a 30 million dollar free agent contract.  The Jaguars traded with the Minnesota Vikings to get Troy Williamson for a 6th round pick.

There is an impressive amount of draft picks in the receiving corps.  Three first round picks (Williams, Williamson, Jones), two second round picks (Porter, Northcutt), and a 7th round pick in John Broussard round out the group.  Toss in the four undrafted free agents and you've got a pretty intense competition for what can only be 5 or 6 roster spots, not including free agency.

It's already obvious that the Jaguars are going to use three roster spots for Quarterbacks.  The Jaguars usually have 24-25 players on their final offensive roster,  carrying 6 WR's will mean less offensive linemen or tight ends.  So while this exercise in roster prediction is based of carrying six, the Jaguars might find themselves in a need of depth elsewhere, leading to a more difficult picture.

The Safe:

Three Wide Receivers can rest easy going into the 2008 Season.  Either because of contract or because of performance, these three guys are a lock for a roster spot.

• Jerry Porter: No comment needed here, he's here to bring some spark to our offense and to give David Garrard a consistent target downfield.  There are 10 million reasons why he'll be our number one receiver on opening day.
• Reggie Williams: The much maligned and dance loving wide receiver burst onto the scene last season with 10 touchdowns and 629 yards, both career highs.  There are some who consider this an outlier, but it could be the awakening that the first round pick was waiting for.   This should be toward the end of Reggie's contract with the Jaguars, and another 8-10 touchdowns could ensure him a decent contract with somebody in the near future.
  
• Dennis Northcutt: The least safe of the safe three, if that makes sense.  Dennis brings something to the table that other receivers lack, and that's an ability to return punts.  That alone nearly assures him a roster spot.  With Porter and Williams on the outside, Northcutt should spend plenty of time working out of the slot, which is a natural spot for him.  He was expensive last year, and that fact alone gives him job security

The Muddled Middle:

Predicting the season for the next group of wide receivers is nearly impossible.  They're either inconsistent, unproven, or unreliable, but have a substantial investment of some sort that makes them likely to be on the final roster, but it's by no means a sure thing.

• Matt Jones: If the Jaguars elect to carry only five wide receivers, Matt Jones is gone.  There are just too many hard working players that actually seem to enjoy the game of Football to let Jones occupy a roster spot.  That said, he had a fairly respectable season last year when he was allowed to play, and somehow he catches the ball in clutch situations.  The constant fade routes drive fans crazy though.  Were Matt Jones to show up to OTA's and Training Camp in good shape and with the right attitude, he could almost be considered a lock.  Unfortunately, Matt Jones needs to decide if he wants to be a football player or if he wants to pack it in. 
• Mike Walker: If he's healthy, he's a lock.  If he's hurt, it's another year on the practice squad, at best.  Jacksonville used a third round pick in 2007 to take a chance on an impressive, albeit damaged, talent.  So far Mike is batting .500 on OTA participation, but if he can make it through the offseason without knee swelling or other problems, the Jaguars just solved their Wide Receiver problems for sure.  The better Mike Walker looks in practice, the less secure Matt Jones may be in his roster spot.
• Troy Williamson: This is a case of a player that has every chance to prove himself and take a roster spot.  Troy is the speedy deep threat that keeps the safeties deep and opens up a lot of options for the Jaguars offense.  He's also universally derided for his inability to catch the ball when wide open.  The Vikings thought they were robbing the Jaguars when they received a 6th round pick for the maligned wide receiver.  Now he's fighting for a spot on a team that's willing to give him a chance to prove the critics wrong.   Williamson and John Broussard are competing for the same roster spot, if Troy can show sure hands, he's got the job.

The Rest of the Story:

• John Broussard: On his first catch in an NFL regular season game, Broussard was on the receiving end of a 56 yard touchdown pass in what seemed to be a sign of good things yet to come.  Unfortunately, an ankle injury forced John onto the Injured Reserve and out of the picture.  His size and durability are an issue as 173 lbs is on the frail side for a receiver.  John must watch Troy Williamson very closely, as if Williamson falls short, Broussard can make the roster as the speedy deep threat, albeit less proven.  If Williamson works out, John can expect another year on the practice squad.
• Derrek Richards: The key to making an NFL Roster is to be as multi-functional as possible.  Richards, an undrafted free-agent from Utah, is just that, a 5' 11'', 182 lb receiver that ran a 4.39 40-yard dash and can return both kicks and punts.  With the Jaguars wanting to use Maurice Jones-Drew more on offense, there is an opening on the team as a kick returner.  Should Derrek show his speed, there's a spot for him as a special teams/return specialist.  If nothing else, Richards has practice squad written all over him.
• Jeron Harvey: This is a prototypical Jaguars receiver: 6' 5'', 215lbs, a little slow, a little sloppy in route running, but big enough to dominate for the ball.  If anything, Harvey needs to learn to play up to his size.  The Houston wide receiver is a long shot for the final roster, but if things play out right, should expect to be on the practice squad.  Of course, for things to play out right, he'd probably need to combine a strong performance with either Broussard or Richards making the final roster.  What hurts Jeron is his unproven record on special teams.  If he can find a second role, he'll improve his odds tremendously. 
  
• D'Juan Woods: Last year's undrafted free agent spent time bouncing from the roster to the practice squad.  He's clearly a player the Jaguars have an eye on as a developing prospect, but will probably be a victim of the numbers game.  It's unlikely that the Jaguars put more than two wide receivers on the practice squad, so only the most outstanding of performances puts him on the team in any fashion.
• Clyde Edwards: This UDFA from Grambling will be fighting for a spot on the practice squad.  He's not as strong as a return man as Richards, and has the longest of long shots to make the team.  He'll be performing in the preseason for the NFL Scouts, rather than the Jaguars coaching staff.

Roster Predictions:

6 Receivers, 2 practice squad

Jerry Porter, Reggie Williams, Dennis Northcutt, Mike Walker, Troy Williamson, Derek Richards (PS: John Broussard, Jeron Harvey)

5 Receivers, 2 Practice Squad

Jerry Porter, Reggie Williams, Dennis Northcutt, Mike Walker, Troy Williamson (PS: Derek Richards, John Broussard)

Your thoughts?

-Chris

On Monday, the Jaguars will begin their third session of Offseason Training Activities (OTA), with eight more practices until their Mini-camp on the weekend of June 6th.  These OTA sessions are critical in building a cohesive and strong football team because there is so little time in training camp to build relationships and put units on the same page. 

Remember, the 2008 Jacksonville Jaguars open their season in Tennessee, and then play the Colts and Texans in the first month of the regular season.  Without a strong start, the Jaguars could find themselves hopelessly behind in the critical AFC South division race before Christmas Decorations appear in the Avenues Mall.

Jaguars.com's Vic Ketchman, a writer any Jaguars fan is familiar with, is chafing at the interest in the teams OTA"s, which is terribly off-base.  While yes, these are just "underwear" practices, there is a feeling of importance that cannot be brushed aside, as Vic is wont to do:

If I may, I’ll ask that we not take OTA’s too seriously. We really need to keep this in perspective. We lost perspective on Jason Taylor. We lost perspective on Lito Sheppard. Please, let’s not suffer the same fate in OTA’s. They’re really not that big of a deal.

Don't blame the fans, Vic, it's not our fault.  Just as you implore us to "not blame the media" for reporting what they're told, you certainly cannot blame the fans for paying attention to events of even the smallest importance.  We're all invited to the 24 hour news cycle, the never-ending NFL season, and the renewal of hope that each offseason brings.  Of course we want to know how Mike Walker's looking during OTA's, just as we want to know if Drayton Florence is getting beat deep, or why Brian Smith is relegated to standing on the sidelines.  The NFL fan of 2008 understands far more the effects of contracts, the perils of labor strife in the league, and how champions are made during the "dead zone".  We are far more aware now than ever before, and we expect to know how the practices are going.  Even if it's too far to tell if a player can translate perfect practice into practical performance, it's not too much to ask to start knowing the story before it's written. 

The Jaguars are going to go deep into the playoffs this year.  They've constructed a team with the potential for greatness.  In February of 2009, we'll be looking back to these mere OTA practices as our first glance at what should be a fantastic season.  I see no harm in trying to measure that progress now. 

Enough of that meta-NFL nonsense, let's look at what we've learned:

• Wide Receiver Mike Walker did not practice on Tuesday (5.13), but did take the field on Thursday (5.15).  Mike "sky" Walker is one of the most interesting players to watch as we move closer to Training Camp.  He showed flashes of brilliance, but ultimately spent the year on Injured Reserve as he slowly worked his knee back toward 100%.
• Fred Taylor, as usual, did not attend the first OTA's.  Taylor spends his offseason in South Florida doing his special training regimen, the same one that has him averaging 5.2 yards per carry.  He plans on spending some of his time in Jacksonville, so his absence is noted but not noteworthy.
• Safety Jamaal Fudge missed the first OTA's, but for a wonderful reason.  Fudge is finishing his classes at Clemson University.  With all the talks of holdouts, labor unrest, and Spygate, stories like these tend to slip through the cracks.  Jamaal is doing the right thing as he's a good player, but thinking about life after the NFL is critical for players like him
• Injury Report: Marcades Lewis missed OTA's from a Knee Injury that I suspect might have something to do with being one of the few uninjured TE's in Jacksonville right now.  Mike Walker missed one, as mentioned before.  Tight Ends George Wrightster and Greg Estandia both missed time for injured Knee and Shoulder, respectively.  Both are nursing injuries from last season that should be addressed in time for training camp
• DE/LB Brian Smith is still sidelined from his college injury.  More to come on this later.

Notable Quotables:

David Garrard: On Jerry Porter:

“I think he’s going to be a great receiver here. He’s a receiver who can make spectacular plays,”

Offensive Coordinator Dirk Koetter: On Installing the Offense:

“We’re installing about 15 pass plays a day. We’re throwing a lot at them,”

Jack Del Rio on Contract Extensions for Rob Meier and Paul Spicer:

"We're happy to have Rob done," said Jaguars coach Jack Del Rio. "We have the possibility of getting something done with Paul at some point. We'll see where that goes."

"From our standpoint, we feel like we've made a fair legitimate proposal to these guys and one guy [Meier] is happy and one guy [Spicer] is out there waiting,".

Linebacker Clint Ingram: On Tackling Fundamentals:

"We want to be fundamentally sound. We want to be better tacklers, better at hustling, all that sense of the game,"

What to Watch For:

Not much, sadly.  The Rookies have their first OTA on Monday, though these are all closed to the public and therefore will only learn how they do based on secondary sources.

Which is not to say that Big Cat Country won't have a story or three in the process.  I have two interviews planned this week with the possiblity, albeit slim, of one that might knock your socks off.

Stay Tuned...

-Chris