Outcome of Leftwich Drama Will Determine Jaguars' Fate

Team-By-Team Offseason Roundup

Jacksonville Jaguars

Players Released:
Chris Hanson, P
Ahmad Carroll, CB

Free Agents Lost:
Kyle Brady, TE
Deon Grant, S
Cortez Hankton, WR

Free Agents Re-Signed:
Tony Gilbert, LB
LaBrandon Toefield, RB

Free Agents Added:
Tony Pashos, T
Dennis Northcutt, WR
Jermaine Wiggins, TE
Kevin McCadam, S
Bruce Thornton, CB

Draft:
Rd. 1 (No. 21 overall) Reggie Nelson, S, Florida
2 (48) Justin Durant, LB, Hampton
3 (79) Mike Walker, WR, Central Florida
4 (101) Adam Podlesh, P, Maryland
4 (113) Brian Smith, DE, Missouri
5 (149) Uche Nwaneri, G, Purdue
5 (150) Josh Gattis, S, Wake Forest
5 (166) Derek Landri, DT, Notre Dame
7 (229) John Broussard, WR, San Jose State
7 (251) Chad Nkang, LB, Elon
7 (252) Andrew Carnahan, T, Arizona State

Analysis:

The Jacksonville Jaguars have done little this offseason to significantly upgrade a team that has seemed hopelessly stuck behind the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC South. But their biggest issue entering training camp will be the health and happiness of quarterback Byron Leftwich.

Leftwich and Jaguars Coach Jack Del Rio rarely seemed to be on the same page last season when it came to Leftwich's attempt to play with an ailing ankle, which eventually resulted in the quarterback's season ending early and Del Rio going with David Garrard as the starter. The club went 5-5 under Garrard and faded down the stretch to miss the playoffs, and Del Rio announced in February that Leftwich would regain the starting job. That hadn't seemed like a certainty last season.

Now Leftwich enters the final season of his contract trying to re-establish himself as a franchise quarterback and put to rest the rumblings that he can't coexist with Del Rio. The team that will surround him looks quite a bit like the Jaguars teams of the past few seasons that were good enough to threaten the Colts but not good enough to surpass them and claim a spot among the NFL's elite. The Jaguars lost tight end Kyle Brady and safety Deon Grant in free agency, but replaced Grant by using their first-round draft choice on Florida safety Reggie Nelson. Some talent evaluators think he has the playmaking ability to be a difference-maker.

The refrain seems familiar for the Jaguars. If Leftwich is healthy and reasonably productive, they seem poised to again be one of the AFC's better teams, although probably not quite good enough to break through and be an honest-to-goodness Super Bowl contender. If Leftwich is a diminished player, the Jaguars are likely to find themselves on the outside of the playoffs looking in for a second year in a row.

By Mark Maske |  May 17, 2007; 11:12 AM ET  | Category:  Jaguars
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Posted by: pack4life | May 17, 2007 2:51 PM

Posted by: Pete | May 17, 2007 3:00 PM

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