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2008 Jacksonville Jaguars Signing: Linebacker Lamar Myles
2008-05-05 20:07:00
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a popular team for undrafted free-agents because they have a good habit finding starters in the ranks of the "undraftable".  Jack Del Rio fosters an environment of competition in his off-season that allows for players that might lack the draft credentials to have a fair and reasonable shot at making the roster.  Remember, the undrafted free agent is playing for his NFL career, just getting a shot to be on the practice squad will increase the chance that a player proves himself to a team and continue to live the dream of playing on Sundays. In Jacksonville, there's a realistic shot of not only going to the practice squad, but to make the final roster and make an impact.  To be fair, the Jaguars roster is pretty stacked to begin with this year, but with the lack of draft picks due to the Derrick Harvey/Quentin Groves moves, there is just enough wiggle room to allow a hard working and determined UDFA to make an impact and be on the final ros...
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A little love from Peter King
2008-05-05 16:09:00
  SI.com's Peter King decides to give Jacksonville a little love in his 2008 Team Rankings .  I'm pretty hard on PK for his writing sometimes, but since he's being kind to the Jaguars, I'll cut him a little slack 3. Jacksonville. "Why'd they let Marcus Stroud go?'' Jags fan Jonathan Papelbon asked me a couple of weeks ago. Long story. Ankle surgery, four-game suspension last year, age (29), unwillingness to pay him big money anymore. Now the underappreciated Rob Meier's going to have to plug the gap there. I think he can, and I think Jack Del Rio will scheme around the loss of Stroud. What I like about the Jags is that they've addressed their pass-rush need with the daring trade-up for Derrick Harvey -- who will have to be good right away -- and they have a quarterback of the future who's not a worry. David Garrard was pure guts in beating Pittsburgh on the road in the playoffs, and he was pretty good in a playoff loss at New England, with confident scoring driv...
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Sunday Morning Off-Topic Reading
2008-05-04 20:35:00
For your Sunday reading pleasure, I've decided to mix it up a bit.  You see, there's been a little bit of drama recently about bloggers and sports journalism , a meta discussion that I've avoided here at Big Cat Country.  Frankly, there's nothing more boring than bloggers talking about blogging, and I refuse to put you through it.  One of the names that popped up in the discussion is legendary sports writer and author W.C. Heinz.  The  article I've posted here is called "Death of a Racehorse", which is one of the most fantastic pieces of writing ever published. It's also very appropriate, with the events of the Kentucky Derby and the ill-fated Eight Belles. It's below the fold, it's less than 1,000 words, and it's a stunningly beautiful piece of literature. Death of a Racehorse: By W.C. Heinz They were going to the post for the sixth race at Jamaica, two year olds, some making their first starts, to go five and a half furlongs for the purse o...
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Better Know a Draft Pick: Tulsa Quaterback Paul Smith
2008-05-02 12:30:00
The least you should know about PAUL SMITH... Height 6-1 Weight 208 lbs 40 Yard Dash 4.95 20 Yard Dash 2.81 Bench Reps 26 3 Cone 7.02 Compares To: TROY SMITH-Baltimore: "Both posted impressive numbers as seniors but lack the size and bulk you look for in a quarterback and likely are better fits for a West Coast offense. Smith can dink-and-dunk a defense to death, but he's not a threat as a vertical passer. In an ideal world, he joins the minions of quarterbacks in Tampa Bay, where Jeff Garcia is the perfect tutor for any West Coast quarterback. " Serious Interview With all your on and off-the-field accomplishments, what’s been the overall highlight of your football career? All the individual stuff is neat, not only personally but for the team. Going to three bowl games in my three years as a starter provided a level of consistency. As the starter at the position most people consider the leader of the team. Tul...
More About: Draft , Paul , Draft pick , Pick

Lito's numbers lie... He's overrated and why he WON'T be a Jag
2008-05-02 07:15:00
[EDITORS NOTE]: silencecs wrote a nice piece on why Lito Sheppard might be overrated.  I know that the trade talks have suddenly quieted, but it's good writing.  If anyone ever wants to write their own article, there's a 99% chance I'll put it on the front page!  Thanks Sliencecs for doing this![/NOTE] First off, all of this really has no bearing on what really happens with this trade non-sense, but I've done some research and have come to the conslusion the Lito is overrated. I, like many of you, was excited by his bag flashy name... LITO... it just souds cool. However, after spending a few hours looking over information, my opinion has changed. This post is filled with quotes I've scoured from articles, all but one are from football outsiders and if you don't understand their terminology, go check it out on their site. We all know the world revolves around money; this especially holds true in the NFL where the cap is king, so let's start t...
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Jacksonville Jaguars: 7th best drafters in the league?
2008-05-01 23:11:00
The Chicago Tribune and Dan Pompei recently embarked on a study to determine who the "best drafters" in the NFL were.  While their methodology is a little muddled, they find some surprising results. Like who would have thought the Arizona Cardinals and Rod Graves would be the best overall? The Tribune bases their rankings on the number of picks taken that become starters.  It's a "batting average", as they put it. This metric puts the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Jack Del Rio/Gene Smith/James Harris trifecta in seventh place. They Say: 7. Shack Harris/Jack Del Rio, Jaguars Average: .386 (17-for-44) Percentage of Pro Bowlers: 2.2 Their batting average is impressive, but not all of the players who became starters are considered great picks. As a result, college scouting director Gene Smith was recently given more juice in the draft room 38 percent of players drafted become starters, that's not too shabby.  Though were these rankings sorted by percentage of Pro B...
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Quick Bytes: Only 18 more Thursday's till the Regular Season Starts, editio
2008-05-01 12:00:00
Quick Bytes : The daily digest of everything you need to know about the Jacksonville Jaguars.: I don't give him nearly enough credit, but Jaguars.com's Vic Ketchman hit a home run yesterday .  If you're a junkie for this stuff like I am, it's old news, but Vic decided to engage with Mel Kiper Jr. and all the draftnik's who attack the Jaguars for being aggressive in the draft. Let me give you a peek into what would’ve happened had the Jaguars traded for Taylor. He would’ve been a big hit right away. We would’ve built him up big in OTA’s and training camp. Of course, he would’ve played very little in the preseason because he’s a proven star and proven stars are above such mundane pursuits as preseason games. The regular season would’ve rolled around and after about three or four games, some hack of a sportswriter would’ve dared ask Jack Del Rio this question: “Coach, Jason Taylor only has one sack through the first three ...
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Jacksonville Jaguars Undrafted Free Agents: Scouting Report, part 1
2008-04-30 22:11:00
The Jacksonville Jaguars signed quite a few undrafted free-agents after the draft.  Many of these guys played at smaller schools or in conferences rarely seen on television.  To better acquaint us with these potential Jagaurs, let's take a quick look at their scouting reports to get an idea of who they are and where they might fit in the roster.  There is a concerning lack of information about some of these players.  If you know anything about them, please feel free to comment and expand our knowledge.  The Jaguars have a reputation for turning undrafted guys into starters, though with our roster depth it's a long shot for any of them to make the team.   Nevada WR Adam Bishop: Smart player known for hard work in film room and ability to recognize holes in zone defense.  Good hands, though small.  Tough blocker that takes that aspect of job very seriously.  Injury prone, missed time with a stress fracture in left leg and repeated hamst...
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State of the Secondary: Trading for Lito Sheppard?
2008-04-30 12:30:00
The 2008 Jacksonville Jaguars secondary, as of now, consists of some combination of Rashean Mathis, Drayton Florence, Brian Williams, Reggie Nelson, and Gerald Sensabaugh.  Toss in a few undrafted free agents like Isaiah Garder and Michael Grant and you've got a decent group of folks to choose from.  Some, like Nelson and Mathis are homemade drafted talent, Williams and Florence both high priced free agents. With the exception of Sensabaugh and the recent signings, they were also one of the worst units in pass coverage last season.  The 2007 Jaguars allowed 8.6 yards per pass attempt, a number that could have been worse had the team played better quarterbacks.  425 yards allowed against the New Orleans Saints was the low water mark of a secondary that suffered from injuries (Sensabaugh and Mathis), first year rookies (Nelson) and quick veteran fixes (Sammy Knight and Aaron Glenn). The most glaring issue in the secondary might have been the disappearance of Brian...
More About: Trading , State , Sheppard

Jacksonville Jaguars Draft: Expectations vs. Reality
2008-04-29 06:10:00
There they are, the five selections of the Jacksonville Jaguars 2008 draft.  The class that has the imposing task of taking the team over the hump and to the Super Bowl.  Derrick, Quentin, Thomas, Trae, and Chauncey have the highest of expectations considering the relative lack of companions in their rookie class.  Thomas, Trae, and Chauncey especially. First, let's take a look at what my expectations were for the Jaguars draft and let's see if we did what was necessary. At least one top "10" Defensive End:  The Jaguars, in my opinion, must anchor their pass-rush around at least one defensive end rated in the top 10 at the position.  If they wait until later, the likelihood of getting the impact that the team needs to bring pressure decreases.   I'd say we did that alright.  Rather than get one "top ten" defensive end, we got the third and 5th best ends on the board.  There are some who had Harvey ranked higher than Ghoulston (though I do...
More About: Reality , Draft , Expectations

2008 NFL Draft: Monday Morning Wrap-up!
2008-04-28 16:56:00
Nothing says draft weekend like a morning in LaGuardia airport.  I've been here 15 minutes and my flight is already being pushed backwards.  If the new time is 12:15, would you take the over or under on being wheels up at 1:00? Let's take a look at how the rest of the world is judging the Jaguars draft, shall we : I don't give a lot of love to SI's Peter King, though he's done the best job in explaining the impact of trading for Matt Ryan on the rest of the NFL Draft .  He also had this to say about the Jaguars Draft: (Five things he thinks he might think when he thinks about the best drafts) 5. Jacksonville. I christen this draft the "We Are Desperate To Sack Peyton Manning and Will Sell Our Souls to Do So Draft." The Jags started the weekend with six picks in the top 150 of the draft. They exited the weekend with two players, and both are former SEC defensive ends -- Derrick Harvey of Florida and Quentin Groves of Auburn, picked at eight and 52, respectively. I...
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2008 NFL Draft: Undrafted Free-Agent Signings!
2008-04-28 05:30:00
The Jaguars signed 14 undrafted free agents this evening: Nevada WR Adam Bishop Florida State DE Alex Boston Tennessee TE Chris Brown Arizona State WR Rudy Burgess Maine FB Anthony Catrone , Grambling WR Clyde Edwards Maryland CB Isaiah Gardner Arkansas CB Michael Grant Houston WR Jeron Harvey Vanderbilt DT Theo Horrocks Florida G/C Drew Miller Louisville LB Lamar Myles Tulsa QB Paul Smith  Stillman CB Brian Witherspoon.   By the way, Tommy Blake, still unsigned.  E:60 hurt him. -Chris
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2008 NFL Draft: Final Thoughts Open Thread
2008-04-28 00:54:00
It's over.  The 2008 NFL Draft is behind us, trailing away in the rear view mirror as we run (slowly) toward the 2008 regular season.  We know more now about the Jaguars than we did a week ago, and I'll be the first to say that it's impossible to know how these things will play out. The only prospect that I previewed to end up on the Jaguars was Quentin Groves, a player that I very much like.  Trevor Laws, Red Bryant, Jason Jones, Brian Johnston and Tom Z were all drafted.  Tommy Blake, despite my hopes, was not drafted. Jacksonville ended up making five picks, four went to the defense.  We reshaped our defensive line with two explosive pass-rushers, and were largely idle during the rest of the draft. I'm meeting up with some family in New York City for the evening, consider this an open thread to discuss the NFL Draft, the Jaguars, the failure of the Jaguars.com website, and anything else football related. -Chris Poll Grade the d...
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2008 NFL Draft: Jacksonville Jaguars Select Running Back Chauncey Washingto
2008-04-27 23:26:00
  With the Jaguars final pick in the 2008 NFL Draft , the Jacksonville Jaguars selected USC Running Back Chauncey Washington.  Jack Del Rio must feel bad for all the UCLA players he's selected early in previous drafts, so he'll make up for it by taking some depth players late.  Chauncey was part of a fleet of running backs used by USC in the post-Bush era.  In 31 games he started 15 of them, with over 1700 yards, 19 touchdowns, and a 4.8 yards per carry average.  He's a classic "north-south" runner that can get first downs and critical yardage. Jacksonville needs to start thinking about what happens at Running Back after Fred Taylor.  Because of the Derrick Harvey trade, they did not have the third round picks to go after someone like Kevin Smith.  Chauncey, as far as I know, is not the future starting running back, rather he'll be a role guy to build and develop.  While I'm not going to completely hate on the guy, he's described as someo...

2008 NFL Draft: Jacksonville Selects Thomas Williams, Linebacker, USC
2008-04-27 20:41:00
  With the Dallas Cowboys trading up in the 5th round, the Jaguars now pick at 155.  WIth this as our first pick in the second day of the draft, it's important that we get at least a little value. That said, the Jacksonville Jaguars selected linebacker Thomas Williams   from the University of Southern California.  If anyone knows how to identify a linebacker, its Del Rio.  Our history of finding talented linebackers deep in the draft is well known About Thomas Williams : Never one to complain about his playing time, Williams went about filling any role the coaches asked. In addition to being a stellar performer on the coverage units, the instinctive player started at three different positions, including competing on both sides of the ball as a junior. In 49 games at Southern California, he started at strong-side linebacker for eight games as a sophomore, at fullback for two contests as a junior and as a middle linebacker for four games as a senior. Compa...
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2008 NFL Draft: 2nd Day Open Thread
2008-04-27 15:37:00
We've got a couple of rounds before the Jaguars pick again and I've got some Radio City adventures in my future before I can toss up the "live blog". Use this for draft talk, speculation, rumors, and ideas for what the heck we should do with two fifth round picks! Don't Forget, visit Alligator Army and Track em' Tigers , our Florida Gators and Auburn Tigers blogs! -C
More About: Open , Draft , Thread , 2008

Harvey "Presser" is Revealing....
2008-04-27 15:12:00
I like the pick of Derrick Harvey for the Jags. I think that if all goes well and as planned, this defense might kill somebody..it's just nasty. When the Jaguars.com site finally got its act together and allowed me to read the transcript of Harveys press interview right after his selection, I began to wonder whether or not Harvey isnt very happy about being drafted by the Jaguars. Now as we all know, all the players are inculcated into saying the "right" things and spouting the "party line" about their team and how much they love it and how excited they are etc..etc...(except for a few notable misogynistic miscreants like T.O. and company)  and frankly that kind of crap always bores me.  So when a player doesnt spout the party line it is revealing. We may have another Eli Manning (read spoiled brat) on our hands with this pick. His very first question and answer is one time he doesnt spout the party line and it is as follows: (on being drafted by the Jaguars) &l...

2008 NFL Draft: Jacksonville Jaguars select Quentin Groves
2008-04-27 04:42:00
There he is, Quentin Groves, the Jacksonville Jaguars with the 52nd overall pick.  The Jaguars traded a fifth round pick from the 2008 draft and a 2009 7th round pick to move up with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.  Quentin Groves, as I previewed here, is a pass rushing defensive end/outside linebacker hybrid known for his speed on the edge. Jacksonville, in two picks, as made Peyton Manning, Matt Schaub and Vince Young soil themselves as the team who could not bring the heat now as two of the top pass rushers in the draft are now in the Teal and Black.  Sure, it was expensive to get the two of them.  The Jaguars now have two 5th round picks to round out their draft.  While I don't think the move reeks of desperation, the Jaguars must believe that these two players will be home runs.  If any team learned from the New York Giants, it's the Jaguars who can now field a diverse range of defensive linemen, the scrappy Derek Landri, the monster of John Henderson,...
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First Day Draft Thoughts: Open Thread
2008-04-27 02:20:00
What are you thinking about the 2008 Jaguars right now?   -Chris
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Derrick Harvey is a Jaguar: Jack Del Rio/James Harris Quotes
2008-04-26 23:41:00
Press Conference Notes Jack Del Rio: On Getting Derrick Harvey with the 8th pick: “This wasn’t one we envisioned,” Del Rio said of the trade. “We didn’t think we had enough ammo to get into the top 10. We weren’t going to give up our whole draft. Jack Del Rio: On getting the 8th pick without having the "draft pick points" “I don’t think the focus should be on that,” Del Rio said. “Their thought process was to slide back and select some picks. We think he’s a great fit for us. It makes sense for us. Jack Del Rio: On Addressing Defensive End: “That was a position we were not able to address in free agency. We got a good start on it this weekend,” Jack Del Rio: On Derrick Harvey “He’s going to grow into a 280, 285-pound body. He’s got tremendous closure on the quarterback. He’s played his best football in big games,” James Harris : On Derrick Harvey as a player: “W...
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2008 NFL Draft: 1st Round Open Thread
2008-04-26 23:16:00
Consider this an Open Thread to discuss ANYTHING related to the Draft   I'll be back with another live blog for the 2nd round!   What are your thoughts on the draft so far?  Who's falling to us in the 2nd round?    
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2008 NFL Draft: Jacksonville Jaguars select Derrick Harvey
2008-04-26 22:25:00
  In what can only be described as a huge turn of events, the Jacksonville Jaguars selected University of Florida Defensive End Derrick Harvey.  The Jaguars traded their 1st, two 3rd, and a 4th rounder to trade with the Baltimore Ravens. Baltimore needed to go backwards in order to find a quarterback after the Atlanta Falcons selected Matt Ryan with the 3rd pick. One word Wow. I had no idea this was coming. None whatsoever.  The Jaguars, in my opinion, did not have the picks to move up any higher than 17.  Were it not for Matt Ryan going to Atlanta, this series of events would never happen. Matt Miller of New Era Scouting gives this analysis: Harvey was the best defensive end in football during the 2006 season. He wasn't as amazing in 2007, having lost three fellow starters on the line. He's a hard charging rush end, but has strength to stand up against the run. He was our #15 player, but has the potential to be an immediate impact Pro Bowl type pass rusher. ...
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2008 NFL Draft: Pre-Draft Open Thread
2008-04-26 18:47:00
What are you reading, thinking about, or speculating during this dreadful pre-draft period?   -Chris
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Jaguars 2008 Draft: Gut Feeling...
2008-04-26 16:18:00
I'm going to go out on a limb and "predict" who the Jaguars pick at 26. If you've been paying attention over the last few months, you'll know my feelings on the guy.   Kentwan Balmer, Defensive Tackle, UNC. My gut feeling is that the Jaguars select Balmer in the 1st round.  I don't like Kentwan simply because he's a guy with a high ceiling that completely underperformed.  Unless the Jaguars move up to get someone like Phillip Mering (my choice) or go backward to take Trevor Laws (draft crush!), 26 feels like the right spot for Balmer. Now, it's time to go on the record.  Who do you think the Jaguars will take in the first round? -Chris Poll SHOULD Kentwan Balmer be our first round pick. Yes No Ugh   65 votes | Results
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Jacksonville Jaguars Draft Day 2008
2008-04-26 12:45:00
Here it is, finally, the 2008 NFL Draft .  In a few short hours all the speculation and nonsense of the pre-draft season comes to a close.  Will Jacksonville find their defensive end?  Will we trade up? Down? For Jason Taylor?  What I want to do here, before they put Mel Kiper Jr. back in his cryogenic chamber, is establish my expectations for the Jaguars as the draft begins.  This will consist of three sections.  The first is a "wish list" of what I'd like to see the Jaguars do this weekend.  It's going to be a little bit over zealous in that I'll expect more than will probably happen, hence the "wish" part.  The second is a run down of draft scenarios for the first three rounds.  Finally, the official Big Cat Country "player interest list", which consists of nearly every player connected in some way to the Jaguars.  I imagine that we won't get near many of these players, but it'll be interesting to compare who we draft with who...
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Jacksonville Jaguars Draft Flashback: 2005
2008-04-25 18:45:00
  [EDIT]Now, I'm going to be traveling all day today.  With the switch to the new platform, I can schedule my posts, allowing me a great deal of flexibility.  Whereas on previous "travel days", you'd suffer from a lack of content, today you get fresh stuff!How cool is that?To start our "draft eve" coverage, let's look back to the 2005 draft and see what sort of treasure and fools gold we found.[/EDIT]There's a rule among the "NFL Elite" that it's a poor decision to grade a draft class until three seasons have passed.  In today's "instant history" world, that's impossible as Mel Kiper and the rest of the ESPN Stooges will grade the draft almost as quickly as the pick is made.  That's just the demand of the 24 hour sports news cycle playing out in yet another absurd fashion.  I understand it, we all want to know that our teams did well, and because of that our media overlords give us what we want.Before we get into the grading the 2005 draft acc...
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Quick Bytes: Draft Eve!
2008-04-25 12:00:00
First off, my apologies for all the downtime over the last two days.  Moving all the SB Nation sites over to version 2.0 took a little more time and resources than we expected.  That said, there's no reason to expect any more outages.  I appreciate your persistence! HAPPY DRAFT EVE: It's finally here, the day before the draft.  This is our last chance to speculate and ponder, for tomorrow the pieces of the 2008 Jacksonville Jaguars come together in their first form.  Sure, we'll have camp cuts and late free-agent acquisitions, but the biggest step toward a Jaguars super bowl comes this weekend. A few quick notes. I'll be attending the NFL Draft with two other fine SB Nation blogs.  Mile High Report and Stampede Blue , Denver Broncos and Indianapolis Colts respectively, and I will be live blogging from NYC all weekend long.  We'll be at the draft, hopefully scoring interviews and otherwise wrecking havoc with the "real media".  If you reme...
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Better Know a Jaguars Draft Prospect: Notre Dame Safety Tom Zbikowski
2008-04-24 07:19:00
The least you should know about Tom Zbikowski...   Height 5-11 Weight 211 lbs 40 Yard Dash 4.44 20 Yard Dash 2.55 Bench Reps 24 3 Cone 6.78 Compares To: Adrian Wilson - Arizona: " One of the most exciting defensive players in recent Notre Dame defensive history, Zbikowski has proven himself to be a game breaker with 7 career touchdowns (3 punt returns, 2 interception returns, 2 fumble returns). Whether he can return to his dominant form of 2005 where he garnered several all-American honors remains to be seen. If a team can figure out how to best use his unique set of skills, something the coached at Notre Dame seemed to struggle with, he could be an impact player at the next level both on defense and in the return game." There is a considerable lack of consensus about where Zbikowski will fit in the NFL. Some sites put him as a second round prospect and put the emphasis on the team that drafts him to use his unique skill...
More About: Safety , Draft , Prospect , Jaguars

Jacksonville Jaguars: 3rd Best NFL Franchise, 9th Overall
2008-04-23 23:13:00
In what has always been completely obvious to the fans, the Jacksonville Jaguars were named the 9th "Best Franchise " according to ESPN the Magazine. We were surpassed only by the Green Bay Packers and Indianapolis Colts. Franchises were graded based on value to the fan and quality of the team.  Their Comments: The Jags' one-two punch of price and performance was second to none in the NFL in 2007, kind of like that lethal running back tandem of Maurice Jones-Drew and Fred Taylor. While the Colts edged the Jags in Bang for the Buck (No. 3 vs. No. 4), scoring tickets for Jacksonville Municipal costs just $49.38 (the league's third cheapest), a cool $21 less than average stubs went for in Indy. Now tack on the NFL's second cheapest lids ($9.95) and the fifth cheapest bee/soda/dog combo ($11, tied with the Saints and Rams). So yeah, Jags fans dig not having to dig too deep into their wallets. The club is deeply invested in the men on the field, too. David Garrard, who put to res...

Jared Allen to the Minnesota Vikings: What that means for us.
2008-04-23 07:10:00
  It only cost 31 million in guaranteed money, a first round draft pick, and two third round draft picks, but the Minnesota Vikings have traded for Kansas City Defensive End Jared Allen .    Specifically it was a 6-year, 74 million dollar deal, and the 17th, 73rd and 82nd picks.  Expensive, yes, but the Vikings get a 15 sack a year guy with thirty million reasons to play his tail off.  Even when the Chiefs were horrible last season, Jared Allen was a bright spot.   There were a few of us in Jaguars land (myself included) who thought that trading for Allen would be a good idea.  With the size of the deal, I'm pretty glad we didn't make him the highest paid player on the team.  Though not because he's a risk, I believe it when his Chiefs teammates say he's quit drinking: "I've seen Jared at a big party, out on the dance floor, where everybody is drinking except one person. It's Jared, and he's having the best time of everybody," said...
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