Guessing the Line – Jaguars Starting QB
By Daniel Lago
After claiming Mike Kafka off of waivers, David Caldwell stacked the quarterback position with 5 competitors. Gus Bradley has preached competition at every spot on the roster and wants players to not feel comfortable with their position on the team. Bradley and Caldwell do feel comfortable, however, taking all 5 quarterbacks into training camp.
Coach Gus Bradley says Jaguars might enter trng camp w/ 5 QBs. Jaguars & Eagles are only NFL teams carrying 5 right now
— Mark Long (@APMarkLong) June 12, 2013
Quarterback is a position where uncertainty and competition isn’t generally encouraged. The old adage “if you have two quarterbacks you really have none” is used in situations where the starter is not clear. Well the Jaguars have 5 quarterbacks (really 4 since Jordan Rodgers has hardly participated) and it’s evident they also have don’t have a clear cut starter. While most people assume Blaine Gabbert is going to start the season, there’s no reason to believe another quarterback won’t step up. More so, there’s no reason to believe Gabbert will finish the season as the starting quarterback. It’s not even training camp, but the returns on Gabbert are pretty up and down.
All you need to know about Jaguars practice: 3 of 4 QBs (all but Henne) threw incomplete deep passes against AIR
— Mark Long (@APMarkLong) June 13, 2013
Gabbert solid in red zone, one td and one drop. Matt Scott also continues to look improved. #jaguarz
— John Oehser (@JohnOehser) June 13, 2013
Mike Mularkey’s ridiculous comment aside, the odd man out in the competition before the season starts is probably Chad Henne. The Jaguars have 3 complete unknowns in Matt Scott, Jordan Rodgers, and Mike Kafka and a relative unknown in Blaine Gabbert. Any of those 4 players could potentially develop into a solid starter or more. Chad Henne has been in the league for 5 seasons now. We know what he is and on a young team that won’t be ready to compete for at least another year Henne has very little value.
Former Jaguars HC Mike Mularkey told Pat Kirwan and Tim Ryan he would start Chad Henne over Blaine Gabbert.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) June 12, 2013
I would be somewhat shocked if Gabbert doesn’t start the season for the Jaguars. I would be significantly less surprised if someone else finished the season as the starter. Gabbert will show one of two things this season – he is a legitimate starting quarterback in this league or he can’t play at a high enough level for a team to compete. His first two seasons indicate the former is not very likely and if that’s the case, someone else will be under center for the final game. My completely arbitrary percentages on who will finish the season as the starter are below.
Quarterback
Odds on starting final game
Blaine Gabbert
50%
Matt Scott
25%
Mike Kafka
15%
Jordan Rodgers
5%
Chad Henne
5%
– Daniel Lago
Yell at me on Twitter @dlago89