Aaron Kampman turns 31 at the end of the month and will be entering next season with two reconstructed knees. While I have little doubt Kampman can return to full speed from the injury given his work ethic and how quickly he was able to recover this season, it's very possible 2010 will be the only season Aaron Kampman plays with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Sound crazy?
After the 2010 season, the Jacksonville Jaguars will owe Kampman exactly $0 in guaranteed money.
As harsh as that thought sounds, it was a smart play by the Jaguars front office taking a risk on a player coming back from a torn ACL. When Kampman signed his 4-year contract in the off-season it included $11 million in guarantees. There was the $10 million signing bonus and $1 million base salary. In the 2011 season, Kampman's salary is $2.45 million, which is a hefty price to pay for a guy coming off two major knee surgeries two seasons in a row. His salary ratchets up in 2012 and 2012 to $4.9 million and $6.4 million, respectively.
General Manager Gene Smith drafted two defensive ends in the 2010 draft, with the hopes they'd be the future ends for the Jaguars. Austen Lane and Larry Hart or prototypical left and right defensive ends. Both also are believed to have the ability to play stand up linebacker by most scouts, which is also something to think about if the Jaguars were to decide to move to a 3-4 defense, which they experimented with in the 2009 season. Terrance Knighton showed the ability to excel at nose tackle in a 3-4, Derrick Harvey is likely better suited as a 3-4 end, and rookie Tyson Alualu played all over in a 3-4 when he played at California. Just something worth noting, however unlikely it might be.