Rumor:

There's a  rumor flying around that Matt Jones is in Jacksonville today and meeting with the Jaguars.

There's also the classic public relations news of dropping "bad" stories late in the afternoon on Fridays, when the cycle is shut down for the weekend. If Matt Jones is in Jacksonville, and IF the Jaguars are going to cut him, late afternoon on Friday is a good time to do it.  This happens all the time in politics, typically in the form of a news dump at 4:50 on Fridays in Washington.  By the time Monday comes around the perception is that the story is old news and gets passed over.

I've not found any hard confirmation that Matt is in the building, but there's enough smoke here to suspect some sort of fire.  As soon as I do, I'll update this accordingly.

Speculation:

There's no way the Jaguars open training camp on Friday with Matt Jones on the roster.  The intimacy of players and fans, as well as the distaste toward Jones by his teammates because of perceptions of being lazy would turn camp into a circus.  Because he's a bubble player anyhow, the Jaguars should let the players who want to be there compete and cut the dead-weight that is Matt Jones.

More to come as it comes!

-Chris

  This will never happen!

There is nothing more disapointing as a a sports fan than to hear a rumor that makes no sense, but because it's said by a "serious person", it spreads farther than it should.  As we are all painfully aware of, Brett Favre is dominating the media cycle with his "itch", and with this irritation comes terrible specuation about where he might play in 2008.

Because some in the media are ignorant of the Jaguars, their name comes up.  Perhaps it's because of the residual memories of Byron Leftwich or the lack of recognition outside the North-Florida region, but the team is coming up in discussions of possible homes for the 38 year-old gunslinger. I've heard that Dan Patrick even alluded that the Jaguars were interested in the soon-to-be Green Bay exile.

Excuse me?  Is this 2007?  Did Jack Del Rio decide to play games with David Garrard like he did with the Byron Leftwich/Daunte Culpepper noise of last July?  Of course not.  The Jaguars have absolutely no reason to even look at Brett Favre.

   1. The Jaguars spent 60 million dollars to extend David Garrard, and by every measure he's looked outstanding through spring practices.
   2. The Jaguars signed Cleo Lemon to a contract that gave him a three million dollar signing bonus.
   3. The Jaguars have little in the way of developing young talent at the position.
   4. The Jaguars Salary Cap would not be comfortable with the 12.5 million Brett is due this season.

These four factors alone deter the Jaguars from taking a look at the gunslinger, this has nothing to do with the obvious facts that Brett is a liability as a quarterback, loses games with his unbearable devotion to throwing the ball under any circumstance, regardless of open receivers.

Brett Favre is proving himself to be a team-destroyer.  Aaron Rogers has to be the most shell-shocked quarterback in the league after the last two years of being the de facto starter only to have Brett decide to come back.  Regardless of any desire that Favre might have to play in the NFL, there's no excuse for what he's doing to the Green Bay Packers.  He's effected the way they approach the offseason, he's damaged the development of Aaron Rogers, who is trying to take the controls of a team while looking over his shoulder at a "retired" player.

Now Favre is seriously considering coming back, which is annoying, but he'll also be on the market almost instantly, whether through a cut or a trade.  The Jaguars, because of overwhelming media ignorance, will be a team that's rumored to have interest.  This, unless Jack Del Rio comes out and says it himself, is simply impossible.  The Jaguars have no use, no need, and no time for a player like Farve.  Rumors like this come from writers looking for up and coming teams that have less known situations at quarterback.  Since two of the most likely teams that could use a player like Brett are the Vikings and the Bears, both NFC North teams, it would seem problematic for the Packers to make that trade.  So the AFC gets tossed into the picture.

Simply put, there is a better chance of Paul Smith starting on opening day than there is of Brett Favre wearing teal and black.

In a move that will surely set radio shows and message boards afire, Miami Defensive End Jason Taylor is not attending any offseason activities with the Dolphins, including Training Camp.  Head Coach Tony Sparano announced Taylor's intention to boycott in his OTA press conference today:

"This is my reaction with the Jason Taylor situation and I'm going to answer this question one time," Sparano said. "I'm not going to answer another question about the Jason Taylor situation after I answer this. Here's what I know. What I know is that Jason Taylor – and I'm glad we know this, we've gotten the information and that's important – but I know that Jason is not going to be at any OTAs, I know that Jason is not going to be in any mini-camps and I know that right now Jason is not going to be at training camp.

This, obviously, effects the Jaguars as they have long been connected to rumors of interest and trade talks.  It seemed as though these talks came to an abrupt end as soon as Baltimore made the call to Jacksonville that led the team to Derrek Harvey and Quentin Groves, but I have no doubt that the team will take a serious look at the prospect of adding Taylor to their quiver of pass rushers.  Let's examine the pro's and cons of making the trade and determine if making the move is a good one.

Why we should trade for Jason Taylor:

1. Instant Impact in our Pass Rush:  Yes, Derrick Harvey and Quentin Groves were drafted with the intention of bringing an instant impact on the defensive line.  However, this puts the impetus  in the hands of two first year players that have yet to go up against NFL caliper offensive linemen.  Taylor "could" have more sacks in 2008 than either Harvey or Groves, provided that he's playing at the same level as he did in 2007.
2. Slight Draft Pick Damage: If the Jaguars traded for Jason Taylor, it would become very likely that their picks would be extremely late in the round.  I won't go so far as some of the Jacksonville Radio Hosts in claiming it would be the last pick in the round, but it's sure to be close to it.
3. Price has never been lower: Miami demanded a first round pick in the pre-draft speculation over Taylor.  There is simply no way the Dolphins and Parcells can expect to get anywhere near that as of today.  Before, Taylor was keeping things clean and not being a malcontent, now he's a distraction to a young team, and the longer this plays out, the bigger of a problem it will become.  The last thing they want to do is have their  team the focus of a media frenzy about a player that is not present.  Whatever it costs, it is a prime example of buying low.

Why we should NOT trade for Taylor:

1. Contract Cost: Jason Taylor is due for 7.5 million in 2008 and 8 million in 2009, with a 500K roster bonus each year.  He would have to come to the Jaguars with a willingness to negotiate, as paying that much for a player that's closer to 35 than 30 is foolish.  If he expects to maintain his current level of income, he should not join the team.  Remember though, back when we first started speculating about Taylor, Vic Ketchman explained on Jaguars this Week that the team had a stockpile of money for a player that might hit the market.  It was never confirmed by the team, of course, but if it's true, they're in a position to make a play.
2. Never, ever trade the future: The Jaguars already traded one of their 2009 draft picks, trading a second, third, or fourth for Taylor will hurt the long term influx of young players onto the team.  Trading draft picks makes the other picks far more important as missing on players and trading picks will decimate the roster and force the team into Free Agency to fill needs. 
3. The Risk is greater than the Reward: The Jaguars should have a solid defensive line.  The addition of Taylor would improve the unit, but the financial risk does not justify the potential reward.  Taylor would have to have a 8-10 sack season and an impressive postseason performance to justify the move, and there is simply no way to assure that he's going to do that on the field.  33 year-old players can look old and slow very quickly in the NFL.
4. His Head is not in the Game: Right now it seems that Jason is more focused on his post-retirement career rather than his current profession.  What can guarantee that the Jaguars would get more than one season out of Taylor before he retired?  The Jaguars would want Taylor focused on how he's going to beat a left tackle rather than what happens next spring, but there is simply no way to know what is going on in his head.

Should the team make the Move?

If Jason Taylor wanted to seriously capitalize on his sudden "dancing with the stars" fame, he would retire today and move on.  A player that focused on his future would consider his legacy in Miami and ride off to Hollywood this summer and retire a Dolphin.  No drama, no media frenzy, a graceful exit and a new job.  But Taylor is fighting to leave Miami, which indicates that he wants to play.  He would be an instant starter in Jacksonville and bring an immediate boost to the pass rush.  The pressure on Harvey and Groves would evaporate and they could develop without the weight of the team on their shoulders.

The Jaguars would also be the instant favorite in the AFC to go to the Super Bowl, and would certainly bring the team all sorts of positive attention. 

Paul Spicer would immediately return to OTA's, as Taylor would be his likely replacement.

The combination of Hayward, Groves, Harvey, and Taylor would give offensive linemen nightmares.

The team would have to protect itself in as many ways as possible.  Trading with Miami would likely cost a second round pick in 2009, the Jaguars would have to make this a conditional pick based off of performance and/or length of play in Jacksonville.   Taylor would also have to renegotiate with the Jaguars to write a contract that rewards performance and protects the team from early retirement or a degrade in play.

IF the Jaguars can negotiate a safe contract and IF the Jaguars can make the trade without costing the future, then they SHOULD sign Taylor.  All the bargaining chips are in Jacksonville's hands at this point and the price will be significantly lower than it as prior to the draft.

That is a whole lot of "if's", especially for a 33 year-old.  I'd approve the move, but I don't know that I'd advocate it that strongly. 

Vic Ketchman might be giving us a clue though:

I saw a promo for “Dancing With The Stars” in which Taylor tore off his partner’s dress and she ripped off his shirt and any doubt I had that the Jaguars did the right thing drafting two young defensive ends instead of trading for an old one was immediately extinguished. I could be wrong about this, Logan, but I don’t think the Jaguars are going to make a move for Taylor. I think you should give it up now.

I can only imagine the amount of Taylor question's he's getting today...

-Chris

Now, let me set the record straight: I do not believe what I am reporting.  I am merely passing along what Michael Silver reported on Yahoo.com. In his article about the St. Louis Rams being for sale, he mentions that "unnamed" league sources claim that the Jaguars owner, Wayne Weaver, has sought buyers for the team.

He then debunks said source by quoting Eddie DeBartolo:

One high-ranking league source says the Jacksonville Jaguars are another team that might be sold and relocated to L.A. and that owner Wayne Weaver has solicited potential buyers in recent months. But DeBartolo discounted the possibility of purchasing the Jags, saying, "I think (he'll sell) every year, but it doesn't happen. I get the feeling that Wayne really wants a Super Bowl, and every year he keeps thinking, 'It's gonna be the year,' and he decides to keep them."

It's that time of year.  Every offseason there's a rumor, a quote, a statement from somewhere that the Jaguars are for sale and they're on the A-train to Las Angeles.  And every year those reports are completely and utterly WRONG.  There is no reason to assume the Jaguars are going to move to LA just because they're the smallest market.  Reports like this are the result of poor research.  The media hears about covered seats and assumes the Jaguars are playing in front of an empty house.

If Michael Silver had just googled "Jacksonville Jaguars Relocation", the first story would have explained the multitude of reasons why the Jaguars are safe.  Wayne Weaver knows this team is on hot streak, and the City of Jacksonville is a growing community.  It's certainly never going to be LA sized market, but it's got some long term potential. 

The UNCOVERED 84,000 Seats makes JMS one of the top Five Stadiums in Capacity.  Covering Seats does not mean we can't support the team, it merely means that the Stadium is too big for the market.  Which it MUST BE for the occasional college game!

Remember, this is the City that's probably going to get the largest Aircraft Carrier in the World stationed there.  That could add a billion dollars to the economy, not to mention the addition of all the support personnel.

The Stadium is in great shape.  Were the Jaguars to leave, it would be the first team to move in a long while that did not have any stadium issues.  Usually, teams move because they want a newer or bigger stadium with more fancy boxes to increase revenues.  The Jaguars already have that as part of what they did to earn a Super Bowl, and therefore should not be on the list of teams that move.

Remember what Vic Ketchman said :

The Browns left Cleveland because of a stadium issue. That's why the Rams left Los Angeles, the Colts left Baltimore, the Cardinals left St. Louis and the Oilers left Houston. Down through history, stadium issues have usually been the reason teams have left one city for another. The Jaguars, however, don't have a stadium issue. As far as I know, the stadium situation here is fine, so don't compare the Jaguars to the Browns, Rams, Colts, Cardinals, Raiders, etc.

Besides, the Weavers do more for Jacksonville and Florida than most owners.  The Jaguars Foundation, albeit with controversy, is extraordinarily generous and the Weavers go out of their way for the City.

This is a rumor, one we've heard before, and one that is complete and utter bullshit.

-Chris

(BTW) It's my Birthday today, so my posting will be light!