[NFL] Pre-Training Camp talk

Heard on the radio Jimmy Smith is goint to retire today.

*watches Legion start crying*

I wonder what the reason is? He still is a great player and produces well (hello fantasy league player!).

Can't get ESPn at work so I'll be on the lookout for a link on Yahoo later.

I can't wait to talk about all this on my podcast. But it's the week before finals, and every plan I've made to start recording has been interrupted with more damn schoolwork.

Jimmy retiring is somewhat surprising, but not shocking. The team has three young receivers ready to play. Wilford is proven as a #2 possession receiver. The real question is Reggie Williams, who keeps showing flashes but needs to put it all together. Last offseason he dropped weight, regained some speed, and took a small step forward. This offseason, he's stayed in Jacksonville instead of leaving town, and has upped his workouts to what Jimmy was doing. It's time for Reggie to play like the top 10 pick he was.

Hmm, I see a full podcast about a Matt Jones mancrush!

Heh. I love Jones but he's no #1 right now. He's got the ability, but he's played WR for only 1 year in his whole football-playing lifetime. Takes more time than that to learn the nuances of the position.

No, I was at the jaguars.com message board earlier, trying to shoot down that ridiculous notion. Jones is a #3 until at least next year. He should be productive - he was leading all rookie WRs in most categories until Leftwich went down (Garrard locked onto Jimmy every play and never threw to anyone else), and still finished #3 in most. Not bad for such a project. He'll be good for more than last year's 432 yards and 5 TDs.

It's going to be a serious youth movement on the Jaguars offense. Williams, Wilford, and Jones at WR. Marcedes Lewis at TE. Greg Jones and Maurice Drew at HB (and hey, if Fred Taylor re-discovers some health, then him too). Leftwich at QB is the grizzled veteran of the skill positions. Tons and tons of "potential" and a defense that will give them every chance in the world. Would be nice if the offense comes around sooner rather than later, especially while that defense is in full form (thankfully, most key players there are young too)

All those skill position players were drafted by the team, too. And 4 of the 5 offensive linemen. The draft has been good to the Jags.