Jacksonville Jaguars

Veteran quarterback Alex Smith told Outside the Lines Monday he considered signing with the Jacksonville Jaguars this offseason before ultimately deciding to retire (via Field Yates of ESPN). 

Smith announced his retirement in an Instagram post Monday after 16 years in the NFL.

The 36-year-old was a free agent after being released by the Washington Football Team earlier this offseason. He said he visited Jacksonville to potentially reunite with head coach Urban Meyer, who coached the quarterback in college at Utah.

Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reported "multiple teams" wanted to sign Smith.

The Jaguars hold the No. 1 pick and are widely expected to select Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence. The team also still has Gardner Minshew, who has proved to be a serviceable player under center.

Smith could have still helped the young team with his experience and consistency on the field.

While the 2020 Comeback Player of the Year didn't put up big numbers with Washington last season—197.8 passing yards per game with six touchdowns and eight interceptions—the squad went 5-1 with Smith as a starter. The NFC East winners went just 2-8 with Dwayne Haskins and Kyle Allen starting the game.

After being released, Smith was searching for a new team, and Dan Graziano and Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reported the quarterback "would prefer to go to a place where he could compete for a starting job."

Even if he could have started Week 1 in Jacksonville, it would likely have only been a matter of time before Lawrence or another young quarterback took over the role.

Jacksonville Jaguars fans are welcoming the player widely believed to be their next franchise quarterback, Trevor Lawrence, with some wedding gifts. 

Lawrence, the presumptive No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft, tweeted Sunday he and his wife Marissa Mowry would be making a $20,000 donation to various charities in Jacksonville to go along with the donations Jags fans made as a wedding gift to the pair:

Lawrence and Mowry were married last week. 

The Clemson quarterback finished his three-year college career with 10,098 passing yards, 90 touchdowns and just 17 interceptions, completing 66.6 percent of his passes. He was the 2020 ACC Player of the Year, a Heisman Trophy runner-up (2020), a national champion (2018) and a three-time College Football Playoff participant. 

From his freshman year on, he was widely projected to be a future top overall pick. With Jacksonville holding that selection this year, Lawrence has Duval in his future. 

The Jacksonville Jaguars have Trevor Lawrence to thank for Urban Meyer taking their head coaching position.

The University of Texas reportedly might have Lawrence to blame for Meyer not being in Austin.

"I spoke to an exec this weekend who said, 'Meyer, if the Jacksonville Jaguars were picking second, he might be coaching the University of Texas right now making $10-12 million a year,'" ESPN's Jeremy Fowler said Sunday on SportsCenter.

Texas offered its head coaching job to Meyer in December before firing Tom Herman in early January, but he turned it down. The Longhorns eventually hired Steve Sarkisian in an attempt to return the program to its former glory.

Meyer went 187-32 as a college coach with stops at Bowling Green State, Utah, Florida and Ohio State. His .854 winning percentage is the third-highest in college football history.

Texas has not won 11 games in a season since 2009; Meyer's teams won at least 10 games in each of his seven seasons at Ohio State. His hiring would have been a no-brainer home run that would have instantly catapulted Texas back into the national championship conversation.

The Jaguars' decision is much more of a risk, especially given Meyer lacks a history of developing star professional quarterbacks. None of Meyer's most notable collegiate quarterbacks—Tim Tebow, Alex Smith, Chris Leak, Braxton Miller, Cardale Jones, J.T. Barrett or Dwayne Haskins—turned into star-level NFL players. Smith became a solid game manager at the NFL level, but every quarterback had far more success under Meyer than at the next level.

Lawrence is considered one of the biggest can't-miss quarterback prospects in recent NFL history, so the judgment may fall squarely on Meyer if he doesn't pan out.

The Jacksonville Jaguars reportedly have "no issues" with Trevor Lawrence's desire to be a great NFL quarterback despite some questioning his drive amid his quotes in a Sports Illustrated profile.

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler said Sunday on SportsCenter:

"I asked around on this, and the Jacksonville Jaguars have no issues with Trevor Lawrence's willingness and drive to be great. So, these two sides have spent significant time on Zoom meetings in the last few months just to get to know each other. They've talked about football, they've talked about life, they've talked about the playbook, and both are in a really good place, a place of excitement. And Lawrence, in fact, is excited about what coach Urban Meyer will bring trying to maximize players in his first year as an NFL head coach."

Fowler went on to say Meyer made the leap to the NFL in large part because he wants to coach Lawrence, saying he might have stayed in college if this job hadn't been offered. The Clemson product has been locked in as the Jaguars' choice with the No. 1 overall pick for months.

Lawrence's drive has been in question for some after he told Sports Illustrated's Michael Rosenberg he doesn't have a "huge chip on [his] shoulder":

"It's hard to explain that because I want people to know that I'm passionate about what I do and it's really important to me, but ... I don't have this huge chip on my shoulder, that everyone's out to get me and I'm trying to prove everybody wrong. I just don't have that. I can't manufacture that. I don't want to.

"...I think people mistake that for being a competitor...I think that's unhealthy to a certain extent, just always thinking that you've got to prove somebody wrong, you've got to do more, you've got to be better."

Lawrence's father, Jeremy, also said his son is not a "win a Super Bowl at all costs" type of person. Given the somewhat negative response to those comments, Lawrence took to Twitter on Saturday to explain the rationale behind his thinking:

Of course, there was really nothing Lawrence or his father said that needed "explaining." Football is Lawrence's job. Nowhere in that job description—or anyone's job description—does it say one must be fully consumed with their line of work.

There is an odd requirement some have with athletes, demanding that they are robotically fixated on some fictional pursuit of unattainable greatness. This is especially so in football, when even a player like Justin Fields—who fought to bring back Big Ten football in 2020 and then threw six touchdowns against Clemson despite a rib injury in the College Football Playoff—can have his passion questioned.

The fact is that Lawrence is a generational quarterback prospect who is simply open about having a life outside of football. While he could have avoided any "controversy" by giving a cookie-cutter answer, every athlete has passions and interests outside their sport. If Lawrence winds up reaching his potential, perhaps he'll help erase the odd cultural expectation that athletes must be wholly consumed by their profession.

A newly released video shows NFL kicker Aldrick Rosas in bad shape ahead of his 2020 arrest, via TMZ Sports.

Rosas was arrested and charged with reckless driving on a highway, hit and run and property damage, and driving with a suspended or revoked license due to a previous DUI of alcohol or drugs.

The arrest video showed Rosas walking down the street barefoot and bloodied before officers found him and took him into custody.

The officer also called an ambulance after describing him as "bloodied up."

"Your feet are pretty messed up," the officer added.

Rosas eventually pled no contest to the charges and received three years of probation but no jail time. He was released by the New York Giants but joined the Jacksonville Jaguars during the 2020 NFL season and appeared in six games.

The 2018 Pro Bowler remains with Jacksonville after signing a one-year deal with the team this offseason.

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback, Renaissance man and fashion icon Gardner Minshew II unveiled a new look on Instagram Saturday:

"Yesterday we said goodbye to the Dirty Diesel Drapery which for raw power was second to none obviously, but we say hello to the more refined Platinum Power Pelt," Minshew wrote on IG.

"Meticulously crafted for a sleek and aerodynamic design, the Pelt is built not only for speed but also for pleasure."

Minshew could have used the speed boost from the Platinum Power Pelt during his 2019 NFL Scouting Combine performance, which saw him run the 40-yard dash in 4.97 seconds.

Then again, he's done well on the ground during two NFL seasons, rushing for 497 yards on 96 carries (5.2 yards per attempt) in 23 games.

This season, the sixth-round pick out of Washington State will almost certainly back up Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence, who is widely expected to go No. 1 overall to the Jags in the 2021 NFL draft.

But if the Jaguars need to call on Minshew for whatever reason, they'll know he has a significant edge over the competition thanks to the Platinum Power Pelt.

At this point, it would be stunning if the Jacksonville Jaguars took anyone but Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence with the No. 1 pick of the 2021 NFL draft.

Peter King talked to new Jaguars head coach Urban Meyer for his Football Morning in America column and asked the former Ohio State and Florida leader if the AFC South team will take Lawrence with that top pick.

"Uh," Meyer said. "I'd have to say that's the direction we're going. I'll leave that up to the owner when we make that decision official. But I'm certainly not stepping out of line that that's certainly the direction we're headed."

Meyer also opened up about what he likes about Lawrence:

"Trevor checks all the boxes, you know? The number one common quality of every great player, not just quarterback, is competitive maniac. He's 34-2. Won a national title as a true freshman. Is a winner. I've seen him up close and in person compete. And then character. I see him and I witness with my players, when the guys get drafted high, a lot of people get ... They have influences in their live. Like, whether it be social media, whether it be other things that really don't pertain to winning. What I'm really pleased with and I don't want to say surprised, but him, his agent, his family, they're focused on one thing. He wants to become the best version of himself for the National Football League, which is, well, it is somewhat refreshing."

That doesn't sound like a coach ready to draft anyone else, even if there are Ohio State connections in place between Meyer and Justin Fields.

It's hard to argue against what Lawrence did at the collegiate level. The 2020 Heisman Trophy runner-up won a national championship and reached two more College Football Playoffs in three years as a starter.

He completed 66.6 percent of his passes for 10,098 yards, 90 touchdowns and 17 interceptions while adding 943 yards and 18 touchdowns on the ground during his career with the Tigers.

There has been little doubt that he would be the No. 1 pick of the 2021 NFL draft dating back to before the 2020 college football season even started.

This is a critical pick for the Jaguars. They are starting a new era with Meyer, but their success will likely fall on Lawrence's shoulders. They missed as an organization when they selected Blake Bortles with the No. 3 pick of the 2014 draft, which prevented them from fully taking advantage of a championship-level defense.

If Lawrence lives up to expectations, Jacksonville could win its first Super Bowl in franchise history in the next decade.

New Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Urban Meyer isn't enjoying his first free agency period in the NFL.

The longtime NCAA coach was taken aback by the difference between free agency in the pros and recruiting at the college, namely that he is expected to sign players without meeting them first in order to be competitive during the legal tampering period.

"I'm not sure how that rule came about, but to me that's not good business," he said, per Michael DiRocco of ESPN. 

The Jaguars have signed 11 free agents thus far, and Meyer seemed to prioritize existing relationships as he built his first NFL roster. Running back Carlos Hyde played under Meyer at Ohio State from 2010-13, and his staff "had some connection" to six of those players, per DiRocco. 

Even for the players he had no link to, he checked in with other sources to get information on players like safety Rayshawn Jenkins, DiRocco said. He spoke to former Oakland Raiders and Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Louis Murphy, who Meyer said may be joining the Jaguars staff.

Meyer may have an easier time when the NFL draft comes around, considering his familiarity with the college football scene—and his success in recruiting. In ESPN's recruiting rankings, Meyer never had a class ranked lower than No. 7 in the country, and he has placed two recruiting classes above the rest of NCAA, per DiRocco. 

The Jaguars are largely expected to take Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence off of the board with the No. 1 pick, and Meyer has done his due diligence on his pick, having attended Lawrence's Pro Day in February. 

"I don’t know how you evaluate a quarterback without [seeing him in person]," he said, per Owen Watterson of Sports Illustrated. "So, I thought he did great. We’ve had a couple of Zoom calls with him and he’s been great, and we like where we’re at with him."  

Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Urban Meyer said Friday the franchise hasn't explored a trade for Gardner Minshew despite the expectation it will select fellow quarterback Trevor Lawrence with the first overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft next month.

"At this point, no," Meyer told reporters when asked whether Minshew is on the trade block.

"Minshew Mania" swept through Jacksonville on a couple different occasions since the franchise selected the Washington State product in the sixth round of the 2019 draft.

His baseline numbers are strong. He's completed 62.9 percent of his throws for 5,530 yards with 37 touchdowns and just 11 interceptions across 23 appearances (20 starts) over the past two seasons. He's added 497 rushing yards and one score on the ground.

The analysts' view of his play isn't quite as promising, though. ESPN's Total QBR ranked him 26th in 2019 and 27th in 2020, and Pro Football Focus gave him a lackluster 67.8 overall grade last season.

It's also worth noting the Jags went just 1-7 in his eight starts in 2020, which is a major reason they finished with a league-worst 1-15 record to earn the No. 1 overall pick. While you can't pin a team's record entirely on the quarterback, it's all part of the evaluation.

Even though the Jaguars are almost certainly going to select Lawrence following his standout three-year college career at Clemson and make him their starter to open the 2021 campaign, the rest of the depth chart is tougher to forecast.

Keeping Minshew, who's under contract through 2022, for another season to serve as the backup represents the safe option. He might not be a franchise quarterback, but he's proved effective with limited mistakes over his first two years, which is what you want from a chief reserve.

He'd likely attract interest on the trade market, but that would mean either elevating Jake Luton, who threw two touchdowns and six picks as a rookie last year, to the backup role or perhaps dipping into free agency for a mentor for Lawrence.

It sounds like the Jags aren't in any hurry to move Minshew, but if they do sign a veteran—perhaps someone like Matt Barkley after he filled a similar role behind Josh Allen with the Buffalo Bills over the past three years—then the trade rumors will start to pick up steam.

Minshew could embark on a long journeyman career in the mold of Ryan Fitzpatrick or Kyle Orton, or maybe even follow in the footsteps of Ryan Tannehill, who's become a star with the Tennessee Titans after enjoying only moderate success in his initial stop with the Miami Dolphins.

Gardner Minshew mania might be coming to an end with the Jacksonville Jaguars this season, but the quarterback isn't out of NFL options just yet. 

As the Jags mull over what to do with the No. 1 overall pick of the 2021 draft, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport noted the team has received "a few calls" from rival clubs interested in acquiring Minshew. While there's little indication Jacksonville is looking to part ways with the Washington State product, the franchise is expected to take Clemson QB Trevor Lawrence with the top pick, putting a hard ceiling on Minshew's likelihood of winning the starting job.

The 24-year-old appeared in nine games last year with 2,259 passing yards, 16 touchdowns and five interceptions for a 95.9 passer rating. 

It's unclear which teams might be looking to bring in Minshew—and in what capacity—but it makes sense his name would come up in talks as the current QB market dwindles. 

In addition to Wentz, Goff and Stafford, the Chicago Bears grabbed Andy Dalton, and the New England Patriots re-signed Cam Newton. As far as available and affordable talent goes, Alex Smith, Joe Flacco and Mitchell Trubisky top the list—though each come with their fair share of question marks. 

If the Jaguars were to part ways with Minshew, the club would need to rebuild its QB room from the ground up. Oregon State product Jake Luton, the No. 189 overall pick last year, remains the only other quarterback on Jacksonville's depth chart. Whether or not the team ends up drafting Lawrence, first-year head coach Urban Meyer could use a passer with starting experience on the roster. 

That's a good enough reason for Minshew to stay put. The Jags would just be foolish not to listen to any offers for him.