Matt Jones

reednavy · March 16, 2009, 11:17:14 AM

Has been released by the team this morning. This comes as no surprise after being arrested for violating his probation.

JeffreyS · March 16, 2009, 11:38:05 AM

Well they will have to address reciever now.

Shwaz · March 16, 2009, 11:46:58 AM

Matt Jones is and always has been a major disappointment. Another first round draft pick down the drain.

BridgeTroll · March 16, 2009, 12:29:12 PM

Another reason to trade out of the first round if you can find someone who wants to move up. Trade down, save money, and add picks. The jags have too many holes to stay in the first round.

Shwaz · March 16, 2009, 12:50:21 PM

QuoteAnother reason to trade out of the first round if you can find someone who wants to move up. Trade down, save money, and add picks. The jags have too many holes to stay in the first round.

Totally agree. I've read quite a few mock drafts that have us picking Mark Sanchez at no.8 which I don't see the team doing. A QB pick at no.8 would call for a $20 million contract (guaranteed) and we just locked up Garrard on expensive contract. There are a few QB hungry teams out there that might give an arm & leg for our pick / Sanchez.

Joe · March 16, 2009, 01:07:56 PM

Exactly. Trading down was what they SHOULD have done last year too, instead of trading away their entire draft for two defensive linemen who didn't even pan out.

Imagine if the Jags had kept their later round picks, regardless of whether they picked an O-lineman, Wideout, or Safety. Virtually any 3rd or 4th round pick would have been superior to the garbage they picked up at those positions in free agency. Heck, even if the draft picks had washed out and never played a game, it would have still been a better situation because it would have been cheaper for the team!!

Shwaz · March 16, 2009, 01:20:14 PM

QuoteExactly. Trading down was what they SHOULD have done last year, instead of trading away their entire draft for two defensive linemen who didn't even pan out.

Imagine if the Jags had kept their later round picks, regardless of whether they picked an O-lineman, Wideout, or Safety. Virtually any 3rd or 4th round pick would have been superior to the garbage they picked up at those positions in free agency. Heck, even if the draft picks had washed out, it would have still been a better situation because it would have been cheaper for the team!!

First of all the Jags original pick was 26th overall which doesn't command a whole lot of trade interest or value.
Second, the verdict is still out on Harvey.

Third the Jags didn't expect the top 10 draft picks price tag to go up 40% over prior year but the Jets sh*t the bed on that and drove the market value through the roof.

Lastly the Jags traded extra picks they had from the Marcus Stroud deal and while agree it was an expensive move (2 - 3rd round picks 1 - 4th round pick) we don't know if it wasn't worth it. A lot of teams were aggressively going after pass rushers after the Giants Superbowl win and it was a position the Jags desperately needed to fill.

Steve · March 16, 2009, 02:53:50 PM

This year woudl actually be a good year to trade down. The draft is very string in the top 5-6, then weak in my opinion until about 15. After coming off of 5-11, and being short picks, this might be the year to do it.

Joe · March 16, 2009, 03:01:57 PM

Well, we already know it wasn't worth it. The Jags collapsed last year because their two relevant draft picks, their O-line, and some of their high priced free agents were all falling apart. Yes, it's coincidence, and yes, it's hindsight. But that's what happened. The lack of later round draft picks meant there were fewer quality players to be thrown into the fire as replacements

In hindsight, I really think last years drafting and free agency decisions were about as bad as they could have possibly been. Even if the Jags get better this year, it will be in spite of last year, not because of it.

Even if Harvey/Groves turn into the next Henderson/Stroud, I don't think there's any possible way that last year's strategy can be considered anything but a failure. The Jags have already cut ties with two of the overpriced free agents that were supposed to take them over the top, and now they are back to re-building through the draft (which they could have done last year).

Shwaz · March 16, 2009, 03:16:21 PM

Harvey / Groves and the 3 picks we lost are not the reason for the 5-11 record. Sure there are some good players in the later rounds but you're talking like we would've drafted a bunch of Tom Brady's automatically.
A lot of later round picks don't even make the practice squad let alone start at their position immediately.

QuoteEven if Harvey/Groves turn into the next Henderson/Stroud, I don't think there's any possible way that last year's strategy can be considered anything but a failure.

So if the players you draft don't get your team to the Superbowl that year they're considered a bust? $:-\$
The team cut older players and is trying to get younger and faster at every position but players take time to develop. Every editorial on Jaguars.com is about building for the future not just the next season.

jason_contentdg · March 16, 2009, 03:36:09 PM

It takes longer than one year to see if a player is a bust or not, especially one who started contributing more with every game in their first season.

Tripoli1711 · March 16, 2009, 04:57:16 PM

Schwaz is exactly right. The jury MUST still be out on Groves and Harvey. The real problem was everyone thought the window for this team was wide open. Some have said it was already shut. I maintain the point of view that it only slammed shut when we lost 3 offensive linemen before the first snap of the season. Regardless, we expected those two guys to be the final pieces to a Super Bowl. We had our little jigsaw puzzle of the Lombardi Trophy all put together and hey.. we only need a couple more pieces.. here they are! Instead, they were two new pieces to a team that had already fallen apart. Our jigsaw puzzle got dominated by the family dog and was back in 1000 pieces on the kitchen floor... They only had one season and Harvey (thanks indeed to the Jets.. ugh) didn't get a whole camp. They may turn out to be great players and we will cherish having made those moves in 2 or 3 years when we figure out how to put that puzzle back together.

p.s. If I was pretty certain that Sanchez was going to be a top 5 NFL QB, Draft him. Why let someone else have him? Besides.. you let him observe for a few years, Garrard is 34, 35.. and we see where we are.

Shwaz · March 16, 2009, 05:43:11 PM

QuoteShwaz is exactly right. The jury MUST still be out on Groves and Harvey.

Also, both guys will put on a bunch of weight, learn more technique and if we switch up to 3-4 scheme (on & off) groves maybe a great OLB / DE.

Quotep.s. If I was pretty certain that Sanchez was going to be a top 5 NFL QB, Draft him. Why let someone else have him? Besides.. you let him observe for a few years, Garrard is 34, 35.. and we see where we are.

I agree with this logic and being in accordance with the "best available player philosophy" but I don't like the idea of paying a guy $20 million or more to ride the pine for a few years. I think Garrard has a lot left in the tank and there will be plenty of QB draft candidates down the road. On the flip side I would hate to see the Jags pass up another Rothlesberger like a few years ago.

coredumped · March 16, 2009, 06:04:34 PM

Let's get Northcutt on the field more! Good clean player, and a hard worker. I think if he was in more, he would have easily beat crack jone's records.

I-10east · March 16, 2009, 06:36:28 PM

Is M. Jones an all-world pro bowl receiver? No.

Is M. Jones a screw up off the field, and and many ways a disappointment the the Jags franchise? Yes.

Did #18 play more consistent than any Jags receiver last year? Yes.

If M. Jones gets cut, will the Jags have any consistent receiver? IMO no.

Sorry Northcutt drops WAY too many balls and he has alligator arms.

Sports Radio Myth: a more productive WR is something different than the best WR on the field on a certain team. As far as I'm concerned, the most productive receiver on the team is also the better one.