New 2010 OVERALLS Coming Soon: T Player Ratings Last Updated:
PLEASE NOTE: Updates coming soon.
PLAYER NOTES:
Aug 16 2010 - QB David Garrard isn't looking his shoulder -- yet -- at No. 2 quarterback Luke McCown. After all, he was a backup to Byron Leftwich and fully understands the best player will play eventually.
McCown was 11-of-15 for 244 yards and three touchdowns, including tosses of 73 yards (to Troy Williamson) and 55 (to Tiquan Underwood) for TDs.
"It's no different than any other time I've been here in this position,'' Garrard said. "It's just how it is, especially when Luke has an amazing game like he did. ... You're going to have rumbles. For us to not get off to a strong start, you can see why fans and media want to start stuff up. But it is the preseason. I don't want to say it is a preseason like taking anything away from it, but we still have to keep everything in perspective.''
Jul 22 2010 - QB David Garrard has to play better in 2010. It's that simple. The Jaguars can't afford to have him turn in a quarterback rating in the low 80s as he's done the past two years. After Garrard posted a QB rating of 102.2 in 2007 -- third best in the league that season -- he signed a 6-year, $60 million deal…and hasn't shown that form since then.
Garrard knows he has to have a better year in 2010. Owner Wayne Weaver has stated so, head coach Jack Del Rio has also. The fan base that supported Garrard through the tough times in recent years is fading with a growing number of Jaguars supporters doubting if the team can win with Garrard under center. A strong fan swell for native son and former Florida Gators standout Tim Tebow didn't help Garrard's position.
With a strong contingency of college quarterbacks expected to be available in next year's NFL draft, the Jaguars will likely make this a top priority, especially if Garrard's numbers don't improve from what they've been the past two seasons. Garrard also must stay healthy as McCown is not ready to step in as a full-time replacement at this stage of his career.
May 6 2010 - QB Dave Garrard knows this is a make or break year for him. That may be why the eight-year veteran has taken a new approach to the coming season. He's no longer just a quarterback who's taken a back seat to those on the team who have been the outspoken leaders. Garrard showed a new look last weekend at the Jaguars mini-camp when he was much more vocal than he's been in the past. Leading team yells, explaining to the young receivers what they did wrong on their pass route, joking, yelling, encouraging, chewing out, Garrard was doing it all.
During the offseason, Jaguars owner Wayne Weaver said that his quarterback needed to be a better leader and needed to work more with the young receivers to help them develop their skills. Jaguars coach Jack Del Rio referred to Garrard as a middle-tier quarterback, hardly words of endorsement for the quarterback who was expected to lead the team back to the playoffs since their last trip there in 2007.
In April of 2008, Garrard signed a seven-year, $60 million contract, the richest in franchise history. He was coming off his best year as an NFL quarterback, finishing with a 102.2 quarterback rating with a TD-interception ratio of 18-3. But those marks have not been seen since. His rating has been in the low 80s the last two years and he's thrown just two and five more TDs than interceptions respectively the past two seasons.
Garrard knows 2010 is a big year regarding his future with the club.
"Absolutely," Garrard answered following a morning workout last weekend as to whether this is a make or break year for him. "I think this is definitely a pivotal year for everybody, not just myself. It's a pivotal year for all of us, no bigger year than it is for me. I know I'm not taking anything for granted.
"I'm going out there one hundred percent and doing all that I can hopefully a little bit more. Just be smart, play within the game and still not try to do anything I don't normally do. Really, it's just getting back to playing fund
Mar 11 2010 - QB David Garrard appears to have general manager Gene Smith in his corner. "He's persevered through a lot here," Smith said of his starting quarterback. "He has a physical skill set that doesn't limit the play-calling. He's very durable, has tremendous toughness and is a top competitor out on the football field. The best is yet to come."
But that doesn't mean that Smith is against selecting a quarterback in the upcoming draft, if there is one to the Jaguars liking and it meets their value selection with the pick."I would always look for a quarterback we could develop, but I'm not going to force it. Is it a position we'll look at in the draft? Yes, it is."
Since the 2007 season when he posted a 102.2 quarterback rating, third best in the NFL that year, Garrard has tailed off to 81.7 and 83.5 ratings the past two seasons.
Mar 4 2010 - QB David Garrard isn't in the elite category of some of the other NFL quarterbacks in the league, according to coach Jack Del Rio. "I think he (Garrard) is a good football player and I think we can win with him," the Jaguars coach said. "There is certainly room for growth. We've been pushing in that area and we'll continue to push. But ultimately, it's gonna be up to the quarterback. There is room for improvement there.
"The fact that he's been durable, been a guy that has been tough, that has a strong arm and quick release, I think there are things we can do to help him. There are things that he has to do to help himself and help our offense if we want to go to the next level."
Later in the week after Del Rio's comments had been published, reporters caught up with Garrard at a promotional tour. The Jaguars ninth-year QB who just turned 32 acknowledges that he has to raise the level of his play.
"No question I want to play better in 2010," he said. "There were some good things that we did in 2009 but at other times not so good. We want to play at a higher level this year and win more games. Our goal is still to get to the Super Bowl and I've got to play better to help the team reach that goal."
