An Open Letter to Jack Del Rio

by River City Rage on Jun 12, 2007 4:39 PM EDT in Jacksonville Jaguars News

Byron says to Jack: "Sssshhhh"

Dear Jack,

Just pick a frigging quarterback.

I'm not sure if I'm speaking on behalf of all the Jaguars fans out there, but I know I'm certainly not alone with this sentiment.

But just pick a guy and stick with him. You can't say how great Byron is doing and then be connected to rumors that you tried to restructure Dantue Culpepper's contract. These mixed signals do nothing to inspire confidence in our offense. You see Jack, your magic with our defense and the creation of a Jaguars identity is quickly turning irrelevant as you struggle with our quarterback. Your entire coaching career with the Jags is going to be measured by your progress with Byron Leftwich and our passing game. It won't matter a flip that you created a new team identity with a nasty defense and a dual headed rushing attack that, contrary to what the mainstream media says, is the best in the league.

Your bed is made with the Quarterback you drafted, and you need to accept that. Undermining Byron, no matter how many times he says that it has no effect on what happens on the field, can't help the guy take this team to their logical next step. If Byron is the guy then he needs your absolute support, not double speak.

Besides, did you really think that a rookie quarterback who struggled under Charlie Weis or a broken quarterback that's a shell of his former self is really the answer that puts us over the top? Despite three offensive coordinators, inconsistent wide receivers and the most fickle fan base in the league we're still just barely away from being an elite team. Everything you've built on defense is now tied in with your decisions at quarterback.

Now Jack, I don't mean to sound so mean here or anything, but I'm gonna be very unhappy as our defense slowly begins to age and leave our team. I know you've got experience on teams where the defense is vastly more successful than the offense, but in this day and age of insane contracts, do you expect to hold it together like the 2000 Ravens?

And let's not forget this, Byron is in a contract year. Look at Shaun Alexander to get an idea of what a player can do in his contract year. He's gonna pay to get paid, and that just might be the spark that the team needs.

Oh, and since I have your attention, I'd also like it if you'd not cut Bobby McCray's offer for this year. He has to know that he's a 7 sack season away from payday, and should do the right thing and sign his tender, you don't need to make the situation more tense at such a dangerously weak position. Go figure that DE would be the weak point in our defensive depth, it's not like we diddn't know for the last nine months that we were shallow in the ranks.

Anyhow, have a great "dead zone" vacation, but please don't say anything else about our quarterbacks until Training Camp. You've done more than enough as it is.

Thanks,

-Chris

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way to go chris

An unidentified league source says that, as widely rumored, the Jacksonville Jaguars have a strong interest in quarterback Daunte Culpepper.

The source says assistant head coach Mike Tice is pushing hard for Culpepper. The problem is that V.P. of player personnel, Shack Harris, is torn. He likes both Culpepper and Leftwich.

Leftwich is under contract through 2007, as is Quinn Gray. David Garrard, who likely would be the odd man out if Culpepper is acquired, is signed through 2008.

I think it would be a big mistake to aquire Culpepper. First off, no one really knows whether Culpepper is healthy. If he is picked up it presents another problem.

Leftwich has had his confidence injured by the way the coaching staff has treated him in the past. There finally seems to be some trust and improvement in the relationship between the staff and Leftwich. This is evident in that he is seeming to be very comfortable and is running the offense with confidence and certainty.

You bring in another potential starter that if healthy can challenge for the starting job you not only break any goodwill that has developed, but you also put the team at risk.

The reason the team would be at risk is Culpepper may not be healthy and if he is brought in you can almost guarantee that Leftwich is gone next year. Then we have no starter at the quarterback position.

In my opinion, it is an unacceptable risk that should not be taken.

Leftwich is the MAN.

by bobbyrachjr on Jun 12, 2007 6:43 PM EDT reply actions

Take a Gamble

You have nothing to lose by Daunte, it is not like he is going to get the money that we would have gotten 2 years ago when he came off that great season. When looking at the Jags QB situation you are filled with questions marks. Leftwich looks like he could be great, but then he hasn't been able to stay on the field. You have to assume based on Byron's past history that Leftwich won't last 16 games. Then enter Garrard who in '05 looked like he could hold on his out there, but last year looked like he belonged on the bench. It's clear that Jacksonville needs 2 QB's whom both are capable of starting. Because Bryon has proven he can't last a full season. This is where you enter Daunte. Allowing Daunte to join for the season, would do nothing but help the Jags.

If Byron gets hurt again this year, with his contract expiring in the off-season it would be tough to justify building your offense around a guy who can only play part of a season. By having Daunte on the roster you have a allowing him a year to rehab his knee, with which an injury like that you need an additional year. Then come next off-season you have the ability to then decide which direction you want to go, if you want to make a Daunte gamble. A Daunte is nothing, you're not going to be spending much anyway on him, and Jags have the cap room to make the gamble. IF he turns out to work, he could potentially become that player he was in '04 and possibly lead the Jags to a championship.

But in short given the Jags QB situation, you need guys that are capable of being starters. Garrard proved last year that he is not capable of being a starting QB, the Jags need to find another backup. Daunte could be that guy, and for what he is going to cost, its worth the risk!

by ahersh on Jun 14, 2007 12:06 AM EDT reply actions