The Jaguars have done it again.
Just before Week One, they have decided to release their starting quarterback.
Jay Glazer of FOX reports David Garrard was informed he was released, and Luke McCown will start the season opener against the Titans. In five days. Rookie Blaine Gabbert is the backup to McCown.
It was only four years ago on September 1 that Byron Leftwich was suddenly dropped in favor of Garrard. The Jaguars won a playoff game that season and gave Garrard a huge contract, but he’s slowly regressed since.
This was an economic move above all else. Garrard was due around $8 million this season. It’s hard to believe the Jaguars think McCown (or Gabbert) gives the team a superior chance to win right now. But the gap between Garrard and a league average backup like McCown was growing smaller by the year and Garrard wasn’t worth the money.
It’s clear they really wanted to drop Garrard and didn’t think he’d last the season as the starter.
It says a lot that Gabbert couldn’t step up to win the starting job, and the Jaguars still made this move.
UPDATE: The report has been confirmed by ESPN. The Jaguars will hold a press conference at 4:15 p.m. ET.