The Jaguars Monday finally signed one of their 2009 draft picks. The team announced this afternoon that tight end Zach Miller, a sixth-round selection, has agreed to a deal. He is the first of the 9 Jags draft choices to come to terms. The team didn’t announce any details of the deal. Miller also played QB at Nebraska-Omaha.
From: Pro Football Weekly
What a difference a year makes. One season after the Jaguars skimped on bolstering their team with rookies, the club has reversed course dramatically. Not only are all nine draftees expected to make the 53-man roster, but a smattering of undrafted rookies also will be given serious looks for spots on the team. While it was well known as far back as the draft that early-round OTs Eugene Monroe and Eben Britton would factor prominently into the 2009 plans, OTAs provided glimpses of the raw ability of numerous late-round finds, particularly Zach Miller and Rashad Jennings.
Miller, making a switch to tight end after playing quarterback at Nebraska-Omaha, has made a strong impression with his speed. That pure athleticism could help offset his steep learning curve and make him a factor sooner than initially expected. Jennings, meanwhile, appears to have a leg up on Chauncey Washington for the No. 2 RB job, and that’s even before the burly 231-pounder has put on the pads.
The Jaguars have not been shy about making over a roster that underachieved last season, and that looks like it is ready to continue, as reports from PFT.com are coming out that the team is on the verge of trading or releasing WR Dennis Northcutt.
The site reports that the veteran wideout is telling teammates that he has been given permission to talk to other teams about a possible trade. Northcutt would follow a trend of wide outs that have been pushed off the club this offseason, including Jerry Porter, Reggie Williams, and Matt Jones.
Northcutt’s deal runs through 2011, and he will earn a base salary of $2.45 million this year, $2.95 million in 2010, and $3.95 million in the final year of the deal.
The Jaguars used three of their nine draft picks on wideouts: Mike Thomas in round four, Jarett Dillard in round five, and Tiquan Underwood in round seven.
They also signed veteran Torry Holt, and Troy Williamson could finally be figuring out how to grasp a flying football with one or both of his hands, instead of letting it bounce off his helmet.
The Jags are on the verge of a tough season when it comes to tickets, as today’s Jacksonville Business Journal reports the team has lost 15,000 season ticket holders:
With season-ticket sales off to a rough start, Jacksonville Jaguars management is revving up marketing efforts and repackaging tickets to add value and affordability. About 15,000 season-ticket holders ditched their stadium seats this year, more than doubling the nonrenewal rate of prior years. Bill Prescott, the team’s senior vice president of stadium operations and chief financial officer, said club surveys showed that 65 percent of season-ticket holders who did not renew blamed the economy. He said the team is well off the 43,000 season tickets it had sold at this time last year for the approximately 67,000 uncovered seats at Jacksonville Municipal Stadium.
Jaguars rookie offensive tackle Eben Britton figures to be in a battle with incumbent Tony Pashos for the Jaguars starting right tackle spot come training camp in August. Britton, the former University of Arizona product, has caught the coaching staff’s eye with his aggressive play in the team’s OTAs, though they are drills that run in shirts, shorts and helmets only.
Jaguars.com reports that the team has been awarded long-snapper Jeremy Cain off waivers:
The Jacksonville Jaguars have been awarded fourth-year long snapper Jeremy Cain off waivers from the Washington Redskins. Cain, 6-1, 245, has played in 17 games as a fullback/long snapper. Cain was originally signed as an undrafted rookie by Chicago in 2004 and he appeared in eight games over two seasons as a backup linebacker.
The Jags today announced they are parting ways with veteran quarterback Cleo Lemon, releasing him. The team also waived offensive lineman Drew Miller, defensive end Mkristo Bruce, and cornerback Weldon Brown.
Lemon’s career started in San Diego, and he was traded to Miami for QB A.J. Feeley. In Miami he played in 9 games, starting 7 back in the 2007 season. He came to Jacksonville as a free agent.
The move leaves three quarterbacks on the roster — David Garrard, Todd Bouman, and Paul Smith.
The Jaguars have released veteran cornerback William James. The team announced the move this morning. He spent one year with the the Jags, before that he was with the Eagles for two years and five before that with the Giants. He was drafted under the name “Will Peterson” eight years ago in the third round of the draft.
He appeared in eight games last year for the Jaguars, with one start. The Jaguars also have released tight end Charles Davis, who spent parts of the last two seasons on the team’s practice squad.
It may be just a regular old OTA, but already Jags coach Jack Del Rio is upset with one of his players. That player is two-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle John Henderson, who pulled himself out of drills Monday saying that he has a shoulder injury.
From the sounds of it, Del Rio isn’t exactly buying the injury that Henderson says he has.
“Yeah, it’s disappointing to see him pull himself out quite frankly,” Del Rio said Tuesday. “What he does, that’s up to him. But we have a team out here that’s working hard, that’s committed and I’m not going to slow down and worry about somebody that’s trying to get out of a drill.”
The 6-foot-7, 335-pound veteran claimed he was suffering from a bruised shoulder. “Back when I played, and even prior to that, I don’t think anybody would have had to miss a snap for it,” Del Rio said. “I think it’s a minor bruise of sorts. I would think Vince Lombardi is probably rolling over right now. It’s not something that should keep anybody out of work. But John feels like he can’t go, so we’ll let him wait until he can.”
Henderson spent Tuesday’s practice running and working out on the side. He’s coming off a season for the Jags where he had 53 tackles and two sacks. It was one of the worst seasons in his seven-year career.
Former Jaguars great Jimmy Smith pleaded not guilty today to several charges including possession of cocaine and marijuana. The 40-year-old former WR also pleaded not guilty to possession of drug paraphernalia and driving with a suspended license. A fifth charge, possessing or selling a controlled substance, was dropped.
Smith did not attend the arraignment, instead he was represented in court by his attorney, Hank Coxe, who did not comment on the case after the hearing. Smith was pulled over on April 23rd on I-95 in Jacksonville for excessive window tint on his 2009 Mercedes Benz, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
The trooper reported that the inside of the car smelled like burnt marijuana. During a search, the trooper found crack cocaine, marijuana and a business card with powder cocaine residue in the car’s center console.
Smith played 10 seasons for the Jags, and retired in 2006, wrapping up his career with 862 receptions and 12,287 receiving yards and 67 touchdowns. He was a five-time Pro Bowl selection. His next court date is set for June 17.
