Welcome To Jacksonville, Mr. Babin!
By Luke Sims
We could all use a little more celebrating! Source: Eric Hartline-US PRESSWIRE
It’s rare that the Jaguars pick up a premier player – make no doubt, Jason Babin is a premier player still. In the past we have gotten excited about over-the-hill receiver Lee Evans, injured Aaron Kampman, and potential backup-forever Chad Henne. I can count on one hand the number of premier, top-flight free agent acquisitions we’ve had in the Gene Smith era. Jason Babin makes either #2 or #4, depending if you like to call Dwight Lowery and Dawan Landry premier (I like their play, but that’s just me – Paul Posluszny is the other).
Jason Babin has more sacks than anyone on the team. In fact, he has more than double the amount of sacks of anybody on the team. That breakout defensive end we re-signed this year, Jeremy Mincey? He only has two sacks. Babin, on a bad year mind you, has 5.5.
Babin provides a pass rushing threat that the Jaguars lack. We have had good run defenders (Matt Roth) but we have never really pursued a true pass rushing type.
Think of this; last year Babin had 18 sacks. His solo production last season was more sacks than the Jaguars have currently (13)!
I don’t care if Babin is over the hill. I don’t care if the last two years were an aberration more than an emergence. Babin is better than all of the pass rushers on the team. He has more upside, even at the age of 31, than half of the Jaguars’ current defensive ends. He can come in and immediately fit into the Jaguars’ 4-3 defense and contribute.
That’s saying more than anybody else we have ever brought in.
With Aaron Kampman it was always, “will he be healthy?” I love the guy, but he just wasn’t on the field enough for the Jaguars. Having started the every game dating back to 2010, we don’t have the same problem with Babin. He knows what to do, he is reliable, and he isn’t going to underperform in comparison to the horrendous Jaguars’ rushers around him.
I like this pick up. I like Babin as a player. This is a guy the Jaguars need. Will he save Gene Smith? I doubt it. Will he give us better football to watch? Absolutely.
– Luke N. Sims
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