More photos » by Wade Payne - AP

Enjoy that carry MoJo, I'm going to audible out the next drive.

Browse more photos »

It is being reported that David Garrard has been told by the team to not audible out of running plays as much. The coaching staff was widely criticized for opening up the game with nine straight passing plays. However, the first two plays were called runs to Maurice Jones-Drew that Garrard then audibled to passing plays.

And the plot thickens. If this is the case, is it the coaching staff trying to cover their butts, did MJD complain behind closed doors, or something else?

They'll make what coach Jack Del Rio called "hard ball calls." That means quarterback David Garrard will be told on occasion not to call audibles out of running plays and into passing plays.....

"We took that privilege away or that ability away and said, "Look, just hand it to him and let him run the ball,' " Del Rio said.

Del Rio also said that if Reggie Nelson doesn't tackle better in the future than he did against the Titans, he won't be in the lineup. Nelson moved from safety to cornerback in place of injured Rashean Mathis on Sunday.

-John

More photos » by Phil Coale - AP

Soon to be ex-Jaguar Quentin Groves?

Browse more photos »

First, thanks to Surteal for bringing this to BCC via fanshot

According to this story on PFT, Quentin Groves and possibly Mike Sims-Walker are being shopped around by the Jaguars in hopes of finding a suitor before the October 20th trade deadline. With Quentin Groves, I can understand the team's willingness to find a trade partner now. Groves' incident while heading to the airport last Friday was his most headline worthy action since being drafted by the Jaguars in 2008. With his demotion to 3rd team, it is clear that Groves has a tall mountain to climb with this team.

This is compounded by the fact the Jaguars are now running the 3-4 (the defense that Groves was projected to coming out of Auburn) and has still been a non-factor. Would a team be willing to trade for Groves at this point? Well he's still very young and in the hands of a team that could actually run a 3-4 scheme, he could be useful as a rush linebacker. Still, I wouldn't expect more than a 5th rounder or similar marginal player in return for him.

Mike Sims-Walker on the other hand, I really can't fathom why this team would put him on the block except to further make an example out of him over his own Seattle incident. Sims-Walker has a minor screw up, so let's trade the guy who was looking like the second coming of Jimmy Smith? It makes perfect sense to me *sarcasm*. Unless we got two first rounders in return, I really can't see the advantage in trading Sims-Walker.

More on this as it unfolds

-Jonathan Loesche

Mike Walker, some people's pick as the Jaguars number two receiver, just sustained an ankle injury and had to be helped off the field by trainers. As WOKV's Jeff Lageman reported...

"This is a kid who needs a break..."

Story developing...

Collin Streetman

The hot rumor is that the Jaguars are currently in contact with Torry Holt's agent, and may be coming for a visit. This would go along with Gene Smith's statement that the Jaguars would go after a veteran WR.

Holt is 32 and would be in his 12th season if he starts 2009 as a Jaguar. However, Jimmy Smith posted three 1,000 yard seasons after 32. Let's be clear, Holt is no longer the dominant #1 receiver he was for most of his time as a Ram. However, he would be head and shoulders above any of the current receivers the Jaguars have.

If this is a situation similar to Tra Thomas, I'm all for it. If we can pick Holt up on a low risk contract, where all the guaranteed money is up front, then I say go for it. What do the Jaguars have to lose? He instantly lands them credibility as a legitimate threat.

Even if we don't sign him, what's the risk of bringing him in for a visit. What can it hurt? If nothing else, ESPN might actually stat bother to get our players names right again.

-John

There is no quicker way to damage one's credibility than to start rumors that never come to fruition. There are always a ton of rumors going around during the offseason, and we don't like to get egg on our face more often than we have to. That being said, JagNation has a story (In the pay section, so I can't/won't go into detail) that implies Cutler could be involved in a trade to Jacksonville. Jagnation started this rumor, and they are deeply connected, so there must be some truth to it.

Here's the link... WE DIDN'T START THIS RUMOR!!

PLEASE NOTE THIS IS NOT A RUMOR BCC HAS STARTED... WE'VE HEARD NOTHING AND HAVE NO INFORMATION... THIS IS SPECULATION!!! (That was for the message boards who regularly misquote us, and in turn, slander our credibility).

I ventured into the dreaded Jags Message Boards to see what people were saying (NOTE: This is never a good idea if you want intelligent info), and what I saw was a complete disregard for reality. 

Let me be the voice of reason here people... DAVID GARRARD will NOT be traded in any deal. Period. What may occur is a 3-way trade involving the Jags... In a 3-way trade, one team is usually the "middle-man" who has the leverage to negociate two different deals to accomplish what one deal would have, and then to reap the benefits. 

Here's how I see what's happening (this doesn't mean it will happen, but is SPECULATION). It is a pretty good guess though, if I do say so myself. The Bucs want Cutler, no doubt about it. However, the Bucs also need a DT. They missed out on Haynesworth and they lost Jovan Haye in free agency. ENTER BIG JOHN... I am guessing the Jags will work out a deal that involves the #8 pick (and possibly additional compensation) going to the Broncos for Cutler. The Jags would then trade Cutler to the Bucs (all three sides would have a deal in place so nobody gets stuck, that's how 3-ways work) along with Big John Henderson for a literal plethora of picks. We ditch the number 8 pick and John Henderson in one fell swoop... That is my ideal scenario. 

I will guarantee that DAVID WILL NOT BE TRADED... You can take that to the bank, regardless of how this turns out. Anyone who thinks we are going to trade a man of high character and a proven leader like David, for a prima-donna like Cutler, is out of their gourd. That goes against everything Gene stands for. If this trade occurs, the Jags will only be a middle man, that's a promise.

-Collin

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