Jaguars General Manager Gene Smith Turned Down A Contract Extension

In an interview with the Florida Times-Union, Jacksonville Jaguars general manager Gene Smith revealed that he was offered a contract extension during the off-season, but declined. "A contract was extended to me and I declined it," Smith told the Florida Times-Union. "I did not think I deserved an extension based on the conditions. Our scouts and other employees weren't being extended. I didn't think I deserved it."

It's an interesting turn with the speculation on if Gene Smith will be back with the Jaguars in 2012. Most have speculated that head coach Jack Del Rio will be gone after the season, given the fact that none of his coaching staff are signed to a contract longer than the end of the 2011 season and Weaver declined Del Rio's request to extend them through 2012.

The speculation about Smith's future is going to continue, given the fact that the team is 2-6 and Smith's rookie quarterback, Blaine Gabbert, has looked rather poor through his first six games. Not only that, but a lot of Gene Smith's draft picks have struggled to be impact players and his drafting style has wained on fans.

Smith has built a Jaguars defense that ranks in the Top 10 against both the run and the pass, but a lot of the wholesale changes on the defense from last year was through free agency. In reality, only 3 draft picks are defensive starters with the rest of the bunch being hold overs from the previous regime or veteran acquisitions.

On the offensive side of the ball, which has struggled quite a bit, it's full of Gene Smith's "guys". In his tenure as general manager, 11 of his 20 draft picks have been on the offensive side of the ball.

When Jaguars owner Wayne Weaver was asked for a comment on the situation by the Times-Union, he simply stated that what Gene Smith said was true. Other than that, Weaver was mum on the plan for the future.