Last week I read an article on deadspin.com. If you want to check it out, click here.

The article is titled, Why Your Team Sucks 2012: Jacksonville Jaguars. It seems like this writer pretty much does this with several NFL teams, and while it is a very entertaining read how accurate is it?

Heading into the next week of training camp, I’m going to discuss some thoughts on the offensive side of the ball since the entire nation is as well.

Quarterback:

Did you really think you could read an article on the Jags without reading about Blaine Gabbert? At the scrimmage Blaine led some touchdown drives and completed some solid intermediate throws to his backs and receivers. It looked as if the focus of his game was basic: positive plays and protect the ball.

We could analyze his numbers and what people “say” whether it’s good or bad all day long. We could defend him or tear him down. It’s just what writers do. More than anything, it looked as if Gabbert was…wait for it…confident. This is his team. This is his offense. Deal with it.

How much of this is attributed to it being “just a scrimmage” is yet to be determined. I’m just happy he’s not Kevin “Glassman” Kolb. After last season we at least know Blaine can take a hit right?

Running Back:

If Rashad Jennings runs anything during the regular season like he did Friday night, we’ll be in good hands. No, he’s not going to be Maurice Jones-Drew, but Jennings has shown time and time again that he is an NFL-calibre back with good hands.

I think a committee approach of Jennings, Parmele, and Owens will be more than enough for the running game to still be serviceable in this offense.

With each passing day I honestly wonder how this MJD situation will end. I don’t think he’s going to budge on this, and I know the front office will not. I just don’t see the point of keeping him here anymore. I don’t know what kind of effect it’s having on the locker room, but it can’t be helping. Why keep someone here who no longer wants to play for the team? Trade him to a franchise that will pay him, and in turn let’s get some high draft picks and invest in the future.

Offensive Line:

Peter King was at Everbank on Friday night, and trolling the twitter feeds like I often do, I came across a tweet of his talking about Brad Meester and just how underrated he really is. Other than that, it’s been nothing but injuries.

When Will Rackley went down with a high ankle sprain I didn’t even sweat it. Jason Spitz is a very good reserve lineman, and that’s why we signed him in free agency last year. Now it looks as if Spitz will be out a few weeks. Replacing Spitz at guard will be John Estes who has been our back up center for a couple of years now. Listed at the interior line positions are UDFA’s Dan Hoch, who just so happened to play college ball with Gabbert, D.J. Hall, and Mike Brewster. Continuity is key along the offensive line and training camp is crucial in developing that continuity. I just don’t see how a position like this can be effective with what seems like a constant revolving door.

Good news is Eugene Monroe is healthy.

Wide Receivers:

Peter King also tweeted about Cecil Shorts and how he will become a legit NFL receiver this season. Enough about Peter King. Justin Blackmon signed, and I can’t tell you just how thrilled I am he did. Granted, he will be behind but I’m looking forward to having another ingredient thrown into the soup. I hope Blackmon picks up the playbook and gets on the field A.S.A.P. Something tells me he’s more than likely a bit more sure-handed than the other receivers.

Speaking of the group as a whole, they have gotten a little bit better. I’d like to see more fire from Mike Thomas, but it really does look like he doesn’t care which is a shame because I’ve been a huge Mike Thomas supporter.

Laurent Robinson looks to have shaken off the pressure of being “the guy” and even caught a long pass from Gabbert at the scrimmage. Justin Blackmon joining the team should relieve some of the pressure seeing as how the original plan didn’t all fall on Robinson’s shoulders in the first place.

Kevin Elliot has been a nice surprise in camp and he seems to at least make a play per practice. I wouldn’t be shocked if he pushes Thomas for a spot. After all he actually looks like he wants to be a Jaguar.

I don’t think Lee Evans makes the 53.

I don’t like following what coaches say during training camp. Of course they’re going to say “so and so is doing better” and whatnot. I like watching the team and forming my own opinion and from what I see heading into the 2012 season…

Gabbert has to hold up better against real NFL pressure. I’m a firm believer that his game HAS improved since he had…ya know…a real offseason and training camp, but if he’s scared of getting hit then we truly do have a problem.

It’s not so much the injuries, but it’s the lack of depth behind our starters along the offensive line that scare me. That’s what happens when you don’t draft or sign an offensive lineman in the offseason.

I don’t care who does it, we have to be able to throw it down field this year. Blaine has to stand tall in the pocket and the receivers have to be able to stretch the field. I don’t care who says what right now we won’t know anything until the season opener, but we should get a good look this Friday night when the Super Bowl Champs New York Football Giants visit the River City for the preseason opener.

-David R. Johns

               All 32 NFL teams consider themselves Super Bowl contenders in June.  The sun is shining, injuries are minimal, and holes have been filled from last year’s rosters that are the missing pieces in everyone’s journey to the big game.  Every playoff team is poised to go further and those that missed the playoffs have the pieces in place to make a charge at the division title.

The reason all teams have this outlook is that every season follows the same script.  There are always a few teams that ascend from the cellar to the penthouse and one or two unfortunate franchises whose heavenly expectations come crashing back to Earth.  This repetitive nature of the NFL is what makes it so great, because it isn’t what is going to happen but who it is going to happen to that piques so much interest.

Among the many roles that are filled by teams each season, the “picked to go 5-11 team that finishes 11-5” is one that should interest the Jacksonville Jaguars this year.  There are countless reasons why “experts” have and will continue to predict the Jaguars to have a season similar to 2011.  Having been ESPN’s punching bag for the past few seasons, the Jaguars will certainly continue to receive the same criticism until consistent results take place on the field.  That being said, and in honor of Speculation Season 2012, I believe the Jaguars will emulate the 49ers from a year ago and take the division by storm.

This time last year, the San Francisco 49ers had a new head coach at the helm. hell-bent on changing the culture of the team.  Jim Harbaugh had brief but significant history of developing young quarterbacks and arrived in San Fran with a rocky quarterback situation.  The incumbent, Alex Smith, had yet to play to expectations and had the fan base debating on whether he was the guy that could lead their team to the Promised Land.

Elsewhere on the team, the 49ers defense was coming off an excellent performance the previous season and strengthened their pass rush in the draft.  They had Pro Bowl-caliber running back Frank Gore returning and upgraded the position by bringing in Kendall Hunter to share carries and contrast Gore’s hard-running style.

The 49ers’ division, the NFC West, was in flux.  The Cardinals brought in an overhyped, unproven quarterback in Kevin Kolb to fill the hole left by departed hall of famer Kurt Warner.  The young and inexperienced Rams scared no one and the 2010 division-winning Seahawks were consistently inconsistent, as they had been for many seasons prior.

The similarities between the 2011 49ers and the 2012 Jacksonville Jaguars are hard to ignore.  Mularkey is coming from a situation where he worked first hand with promising young quarterback Matt Ryan and is entering one with struggling young quarterback Blaine Gabbert who has yet to have the influence and expertise of a quarterback-focused head coach.  He is changing the culture in Jacksonville, recently cancelling the Oklahoma Drill that was a staple during the Jack Del Rio era.  Maurice Jones-Drew is returning stronger than ever and a healthy Rashad Jennings will help add depth to the running game.  The Jaguars defense is coming off a top 10 performance and only got stronger by adding pass-rushing threat Andre Branch through the draft and retaining the starters from 2011.

The AFC South is as wide open as it has been in a decade.  The Colts bring in golden boy Andrew Luck to fill in for departed legend Peyton Manning and expect the unproven rookie to somehow improve a disastrous team on both sides of the ball.  The Titans are a legitimate wild card, still having to decide to go with young and inexperienced Jake Locker or 120 year old Matt Hasselbeck.  Their defense lost All Pro defensive back Cortland Finnegan and wide receiver Kenny Britt is poised to injure himself on every snap.  2011 division champion Texans finally put together a consistent season on both sides of the ball and made the playoffs.  They follow that up by losing their two best defensive playmakers in Mario Williams and DeMeco Ryans.  Replacing that kind of production is a real gamble and with Andre Johnson coming off multiple leg injuries, Matt Schaub returning from season-ending foot surgery, and the potential for Arian Foster to become a complacent runner now that he has his big contract a la Chris Johnson, there is not much to rest easy on with Houston.

Then come the Jaguars.  A top 10 defense that is returning all starters and adding two-time Super Bowl champion Aaron Ross and pass-rushing blue chipper Andre Branch.  Maurice Jones-Drew returns as the current top running back in the game with his young ward Rashad Jennings back to add depth.  The flawed passing game upgrades with the addition of wide receivers Laurent Robinson, Lee Evans, and Jack Daniel… I mean Justin Blackmon.  The hungry new coaching staff paired with a full offseason should almost certainly improve Blaine Gabbert’s performance from his forgettable rookie year.

I may have teal blinders on, but when I look at the 2012 Jaguars and their division, I find it hard to argue that they won’t compete for the division title.  The pieces are in place for Gene Smith’s “Master Plan” to finally gain traction and deliver results in its fourth year.  The Jaguars are the only team in the AFC South that isn’t trying to fill glaring needs left from free agency.   The Jaguars are the only team in the division with no more excuses.  Like the 49ers from a year ago, this Jaguars team is ready to buckle up their chin straps and hit teams in the mouth, blow up the scoreboard, and shift the power of the division to northeast Florida.

- Lionel Joel

1. Justin Blackmon sat out of the final day of the May 4-6 minicamp with a sore foot.  Coach Mike Mularkey said it wasn’t a big deal and that the team had “[seen] what we needed to see” so taking him out for the day to prevent further aggravation was fine by him.  Blackmon displayed his superb hands the first three practices by making plays on poorly thrown balls.  There haven’t been any circus catches and he is learning the playbook, but Mularkey fully expects that “He’ll get faster in everything he does.”
2. Michael Floyd has some sources exited about his play.  Some are even saying that he is expected to be the most productive receiver. Floyd would like to cut down his weight to increase his endurance and stamina in the Arizona offense.  After the mini-camp, Floyd knows he needs to get faster and quicker in order to be competitive in the NFL.
3. Kendall Wright as you all well know, is not a favorite of mine.  But despite my opposition, the Titans thought he was worthy of a first round pick.  The Titans gave Wright his first ever playbook.  Yes, you read that right.  Over the mini-camp weekend, it was revealed that Wright has never studied a playbook and instead has memorized every play through high school and college.  It may appear that this receivers brainpower is superb to go with hands that have the Titans buzzing.  After his solid mini-camp the Titans are impressed that he is learning everything about the offense.  This may be a receiver that succeeds with his brain – quite the scary thought for the Titans’ opposition.
4. Brian Quick has reportedly turned heads at the St. Louis mini-camp.  He reportedly didn’t drop a ball all day, which is really something.  The Rams think they have found the explosive player they need to pair with Sam Bradford.  Based on what I’ve been hearing out of St. Louis, I think they’re probably right.

5. 

   Stephen Hill wowed scouts at the combine with his unbelievable speed.  The Jets, of course, bit.  Hill already has his contract signed and had nothing to distract him in camp from his play.  Hill impressed the team, especially head coach Rex Ryan, with his speed and big 6’4″ frame.  Hill dropped one pass in drills – a deep ball that bounced off his finger tips.  Ryan is excited over Hill’s performance and says he will be starting this season.

6. Alshon Jeffery has ex-Vikings head coach Mike Tice pretty happy.  He beat the cornerbacks, plucking the ball above their heads during the Chicago Bears’ mini-camp.  While Jeffery left Friday with cramping, he came back to participate all through Saturday.  Some say he didn’t look entirely comfortable, though his hands still have the Bears excited.  He looks like he will be a good addition behind newly acquired WR Brandon Marshall.
7. Rueben Randle has already begun impressing the Giants with his polished play. While he had a few drops during the mini-camp he displayed great athleticism and should serve as a very good replacement for Mario Manningham (San Francisco) in the coming season.  Expect his hands to improve with time but the athleticism to remain (and cause fits for defensive coordinators).

8. 

   Mohamed Sanu didn’t separate himself from the pack during the rookie mini-camp.  He made some plays against 1st round selection, CB Dre Kirkpatrick, but hasn’t established himself as a top receiver for the Bengals…yet.  I fully expect Sanu to make the Bengals roster and prove well worth the third round pick spent on him.  Head Coach Marvin Lewis expects Sanu to come in and contribute right away.  He is everything the Bengals expected from him.  I bargain they’ll receive much more in the long run.

Keeping tabs on the top receivers in the 2012 class is crucial as we grow to (hopefully) love and appreciate Justin Blackmon.  Much like the comparisons between Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco, the receivers from 2012 will always be pegged to each other.  So far it is appearing that the players will make impacts, but who will make the most impact on their respective rosters is what matters.  It sounds like Michael Floyd will provide exactly what John Skelton/Kevin Kolb need in Arizona, currently he appears to be the measure against which all others will be weighed.

Of course, that’s if you believe everything the coaches told the press following the mini-camps…

- Luke N. Sims