You can look at the drafting of Blaine Gabbert and Jack Del Rio’s job security in a few ways.
Some think that grabbing a rookie quarterback will buy Del Rio more time. We tend to think Del Rio has to keep the Jaguars over .500 to keep his job, and taking Gabbert makes that more difficult.
Del Rio seems to acknowledge that a top-10 rookie quarterback could make his life more challenging.
“I think Mr. [Wayne] Weaver pays me to make decisions that are in the best interests of this football team and not always [what’s] best for me as a person and individually as a coach,” Del Rio said via Vito Stellino of the Florida Times-Union.
We admire Del Rio’s honesty. The reality is that he will face a lot of pressure to play Gabbert the moment David Garrard misfires on a few passes. But it’s hard to imagine Gabbert giving the team a better chance to win in 2011, and Del Rio needs to win.
“We’re going to sacrifice where we need to,” Del Rio said about setting an example of unselfishness. “This is the right thing to do. I’m not looking for the easiest way or the safest way. I’m looking to help this football team contend for a world championship.”