The Jaguars have every pragmatic reason to distance themselves from Justin Blackmon.
But owner Shad Khan said he’s not about to release his former first round pick, who has been suspended indefinitely by the NFL and was arrested for marijuana possession last night.
“We want him to get help he needs,” Khan said, via John Oehser of the team’s official website.
That sentiment seems to be consistent through the organization, as linebacker Paul Posluszny said: “This is no longer a football issue...We want the best for him. He’s a good kid at heart.”
It’s good to hear the Jaguars embrace a kid (it’s hard to call him a player, since he’s barely played for them since his rookie year) who obviously has some problems.
He showed flashes of talent in 2012, when his play might have justified their investment in him. If he had torn an ACL, they’d have gone to great lengths to get him well, so they could benefit from his labor in the future.
But Blackmon’s problem now is not a physical one, and we hope the Jaguars are sincere in getting him the help he needs, even if he never plays another down for them.