Cecil Shorts contract: Jaguars have had discussions about new deal

The Jacksonville Jaguars and fourth-year wide receiver Cecil Shorts III have already had discussions about a contract extension and general manager Dave Caldwell stated the team wanted to get a long-term deal done at the team's State of the Franchise presentation on Tuesday.

Dave Caldwell tells me #Jaguars want Cecil Shorts here long term, have had discussions about new deal.

— Hays Carlyon (@HaysCarlyon) May 13, 2014

Shorts, 26, was originally drafted in the fourth-round of the 2011 NFL Draft and barely made an impact as a rookie, catching just two passes for 30 yards and playing only 179 total snaps. Most assumed Shorts was another in the long line of receivers who wouldn't pan out for the Jaguars, but in 2012 he had a breakout season falling just 21 yards shy of being the firs receiver to eclipse 1,000 yards since Jimmy Smith.

Shorts has dealt with some injuries the past two seasons, but he's proven himself to be a reliable, hard working receiver, which is more than we can say about most of the receivers who've been through Jacksonville in recent years. With the additions of rookies Marqise Lee and Allen Robinson, Shorts could move to the slot-receiver role and become a more productive playmaker.