Dec 11, 2011; Jacksonville, FL, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blaine Gabbert (right) and quarterback Luke McCown during the national anthem before a game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at EverBank Field. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-US PRESSWIRE

Dec 5, 2011; Jacksonville FL, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars general manager of peronnel Gene Smith prior to the start of their game against the San Diego Chargers at EverBank Field. The Chargers won 38-14. Mandatory Credit: Phil Sears-US PRESSWIRE

While the Jaguars are a clean-cut team, they have sported some not-so-great (or marvelous, depending on who you are) hairstyles.  While nobody on the Jags is rocking Tiquan Underwood or Arian Foster level commitment to the team, there is definitely a tendency for untamed manes.  Whether it’s Tyson Alualu and Rashean Mathis with hair hanging out of the helmet, Gene Smith’s perpetual bedhead, or Blaine Gabbert’s old long locks there’s enough hair diversity to make a stylist drool.

I bring this up mostly because looking at pictures of players when they’re starting a game and being introduced by one of the many commentators for the NFL, I find it to be funny just how hairy most players on the Jags are.  Of course, if you’re Matt Hasselbeck in Tennessee you would definitely break the mold.  He could always go the way of Wes Welkerand try to get his hair back.

Editor’s Note:  This is a post from new contributor Lionel Joel.  He provides very good insight into the Jags and does good research in comparison to other teams.  He’s a welcome addition to us here at B&T.

So the Jaguars did not come out of last week with Tim Tebow, the most polarizing athlete in recent memory.  That’s fine.  Jacksonville is already full in that department anyway.  Gene Smith, depending on who you talk to, is either a calculating genius who is meticulously building a franchise that will dominate the AFC South for a decade or a dim-witted buffoon who seems to choose his draft picks and free agents out of a hat.  And doubtful are the reports that he was courtside at last weekend’s Division II basketball championship between Western Washington and Montevallo to scout for his big board.  Regardless of your stance, Gene Smith has a plan and is sticking to it.

When evaluating the success of Gene’s GM tenure, it is hard to look past his 20-28 record.   Do it anyway.  First, it is clear that he has succeeded in turning a once complacent, lackluster roster into one that works hard and is committed to the city and team.  Second, he is finally getting the pieces that are most important in building a winning NFL team: a hungry coach and quarterback.  Mike Mularkey came to Jacksonville eager to prove that he can be an elite NFL head coach after five seasons of bouncing around the NFL with different assistant coaching positions.   He inherits Blaine Gabbert coming off a disastrous rookie season and looks to utilize the knowledge and experience he gained while helping Matt Ryan become an efficient, successful quarterback.  If that happens to hit the skids, the (sort of) reliable Chad Henne is now there if damage control becomes a necessity.   Now that Gene Smith has his own coach and quarterback(s) in place, there is nowhere for his “plan” to hide.

Eugene Monroe has begun to pay ff for the Jaguars. But what about Gene's other draft picks? Source: Jake Roth-US PRESSWIRE

Since becoming the GM of the Jags, Gene Smith has stated time and again that the draft is where you build a winning team.  He has had three drafts with a combined total of 20 draft picks overall.  Of those 20 picks, only six came from a school in one of the “big six” conferences (Eugene Monroe, Eben Britton, Mike Thomas, Tiquan Underwood, Tyson Alualu, and Blaine Gabbert).  Over this same stretch, perennial powers like Baltimore, New England, and New Orleans have drafted almost exclusively from major college programs.  In fact, the vast majority of NFL franchises favor college players that come from high-profile, high-exposure, traditional schools.

Not Gene Smith.  Not the Jaguars.

Gene has made it clear that he prefers to build around character, potential, and anonymity.  That has been his philosophy in the draft and his philosophy in free agency.

Well Gene, the fans are about to call in your debts.  No longer will they shoulder the burden of buying tickets and merchandise based on future success potential.  No longer will patience be a suitable excuse for failure.  No longer will a starved fanbase that has been to the playoffs twice in twelve years allow delayed success.  Some fans want to see Gene exalted, others want him exiled.  Most want Gene to succeed just to see that talking Eddie Munster hairdo called Mel have to backtrack on his comments about our drafts.  But all want to see Jaguars football in late January.

It all falls on Gene.  It falls on his strategy.  It’s all or nothing.

- Lionel Joel

Lloyd, a perpetual journeyman of a wide receiver has a dynamic personality, plays with a spark, provides a speedy deep threat for any team, and has proven that he can be a productive receiver in numerous different schemes across the nation.

Originally drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the fourth round of the 2003 draft, Lloyd really came into his own in 2010 with the Broncos.  He posted an impressive 1448 yards and 11 touchdowns under Josh McDaniels’ poorly run operation.

With the departure of McDaniels, the failure of Kyle Orton, and the new direction of head coach John Fox, Lloyd was sent to St. Louis after four games with the Broncos.  It is his fifth team in nine years.  Come 2012 he will have been on six in 10 years.

While the wide receiver has consistently been shuffled from place to place, he has provided good fits for the teams he has played for.  Usually a role player, demonstrated during his stints with the Bears and Redskins, Lloyd was impressive when he needed to be.  He posted 733 yards with San Francisco his third year in the league.  Despite changing teams in 2011 he still managed an impressive 966 yards in only 15 games.

At only 6’0″ tall and 192 pounds, Lloyd is not going to be filling the number one spot for the Jags but could provide a solid number two.

But how could he end up with the Jags?  Having expressed a keen interest in signing with the New England Patriots, Lloyd may not be as big a member of the AFC Champions in 2012 as he may desire.  The Patriots have been stacked with receiving threats for years and with the emergence of Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski, wide receivers have become more expendable.  (See: Underwood, Tiquan)

The Jags aren’t really looking for another undersized wide receiver to line up opposite an as-of-yet undefined #1, but if Lloyd ends up not signing with the Patriots, look for the Jags to make an offer.  Even if it’s a lowball.

When you need as much help as the Jaguars, nobody is ever ruled out.

- Luke N. Sims