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It was only two years ago that the Jacksonville Jaguars were beating the Pittsburgh Steelers at home in the playoffs only to follow it up with a disappointing five win season, which continues their up and down roller coaster win/loss seasons.

Seems the odd years have played to their advantage. During the 2005 and 2007 seasons, the Jaguars won 24 games and during the even years of 2006 and 2008, they have won only 13.

With last season’s lackluster effort, Jaguars head coach Jack Del Rio made it a point to get tougher. "Establishing what things are going to be like here and making sure they understand just how hard they're going to have to work. I want these guys to hit Jacksonville and be shocked by me and be shocked by the veteran players that have been working out," Del Rio said.

"They think they're in good shape. They'll get here with our veterans and they'll realize that they're not."

No coach’s job is safe regardless of the contract signed. Del Rio can’t afford a repeat season like 2008. With coaches like Jon Gruden, Mike Shanahan and Bill Cowher just to name a few the Florida heat isn’t going to be the only thing turned up on Coach Del Rio and his Jacksonville Jaguars this season.

OFFENSE

Quarterbacks: Head Coach Jack Del Rio looked like a genius two seasons ago when releasing Byron Leftwich and turning the keys over to then backup David Garrard. Garrard played exceptional by throwing only three interceptions along with 18 touchdowns and having a quarterback rating of 102.2 during the regular 2007 season. His 2008 season showed the more realistic version of Garrard with 15 touchdowns, 13 interceptions and 81.7 passer rating. Those numbers compare favorably to 2006 when he started ten games and finished the season with 80.5 passer rating and ten touchdowns and nine interceptions. David Garrard is the classic “manage the game not to lose” quarterback for the Jaguars. Todd Bouman the long time NFL back up is in line to serve in the same capacity to Garrard. Paul Smith and rookie Todd Boeckman will battle for the third string position.

Running Backs: Gone is the face of the franchise Fred Taylor, since traveled to his new welcoming pad in New England, after being shown the exit in Jacksonville. The heart of the running attack will fall solely on Maurice Jones-Drew. Pound-per-pound there might not be a better back in the game today. Power running combined with soft hands makes Jones-Drew the focal point of the Jacksonville offense. The backfield is crowded after that with Chauncey Washington, Alvin Pearman and rookie Rashad Jennings left to battle it out for playing time. Jennings, who was projected to be selected as high as the second round but slipped into round seven, has provided glimpses early on at mini-camp. Greg Jones will be the starting fullback who can provide some carries. Don’t be surprised to see Jones wind up with the most carries on the team after Jones-Drew. This is the bread and butter of the Jacksonville offense and powerful cannonball running back Maurice Jones-Drew will get to showcase his talents as the Jaguars focal point.

Wide Receivers: In years past, the Jags have failed to successfully address the dire need of help in the passing game in both the draft and free agency. After failing to provide sufficient talent at the position, there is hope for change. The team’s bold move in free agency came with the signing of Torry Holt, who turns 33 this year should bring leadership to this unit not seen since the days of Jimmy Smith. While Holt’s best years are behind him, he still offers himself as a better option than their current group of wide outs. Mike Walker appears healthy entering his third year and should push to be the starter opposite of Holt. Jacksonville drafted three more receivers in April’s draft by selecting Mike Thomas from Arizona, Jarett Dillard of Rice and Tiquan Underwood of Rutgers. Dennis Northcutt returns as does Troy Williamson who hasn’t been able to shake the dropped passes that’s plagued him his entire career.

Tight Ends: Marcedes Lewis is another bust in the long list of recent additions in an attempt to boost the passing game. Behind him are special teams standout Greg Estandia and Richard Angulo. Zach Miller rookie from Nebraska-Omaha aims to make the transition from college quarterback to tight end.


Offensive Lineman: The mixture of healthy veterans and solid rookie players will mean the recipe for success. Jacksonville struck early in this year’s draft on offensive line help taking tackles Eugene Monroe and Eben Britton in rounds one and two respectfully. With the future bookends in place along with veterans like Brad Meester holding down the center position and guard position being handled by Vincent Manuwai and Maurice Williams, Jacksonville will look to open up holes that went missing in 2008. Newly acquired Tra Thomas brings three pro bowls and eleven years of experience to the table, which should help mold rookie additions Monroe and Britton well into their tackle roles.

DEPTH CHART

	CB	FS		SLB	MLB	WLB	SS	CB
	RASHEAN MATHIS	REGGIE NELSON		DARYL SMITH	JUSTIN DURANT	CLINT INGRAM	SEAN CONSIDINE	BRIAN WILLIAMS
	SCOTT STARKS	MARLON MCCREE		TIM SHAW	THOMAS WILLIAMS	BRIAN IWUH	NICHAEL DESORMEAUX	DEREK COX
		KEVIN PATTERSON		RUSSELL ADAMS	JOHNNY WILLIAMS			BRIAN WITHERSPOON
	K		LDE	LNT	RNT	RDE		WELDON BROWN
	JOSH SCOBEE		DERRICK HARVEY	JOHN HENDERSON	ROB MEIER	REGGIE HAYWARD		PETE ITTERSAGEN
	P		JERMEY MINCEY	DEREK LANDRI	TERRANCE KNIGHTON	QUENTIN GROVES		MESPHIN FORRESTER
	STEVE WEATERHFORD		JEREMY NAVARRE	GEORGE HYPOLITE	ATIYYAH ELLISON	JAMES WYCHE		TYRON BRACKENRIDGE
	ADAM PODLESH					JULIUS WILLIAMS
	COACH
	JACK DEL RIO
	WR	LT	LG	C	RG	RT	TE	WR
	MIKE WALKER	EUGENE MONROE	VINCENT MANUWAI	BRAD MEESTER	MAURICE WILLIAMS	TONY PASHOS	MARCEDES LEWIS	TORRY HOLT
	TROY WILLIAMSON	TRA THOMAS	UCHE MWANERI	DREW MILLER	DENNIS NORMAN	EBEN BRITTON	GREG ESTANDIA	DENNIS NORTHCUTT
	TIQUAN UNDERWOOD			CECIL NEWTON			RICHARD ANGULO	MIKE THOMAS
	TODD PETERSON	FB		QB		RB	ZACK MILLER	JARETT DILLARD
		GREG JONES		DAVID GARRARD		MAURICE DREW JONES		MARCUS DUPREE
		MONTELL OWENS		TODD BOUMAN		RASHAD JENNINGS		JASON ENGLISH
		KYLE BELL		TYLER LORENZEN		CHAUNCEY WASHINGTON
		BROCK BOLEN		TODD BOECKMAN		MIKE MCCLENDON
						ALVIN PEARMAN

DEFENSE

Defensive Lineman: Taking a few lines from song writer Paul Simon. Where have you gone Mr. Harvey? Our defense turns its lonely eyes to you. What’s that you say Mr. Del Rio? Mr. Harvey has yet to play, hey hey hey. Jacksonville moved up to take this former Florida standout last season and he has yet to step it up. In all, Derrick Harvey registered three and a half sacks and that just isn’t going to cut it. The 2008 season was the worst sack total season for the Jaguars since 2003, when they recorded 24 sacks. Quentin Groves struggled as a rookie as well, leaving the door wide open for improvement. Defensive tackle John Henderson wasn’t his normal dominating self maybe the departure of Marcus Stroud left a void in the defense. Replacing Stroud at the defensive tackle position was Rob Meier who didn’t do himself any favors with his weak play. Terrance Knighton, an agile rookie from Temple could earn a lot of playing time behind Meier. Reggie Hayward led the teams with four and a half sacks following suit with underachieving play.

Linebackers: This isn’t your father’s Jacksonville Jaguars with the aforementioned Fred Taylor gone and veteran Mike Peterson departing after butting heads with Del Rio. The team’s coaches have offered conflicting reports at who will start at middle linebacker, the competition between Justin Durant and Darryl Smith. The underrated Smith could end up playing outside should Durant beat him out for the inside spot. Clint Ingram will head to camp with a leg up on the competition for the other outside linebacker spot. Brian Iwuh, Tim Shaw and Thomas Williams are the back ups.

Defensive Backs: The best of this bunch is Rashean Mathis and who ever said Bethune-Cookman College never produced any solid pros. The team is hoping third round pick Derek Cox from William & Mary can nail down the job in camp. Veteran Brian Williams flip-flopped between corner and safety and that’s something the team doesn’t want to have to do again. Williams would be better suited playing safety. Reggie Nelson has the skill set to be special it’s his problems in coverage that need to be corrected. Sean Considine comes over from free agency from Philadelphia. His addition to the secondary gives Williams more freedom to roam from cornerback to safety leaving the team with above average depth.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Josh Scobee is supplanted as the starter. The punter job on the other hand is up for grabs. Adam Podlesh suffered a knee injury and missed the final five games. Replacement Steve Weatherford beat him out on net average by a little over a yard. Nothing like a punter battle in camp to keep things interesting in the dog days of summer. Brian Witherspoon held return honors last year but and has speed to burn. Rookies Mike Thomas should get a crack at some return opportunities as well.

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS OFF-SEASON TRACKER

Acquisitions
QB Todd Bouman: FA Ravens; terms unknown
WR Torry Holt: FA Rams; $13M/3 yrs, $4M guaranteed
OT Tra Thomas: UFA Eagles; 3 yrs, terms unknown
CB Tyron Brackenridge (waivers Chiefs)
DB Sean Considine: UFA Eagles; $3M/2 yrs, SB unknown
DB Marlon McCree: Not tendered as UFA by Broncos; terms unknown
Drafted
RB Rashad Jennings, Liberty
WR Mike Thomas, Arizona
WR Jarrett Dillard, Rice
WR Tiquan Underwood, Rutgers
TE Zach Miller, Nebraska-Omaha
OT Eugene Monroe, Virginia
OT Eben Britton, Arizona
DT Terrance Knighton, Temple
CB Derek Cox, William & Mary
Undrafted Free Agents
QB Nathan Brown, Central Arkansas
RB Mike McClendon, North Alabama
FB Brock Bolen, Louisville
FB Kyle Bell, Colorado State
WR Maurice Dupree, Jacksonville State
WR Jason English, Tuskegee
WR Todd Peterson, Nebraska
TE Tyler Lorenzen, Connecticut
OC Cecil Newton, Tennessee State
DE Julius Williams, Connecticut
DE Jeremy Navarre, Maryland
DT George Hypolite, Colorado
LB Russell Allen, San Diego State
LB Johnny Williams, Kentucky
CB Pete Ittersagen, Wheaton
CB Mesphin Forrester, Washington
CB Weldon Brown, Louisiana Tech
SS Kevin Patterson, Wake Forest
SS Michael Desormeaux, Louisiana-Lafayette
Re-signed
FB Montell Owens: Potential RFA; terms unknown
TE Greg Estandia: ERFA; terms unknown
OC Brad Meester: UFA; terms unknown
DE Jeremy Mincey: ERFA; terms unknown
DE James Wyche (not tendered as RFA); terms unknown
DT Jonathan Lewis: ERFA; terms unknown
LB Brian Uwuh: Potential RFA; terms unknown
CB Scott Starks: UFA; $2.6M/2 yrs, $1M SB
LS Joe Zelenka: Potential UFA; 1 yr, terms unknown
Departures
RB Fred Taylor (released)
WR Jerry Porter (released)
WR Matt Jones (released)
TE George Wrighster (released)
OT Khalif Barnes: UFA Raiders; $1.2M/1 yr
OT Charles Spencer (released)
DT Tony McDaniel (traded Dolphins)
LB Mike Peterson: UFA Falcons; 2 yrs, terms unknown
CB Drayton Florence (released)
CB William James (released)
DB Chad Nkang (released/failed physical)
DB Pierson Prioleau: UFA Saints; terms unknown
DB Gerald Sensabaugh: UFA Cowboys; $1.75M/1 yr, guarantees unknown
DE Paul Spicer (released)
Unsigned
WR Reggie Williams (not tendered as UFA June 1)
OG Chris Naeole (not tendered as UFA June 1)

PROJECTION

The Jacksonville Jaguars simply underachieved as a team last season. From the frontlines on both sides of the ball the offense allowed 11 more sacks from 2007 to 2008 and the defense made 29 sacks compared to 37 the year before. David Garrard felled to live up to the season of 2007 and so the dominos fell from one unit to the next. Odd years seem to be the year they go for the gold and with history on there side, this team will make a push towards the top of the AFC South once again. The defensive line should gel and the new additions and health of the returning veterans make for a much stronger game in the trenches. Holt and a healthy Mike Walker give Garrard targets he sorely had missed the last couple of years. This team has a Wild Card run in and a shot to capture the AFC South division title.

Photo Credit: SEC Sports Media, College Press Box (Virginia)