Getty ImagesThe Jaguars aren’t giving up on quarterback Blaine Gabbert.
They aren’t handing him the job, either. In an interview with Gregg Rosenthal of NFL.com, Jaguars General Manager David Caldwell said that it will be “a wide-open competition” for the starting quarterback job in Jacksonville this season. Chad Henne is on the roster already and Caldwell hinted that the Jaguars could still add other players to compete for the job with their 2011 first-round pick.
Caldwell was also asked about quarterback coach Frank Scelfo’s contention that Gabbert would be the best quarterback in this year’s draft.
“I can’t really predict what 31 other teams would do, but there are some really good things to get excited about with Blaine in terms of his size, his arm strength and athleticism,” Caldwell said.
Answers like that show the fine line that the Jaguars are walking with Gabbert. He’s not Caldwell’s guy, but the Jags know that the quarterback landscape might not land them a clear upgrade on what they have now. That leaves them to keep trying hard to bolster Gabbert while also making sure to explore every other option available to them. It’s probably the wisest route for them to take right now, but it hardly provides a confident solution to the ongoing quarterback issue in Jacksonville.
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If he would be the best QB in this draft that’s saying a lot as this guy is the worst starting QB in the NFL. Jacksonville needs to make a move for a vet.
Exactly. With the quarterback available via the draft, trade or free agency there’s none that can singlehandedly turn this team around. We have way too many holes to fill.
Maybe they just should have kept David Garrard.
I’m going to have to throw Ryan Lindley and Matt Cassel into the conversation for worst starting QB in the league.
Henne came in last season with the assumption that he would compete for the starting job. He is paid more than Gabbert, so why wouldn’t that be the case? Every team has at least four quarterbacks in training camp. Hardly an earth shattering development to say they will add a couple more arms.
Caldwell is playing this exactly right for the time being. Gabbert is most assuredly not the answer in Jacksonville, but the Jags need to hold on to as many draft picks as possible to upgrade the entire team. It would be great if a clear upgrade was available, but at this point, there is not.
Jags should go get QB Matt Flynn…..
Mark Brunell is available.
David Garrard is available!
“I can’t really predict what 31 other teams would do, but there are some really good things to get excited about with Blaine in terms of his size, his arm strength and athleticism,if he only had a brain.” Caldwell said