NFL 2009: Rebuilding year for Jaguars? Players say ‘upgrades’ could lead to quick turnaround

Rebuilding year? Jaguars seeking quick turnaround

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — When the Jacksonville Jaguars started growing beards before training camp, running back Maurice Jones-Drew called it a “movement.”

It turned out to be a youth movement.

After parting ways with more than a dozen veterans in the offseason, the Jaguars continued the trend while shaping their roster for the season opener. Cornerback Brian Williams, right tackle Tony Pashos and quarterback Todd Bouman were cut. Even veteran long snapper Joe Zelenka, who had been with the team longer than any other player or coach, was shown the door.

Now, the Jaguars have four rookies projected to start at Indianapolis on Sunday and several other young guys playing prominent roles. But they refuse to call this a rebuilding year. They prefer to think of it as a much-needed facelift.

The Jaguars have declared last year’s 5-11 record an aberration and say they have the right mix of veteran leadership and youthful energy to turn things around in a hurry.

“Anything is possible in the NFL,” linebacker Justin Durant said. “Teams have proven each and every year that you can have a terrible season and turn around and have a great season. We want to be one of those teams that does that.”

Coach Jack Del Rio has placed the onus on his veterans, guys like Jones-Drew, Durant, quarterback David Garrard, tight end Marcedes Lewis, defensive tackle John Henderson and cornerback Rashean Mathis, to get the franchise back to the playoffs for just the third time in the last 10 years.

But there’s little doubt his youngsters, especially those rookies, will be key factors.

“We’ve taken a very aggressive approach at it,” Del Rio said. “If you look at the amount of turnover that we’ve had, it’s unusually large. That amount of turnover is rare. We certainly can’t continue to do that and have much success, but we felt that the steps that were taken were in the best interest of the team and part of that was moving on with some players, part of that was purging some guys that just didn’t fit what we were looking for going forward.”

Last year was such a debacle that the Jaguars felt the only thing to do was make a major overhaul.

Backup left tackle Richard Collier was shot and paralyzed just days before the opener. Two starting offensive linemen were lost for the year in the first game, a huge blow for a team built to run the ball.

Things got worse, too.

The team’s two big-money free agent signings backfired, as Jacksonville got little in return for the more than $20 million they guaranteed receiver Jerry Porter and cornerback Drayton Florence. Receiver Matt Jones’ felony drug charge lingered throughout the season and the chemistry between Del Rio and star running back Fred Taylor was questioned.

“We have the understanding that we’re not going to go anywhere unless we buy in,” Lewis said. “I feel like last year we didn’t have the 100-percent buy in. This year, I think the leadership is there and guys understand the kind of attitude we’re going to have to have if we want to get to the championship and win the championship.”

Team owner Wayne Weaver had something to do with the changes

He asked personnel chief James “Shack” Harris to resign, promoted longtime scout Gene Smith to general manager and then started clearing house. Weaver and Smith got rid of several aging veterans and just about everyone with questionable character.

Captains, coaches — no one was immune.

Taylor, defensive captain Mike Peterson and defensive end Paul Spicer were let go. So were Porter, Jones, Florence, Reggie Williams, Khalif Barnes and Gerald Sensabaugh. Defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, secondary coach Donnie Henderson and longtime strength and conditioning coach Mark Asanovich also hit the road.

Nowadays, there are fresh faces everywhere.

“I don’t call it rebuilding,” Jones-Drew said. “I don’t know what that is. You don’t rebuild the Empire State building. You just add new things to it, right? Upgrade it. We upgraded, that’s all.”

Rookies Eugene Monroe (left tackle), Eben Britton (right tackle), Terrance Knighton (defensive tackle) and Derek Cox (cornerback) beat out veterans in the preseason and should start against the Colts.

“Last year was a tough year for everybody,” linebacker Clint Ingram said. “That wasn’t us. I could sit up here and say what went wrong all across the board, but basically what it all boils down to is we got a fresh year, a fresh start. Every year, a team surprises everybody. We won’t be surprising anybody except the outside world because we know what we can do.”