The Jacksonville Jaguars

[fsujax]

Unbelievable.....

[spuwho]

FYI. He doesnt have a contract yet but he signed the rookie waiver which requires the Jags to negotiate in good faith.

Reports say he will get $23M over 4 years, all guaranteed.

Tell Shad to cut the check for $5.8 million.

[tufsu1]

some people have been able to recover from ACL injuries in 6-8 months...so there may be hope for part of the season

[Non-RedNeck Westsider]

some people have been able to recover from ACL injuries in 6-8 months...so there may be hope for part of the season

No need to rush it.  Like a running back, his strengths are coming from an ability to turn a corner, so he's constantly putting a lot of lateral force on his knees.  He's a rookie, and I'm sure he's anxious to get on the field, but this is better for him to happen now rather than 3 years from now when he's on the verge of playing for his contract.  All we have are expectations, there's no track record yet.  Besides, he has Joekel on the team to help walk him through what it's like as a top 5 pick to sit out your rookie season with an injury.

I've said it before, the once dreaded ACL injury is becoming the NFL's version of MLB Tommy John surgery for pitchers.  They used to be career enders and now it's almost as though they're career boosters.  Depending on the type of damage done to his ACL, not only are recovery times quicker, but the players seem to be coming back even stronger.

[KenFSU]

Man, this just isn't fair.

Depressing stat: Dante Fowler is the only top-three pick in the last TWENTY YEARS to lose his entire first season to injury.

Hard to not feel like the Jags just can't catch a break.

That said, we're still looking at a much improved team over last year.

[RattlerGator]

Well, we're being forced to make lemonade now, admittedly, but this could work for us in this sense: Dante learning the system and understanding what is desired *and* needed during this upcoming season before he is put out there to shine.

Hell, it was always going to be a season of fits and starts as Blake works to establish himself, learn the WRs and better understand NFL coverages, and it would have been (IMHO) more devastating if this had happened to Yeldon. With the prospect of T.J. coming out of the backfield and being an effective receiver, plus Rashad in the slot as a creditable threat, we could make a serious leap this year offensively. And as we all know, the offense simply has to grow this season, it just has to, and the defense is more capable of sustaining this kind of loss.

[pierre]

It definitely puts a damper over any enthusiasm coming out of last week's draft.

Maybe this allows someone like Chris Smith to step up.

I don't think it impacts their win/loss record in the end but it feels like yet another punch to the gut for a franchise that cannot catch a break.

[RattlerGator]

I self-servingly found these two Q&A's from John Oehser's O-Zone column today pretty interesting:

http://www.jaguars.com/news/article-theOzone/article-1/O-Zone-It-is-so/3ac79ebf-ca34-400c-b11e-fe766b38ad52

[1]
Kinzie from Asheville, NC:

So, what's your first impression of the rookies since they've been in the building so far? Any of them stand out for you physically and/or personality wise?

John:

Fowler's speed and agility was impressive, but I'll tell you who else stood out: running back T.J. Yeldon. His feet, quickness and agility were impressive. Yes, it was only the first day of minicamp, but there are signs of special ability.

[2]
Tom from Ponte Vedra Beach and Section 106:

I've learned two things about DC: he has a poker face during the draft but he's also generally forthcoming about his plans. On Wednesday he said, "...a big, big [with two bigs] free agent class" next year. I see J.J. Green, Von Miller, Jason Pierre Paul, Julio Jones. I know several likely won't make it to availability, but those are some big, big names. I'm just sayin.

John:

Yes, they are, and you're right that Caldwell is quiet when it's appropriate and forthcoming when there is no harm in sharing information. He's strikingly forward-thinking on that front. As for your main point – that there are big names and significant talent scheduled to be in next year's free-agent class ... you're right. And it's also right that there was a reason the Jaguars didn't wildly spend to the cap this offseason.

[pierre]

I took a peak at 2016 free agents. The name that caught my eye most is Bobby Wagner. Would be the perfect replacement for Poz. Played under Gus one year in Seattle. And with all of the other deals in Seattle, he may hit the open market.

[ProjectMaximus]

My overly optimistic outlook is that Fowler's ACL comes back stronger than ever and we get to add him to a solid rookie class next year that produces an even greater impact than one could reasonably expect following a .500 season. But more than anything I just hope this doesn't derail the young mans long term career. He seems to have the right attitude, personality and drive to not let that happen. 

[RattlerGator]

Extremely good piece from Peter King in his Monday Morning Quarterback on Dante (and he explains why the Brady deflate situation gave Tom no benefit and objectively shows why this is true):

On Saturday, I asked Jacksonville coach Gus Bradley how he has handled his team, his star rookie and himself over the previous 24 hours. Bradley's always been an optimistic sort and now has to be the all-is-well conscience of his team and his fan base. I thought he'd be bummed. Short with me, clipped, snippy. He was none of that.

Read why he was none of that:

http://mmqb.si.com/2015/05/11/dante-fowler-jaguars-tom-brady-deflategate-nfl-peter-king/

[Downtown Osprey]

Losing Dante really, really sucks. But ultimately, we have bigger fish to fry. Our teams progression will be in the hands of Bortles. If he is our guy we will be just fine, if not, then we are in trouble.

[Non-RedNeck Westsider]

Extremely good piece from Peter King in his Monday Morning Quarterback...

I thought the same thing, but still can't bear to link to his column or even admit I read it.

He's been on the wrong side of J'ville bandwagon bashing for too long.  I'm gonna hold a grudge like a scorned woman on him for a bit longer, lol. 

[ProjectMaximus]

Extremely good piece from Peter King in his Monday Morning Quarterback...

I thought the same thing, but still can't bear to link to his column or even admit I read it.

He's been on the wrong side of J'ville bandwagon bashing for too long.  I'm gonna hold a grudge like a scorned woman on him for a bit longer, lol.

Really?? I'll admit I haven't read him in quite awhile, but up until maybe about five years ago I always considered him the most reasonable, Jax-friendly of the national media types. My memory of him was he was always quick to praise the Jags and Jax...guys like Fred, the city in the wake of the Super Bowl, or how his favorite airport is Jax. But anyway, these are just distant memories of a time before Metrojax, when I actually had time to browse other sites on the web. 

[I-10east]

Mark Long, a reporter covering the Jags with the Associated Press said that Blackmon had applied of NFL reinstatement, but was denied.

http://www.bigcatcountry.com/2015/5/10/8580465/justin-blackmon-denied-nfl-reinstatement