The last remaining unsigned draft pick doesn’t appear to be making progress on a contract. But the Jaguars and the agent for Justin Blackmon are talking.
Jaguars G.M. Gene Smith said he and Blackmon’s agent, Todd France, are having “healthy communication.” France also confirmed to the Florida Times-Union that he and the Jaguars have talked, but he declined to elaborate.
Everyone expects that Blackmon will eventually sign the four-year, $19.5 million contract, with a club option for a fifth year, that the Collective Bargaining Agreement outlines for the fifth overall pick in the draft. But it’s widely believed that the Jaguars and Blackmon are far apart on how much of that money would be fully guaranteed even in the event that off-field trouble derails Blackmon’s career. There were already some league observers who thought the Jaguars were taking a chance on a character risk when they drafted Blackmon, and when Blackmon was arrested for drunk driving, those concerns were amplified.
A breakthrough in negotiations could come at any time, but at the moment neither side seems interested in budging. Which means the Jaguars, who are also missing holdout running back Maurice Jones-Drew, will continue to go through training camp without the two playmakers around whom they want to build their offense.