NFL Free Agency 2012: Jacksonville Jaguars Cut Cornerback Drew Coleman

The Jacksonville Jaguars cut cornerback Drew Coleman on Thursday afternoon after Coleman spent only one year on the team.

#Jaguars announced they cut CB Drew Coleman.

— Adam Caplan (@caplannfl) May 3, 2012

Coleman was signed from the New York Jets after the 2011 season. In his lone season with the Jaguars, Coleman recorded 46 total tackles while playing in every regular season game. Coleman also recorded two sacks and two interceptions during the season. Coleman was also credited with nine passes defended last season.

The six-year veteran played his college football at TCU and was drafted in the sixth round by the New York Jets in 2006.

For more news and analysis on the Jacksonville Jaguars, head on over to Big Cat Country. Still craving football in the off-season? Make sure to stop by the SB Nation NFL Hub Page for all the latest news from all 32 teams leading up to training camp and beyond.

NFL Free Agency 2012: Jaguars Add Three Players On Monday

The Jacksonville Jaguars announced Monday afternoon that the team has signed three new free agents, all first-year players that have bounced around the league's practice squads and offseason rosters. Defensive tackle David Howard, linebacker JoJo Dickson and kicker Sam Swank are the three players added by the Jags on Monday.

Howard played his college ball at Brown University. He was a seventh-round pick by the Titans in 2010, and also spent time with Seattle and Oakland. Dickson spent a week with the Jags at training camp in 2010. Swank has bounced between Cincinnati, the New York Giants and Philadelphia since entering the league in 2009.

Terms of their contracts are unknown at this time. All three figure to be camp bodies for the team with long odds to make the final 53-man roster in September.

For more news and analysis on the Jacksonville Jaguars, head on over to Big Cat Country. Still craving football in the off-season? Make sure to stop by the SB Nation NFL Hub Page for all the latest news from all 32 teams leading up to the NFL Draft, training camp, and beyond.

2012 NFL Free Agency: Jaguars Sign Wide Receiver Lee Evans, According To Reports

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Jacksonville Jaguars have signed former Buffalo Bills and Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Lee Evans.

Evans, 31, was once one of the best deep threats in the NFL, posting 1,000-yard seasons in 2006 and 2008 with the Bills. 2011 was his only season with the Baltimore Ravens where he struggled through injuries and a lack of playing time. In just nine games (two starts) he made just four receptions for 74 yards.

Evans has an impressive 15.8 yards per reception for his career with 43 touchdowns. He was taken 13th overall by the Bills in the 2004 NFL Draft.

For more news and analysis on the Jacksonville Jaguars, head on over to Big Cat Country. Still craving football in the off-season? Make sure to stop by the SB Nation NFL Hub Page for all the latest news from all 32 teams leading up to the NFL Draft, training camp, and beyond.

2012 NFL Schedule To Be Released Tuesday

2012 NFL Draft: Will The Jaguars Still Go After A Wide Receiver?

Despite landing free agent Laurent Robinson, will the Jaguars still look to add a wide receiver through the NFL Draft? Pro Football Weekly says yes, labeling WR as the Jags' most pressing need in the upcoming Draft:

For as much criticism as Gabbert received for his wretched rookie campaign, his WR corps deserves almost as much blame. Few NFL teams were as poorly equipped at receiver as Jacksonville was last season. Thus, the Jaguars overpaid for Laurent Robinson after wide receivers began quickly flying off the free-agent board for boatloads of money. In Robinson, the Jaguars get a dynamic playmaker who can find the endzone and take the top off a defense. What they didn’t get was a guy who consistently can stay on the field. As a result, Jacksonville still covets a No. 1 wideout who can take the pressure off Robinson and help make Gabbert look good.

Despite that, Mocking The Draft's most recent first round mock has Jacksonville selecting an offensive lineman, another area of need for Gabbert.

For more on the Jacksonville Jaguars, check out Big Cat Country and SB Nation's NFL page.

Jaguars Free Agency 2012: Aaron Ross, Rashean Mathis Will Compete For Starting Spot

The Jacksonville jaguars brought another cornerback onto the roster this of season in former Giants starter Aaron Ross. He gives the Jaguars three cornerbacks who have starting experience, which means that there will be some competition for in training camp. According to Tania Ganguli of the Florida Times-Union, that competition will be focused on Ross and Rashean Mathis.

"Derek [Cox] and Rashean [Mathis], up until their injuries, I thought they were playing very good football," Jaguars general manager Gene Smith said. "I think we gotta find a way to pressure the ball more and that’ll really help our secondary even more. We now have some veterans on the back end."

When asked if Ross and Mathis would enter training camp in an open competition, Jaguars coach Mike Mularkey said it would start that way.

At this point Mathis has to been as the favorite because of a few reasons. First of all, he has experience starting here and that is invaluable. But they also have plans for Ross in place if he doesn't win the competition, and his versatility might be best used elsewhere if he and Mathis is pretty close competition.

For all news and information regarding the Jacksonville Jaguars and their offseason moves, please visit Big Cat Country.

NFL Draft: Jaguars Looking To Draft A Defensive End?

The Jaguars are looking for some help on the defensive side of the ball, particularly at defensive end. With Matt Roth fully exploring all possible options as a free agent, visiting the Cincinnati Bengals last week, the focus turns to next month's NFL Draft where the Jaguars hold the No. 7 overall pick.

General Manager Gene Smith made that clear that the Jaguars are looking at possibly drafting a defensive end in April during an interview with Jacksonville.com.

I know he's entertaining other teams and I've certainly encouraged him and his agent to do so at this time

North Carolina defensive end Quinton Coples is regarded as probably the best defensive end entering the draft and very well may be available when the No. 7 pick comes up. Though Todd McShay projects in his most recent mock draft that the Jaguars would be better suited selecting Iowa offensive lineman Riley Reiff.

Reiff is a safe, high-character pick who fits the draft style of Jags general manager Gene Smith. He will solidify the offensive line and provide protection for second-year QB Blaine Gabbert as he continues to develop. North Carolina DE Quinton Coples is the most talented player on the board at this point, but he's the kind of high-upside prospect who doesn't fit Smith's style.

The decision to pick either Reiff or Coples could come down to whether or not the Jaguars re-sign Roth. But Roth did end last season on injured reserve after suffering a concussion, so there could be some concern there.

For more Jaguars coverage, visit Big Cat Country.

Tim Tebow Trade: Jaguars Owner Says Quarterback Did Not Want To Come To Jacksonville

Tim Tebow did not want to play for the Jacksonville Jaguars, according to Shad Khan, the team's owner. Khan relayed that information speaking to the Florida Time-Union at the NFL owners meeting on Monday. It was the first time since the trade that Khan has commented.

The Jaguars were willing to offer a third-round pick, which could have netted them the quarterback, but Khan and the Jaguars did not want to force the issue if Tebow preferred to play elsewhere.

That would have been the worst thing for Jacksonville and the worst thing for him ... He didn't want to come, obviously. ... Any one of the 53 players we have, have to be committed to Jacksonville, making us be the best team we are. The question was: Did he want to come? And if the decision had been taken out [of his hands] and we got him, that would not be good for him, or for us.

Jacksonville signed free agent quarterback Chad Henne earlier this month to backup second-year starter Blaine Gabbert.

For more Jaguars coverage, visit Big Cat Country.

2012 NFL Free Agency: Jaguars Owner Shad Khan On Pursuit Of Tim Tebow

The Jacksonville Jaguars were denied in their attempts to trade for Tim Tebow on Wednesday, which is surprising considering the hometown interest. Our Jaguars blog Big Cat Country has a statement from owner Shad Khan on their pursuit of Tebow.

Earlier this week I asked Gene Smith and his staff to explore the potential of acquiring Tim Tebow. I think we have a duty to consider all avenues of improving the Jaguars on and off the field, especially given the unique circumstances involving the player. I appreciate the high level of due diligence Gene and his staff dedicated to this matter even as late as this evening, and I am very satisfied with the outcome. Our commitment to developing Blaine Gabbert was, and still is, central to our goal of returning the Jaguars to elite status in the NFL. We are looking ahead with zero regrets.

If you read Big Cat Country, then being rebuffed by Tebow is actually a blessing in disguise for the Jaguars as the move probably would not have been a very good one.

For all news and information regarding the Jacksonville Jaguars and their offseason moves, please visit Big Cat Country.

Tim Tebow Trade: Broncos' QB Dealt To Jets, Choosing New York Over Jaguars

In a strange turn of events, Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow was allowed to pick which team he was traded to. The choice for Tebow came down to his hometown Jacksonville Jaguars or the New York Jets, who originally agreed to trade for him. Tim Tebow wound up choosing the Jets over the Jacksonville Jaguars according to a report by Adam Schefter of ESPN.

Denver has agreed to trade Tim Tebow and a seventh-round pick to the Jets for the NY's fourth-round pick and a sixth-round pick.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 22, 2012

The deal in place is the original deal that was agreed upon, but as for the original snag of the Jets being required to pay the Broncos $5 million has been revised. According to Schefter, the Jets will pay the Broncos half of the compensation for a total of $2.5 million.

For all news and information regarding the Jacksonville Jaguars and their offseason moves, please visit Big Cat Country.

Tim Tebow Trade Destination Will Be His Choice, According To Report

In what is turning out to be one of the most surreal days in NFL history, Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow gets to choose which team he ends up at in a trade. The Broncos apparently have offers from both the New York Jets and Jacksonville Jaguars, and they are going to allow Tebow to choose his destination according to a report by Adam Schefter of ESPN.

Tim Tebow is being allowed to pick the team he wants to go to. He picks the trade. Jets or Jacksonville.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 22, 2012

Personally, I have never heard of something like this occurring, but Tebow will actually get to choose his destination in the trade. Now the question is if Tebow chooses his hometown, or if he chooses the Big Apple.

This is the most surreal day in NFL history.

For all news and information regarding the Jacksonville Jaguars and their offseason moves, please visit Big Cat Country.

Tim Tebow Trade: Jets Deal Catches Snag, Jaguars Back In The Running According To Report

While the trade for Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow looked like it would finally done and finalized, the two sides hit a snag with a clause in Tebow's contract forcing which ever team trade for him to pay back a salary advance to the tune of around $5 million. The trade is now in jeopardy and according to Adam Schefter of ESPN it the Jacksonville Jaguars have gotten back in the race.

More craziness filed to ESPN: Jaguars are back in the mix, seeing if they now can pull off a trade with Denver for Tim Tebow.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 21, 2012

The Jaguars and the St. Louis Rams reportedly knew about the salary hang up in the contract and that was why they backed off. Now that the trade is in jeopardy, Tebow might come cheaper and according to Shefter the Jaguars are back in play.

For all news and information regarding the Jacksonville Jaguars and their offseason moves, please visit Big Cat Country.

Tim Tebow Trade: Quarterback Traded To New York Jets, Not Jacksonville Jaguars

While the interest was there to bring Tim Tebow back to the state where he was a college superstar, those ideas went up in smoke. The former Gator quarterback was traded to the New York Jets for a fourth round draft pick on Wednesday afternoon.

The trade for Tebow puts him behind incumbent starter Mark Sanchez, who just signed a three-year, $40.5 million extension two weeks ago. The Jets also recently signed former Detroit Lion Drew Stanton and have former Alabama quarterback Greg McIlroy on the roster as well. The Jets are planning on using Tebow as a change of pace player that could run the wildcat package.

The Jaguars had expressed some possible interest in bringing Tebow back to Florida, but they are obviously committed to Blaine Gabbert as their future option at the quarterback position.

For all news and information regarding the Jacksonville Jaguars and their offseason moves, please visit Big Cat Country.

NFL Free Agency 2012: Jaguars Interested In Legedu Naanee, Lee Evans?

The Jacksonville Jaguars have made a number of moves since the beginning the NFL's free agency period, including re-signing safety Dwight Lowery, signing defensive end Jeremy Mincey and wide receiver Laurent Robinson, and adding Chad Henne as their backup quarterback. There have been rumors that they're interested in Tim Tebow, but judging by their current team depth chart, it seems likely that the rumors are merely that: rumors.

But the Jaguars are still interested in adding a few more players, and according to Tania Ganguli from the Florida Times-Union, they are targeting wide receivers:

The Jaguars have interest in free agent receivers Lee Evans and Legedu Naanee. [...]

Jacksonville general manager Gene Smith said last week that he would still like to add another receiver in free agency or the draft. The Jaguars signed receiver Laurent Robinson to a five-year deal worth $32.5 million with close to $14 million in guarantees.

Evans or Naanee are not big-name receivers, but they both have a track record of success and should come relatively cheaply considering their mediocre recent history. Evans only started two games for the Ravens last season, while Nannee played in 15 games and had 10 starts. The Jaguars shouldn't expect either player to step in as a star, but both would make decent depth signings.

For all news and information regarding the Jacksonville Jaguars and their offseason moves, please visit Big Cat Country.

2012 NFL Free Agency: Shahid Khan Denies Negotiating Directly With Representatives Of Tim Tebow

With Tim Tebow being put on the trading block recently, the Jacksonville Jaguars have been a name consistently mentioned as a possibility. Rumors came out late on Tuesday that had Jaguars owner Shahid Khan negotiating directly with Tebow's representatives, but according to Tania Ganguli of the Florida Times-Union, the Jaguars have denied those reports.

WKMG reporter David Pingalore said a deal for the Jaguars to acquire Tebow through a trade was in the works between Khan and Tebow's representatives late Tuesday night, and a deal could happen as soon as midday today. Sources strongly denied that.

Our Jaguars blogger Alfie Crow at Big Cat Country has been very clear about his disinterest in Tim Tebow, here is an excerpt of a pretty spectacular twitter rant he went on about why Tebow is not a good fit.

If you bring him and and it blows up in your face, you fracture a large portion of diehard fans then lose the fair weather people. Then what? The only way to survive the "anger" of not having Tebow is to keep your hands completely clean of him. Because if you get Tebow and he fails, it's not going to be Tebow's fault. It's going to be the Jaguars fault.

And as he explains, the chances of Tebow succeeding with the Jaguars are not strong, therefor the team would be setting themselves up for failure.

For all news and information regarding the Jacksonville Jaguars and their offseason moves, please visit Big Cat Country.

2012 NFL Free Agency: Jaguars Sign Former Giant Cornerback Aaron Ross

The Jacksonville Jaguars have continued their spending spree so far in 2012 NFL Free Agency by agreeing to terms with veteran cornerback Aaron Ross, formerly of the New York Giants. Our Jacksonville blog Big Cat Country has some more background information on Ross and the role he has played throughout his career.

Ross, 29, has spent his entire five-year career with the Giants after they selected him with the 20th overall selection in the 2007 NFL Draft, one pick before the Jaguars selected Reggie Nelson 21st. After making an early impact in his career, Ross was relegated to more of a reserve role in final two years in New York and started in 2011 only because Terrell Thomas was placed on injured reserve.

Details of the contract were not immediately available, but it is safe to assume that the Jaguars did not break the bank for Ross like they had with some other free agents. Big Cat Country also speculates that Ross received an incentive based deal, similar to some of the contracts the Jaguars have handed out this offseason.

For all news and information regarding the Jacksonville Jaguars and their offseason moves, please visit Big Cat Country.

NFL Trade Rumors: Tim Tebow's Florida Connections Dominating Trade Talk

Minutes after news broke that the Denver Broncos would sign free agent quarterback Peyton Manning, talk immediately turned to the fate of quarterback Tim Tebow. Two teams being mentioned most often in association with Tebow are the Miami Dolphins and the Jacksonville Jaguars, despite the fact that not a word directly associating either team with the Broncos' quarterback has been uttered.

Last Friday, John Clayton of ESPN said that the Jaguars would not be interested in Tebow should the Broncos sign Manning. Jacksonville drafted Blaine Gabbert in the first round of the 2011 NFL Draft, and the team signed Chad Henne to be a backup and compete with Gabbert this season.

Miami may be a more logical landing spot, at least in the eyes of the punditry, since they keep swinging and missing on quarterbacks this offseason.

Both teams would benefit, at least in the short term, from increased ticket sales. The real question is how long that would sustain itself.

For more Dolphins coverage, check out The Phinsider. For more Jaguars, visit Big Cat Country. Keep track of all the free agent moves and trades happening at SB Nation's NFL hub.

2012 NFL Free Agency: Chad Henne Signing Means Jaguars Will Not Trade For Tim Tebow, According To Report

The Jacksonville jaguars have been linked to Tim Tebow, again, if he is made available for a trade if the Broncos bring in Peyton Manning. But they signed Chad Henne on Wednesday to backup Blaine Gabbert, which probably means that Jacksonville will not be interested in Tim Tebow, no matter what the circumstances. John Clayton of EPSN confirmed that with a tweet on Thursday morning.

The Chad Henne signing in Jacksonville kills any potential Tim Tebow to Jax trade if the Broncos sign Peyton Manning

— John Clayton (@ClaytonESPN) March 15, 2012

Thus ends another season of Tim Tebow speculation in Jacksonville. Bringing Henne on board seems to signify that the Jaguars are comfortable with who they have under center for the upcoming year and that Tim Tebow does not have a place on their roster.

For all news and information regarding the Jacksonville Jaguars and their offseason moves, please visit Big Cat Country.

Jaguars Sign Chad Henne To 2-Year Deal

The Jacksonville Jaguars continued to stay active in free agency on the second day of the open market. After agreeing to a contract with free agent wide receiver Laurent Robinson, the Jaguars filled the void at the back up quarterback position by signing former Miami Dolphins quarterback Chad Henne to a two-year deal.

Don't know if this is out there, but the #Jaguars signed Chad henne to a two year deal.

— Tania Ganguli (@taniaganguli) March 14, 2012

Former back up quarterback Luke McCown is an unrestricted free agent, but the Jaguars were looking to get a younger back up quarterback and someone they felt could push Blaine Gabbert. Henne will not compete for the starting quarterback position, but he does provide a serviceable patch for a few games. Adding Henne should also squash and Tim Tebow speculation that never really had wheels to begin with.

For all news and information regarding the Jacksonville Jaguars and their offseason moves, please visit Big Cat Country.

Jaguars Sign Laurent Robinson To 5-Year $32.5 Million Deal

The Jacksonville Jaguars brought in free agent wide receiver Laurent Robinson for a visit on Tuesday evening and met with the former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver all day on Wednesday. The Jaguars were able to lock up Robinson however, despite being pursued by as many as five other teams.

Jacksonville reached agreement with former Dallas free-agent wide receiver Laurent Robinson on a five-year, $32.5 million deal.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 14, 2012

Robinson broke on to the scene last season for the Dallas Cowboys, catching 54 passes for 858 yards and 11 touchdowns. Robinson is a big time speed threat, which is something the Jaguars need on their offense. He did a good job with explosive plays for the Cowboys in 2011. If Robinson can be a number one receiver is a big question. The concern with Robinson is he's done it only one time and it took him a while to stick onto a team.

For all news and information regarding the Jacksonville Jaguars and their offseason moves, please visit Big Cat Country.

Jaguars Re-Sign Jeremy Mincey, According To Report

The Jacksonville Jaguars waited until the night time to get started in free agency, re-signing safety Dwight Lowery earlier in the evening to a new four-year contract. The Jaguars have now brought back another of their own, defensive end Jeremy Mincey has signed a four-year deal according to a report by Aaron Wilson of Scout.com.

The Jacksonville Jaguars have retained veteran defensive end Jeremy Mincey on a four-year deal, according to a league source with knowledge of the situation. The Jaguars' new contract with Mincey keeps them from losing one of the top defensive free agents.

Mincey was a late bloomer in the NFL, bouncing around on a few teams before he stuck on with the Jaguars. Even once he stuck with the Jaguars, Mincey had trouble cracking the line up and staying on the football field and dealing with injuries. Last season, Mincey was able to play a full season and led the team in sacks with eight sacks on the season.

For all news and information regarding the Jacksonville Jaguars and their offseason moves, please visit Big Cat Country.

Dwight Lowery, Jaguars Agree On New 4-Year Contract

After a slow start to the 2012 NFL free agency season, the Jacksonville Jaguars got a bit of good news as they have re-signed free agent safety Dwight Lowery. Lowery tweeted that he was back, and the re-signing was confirmed by Tania Ganguli of the Florida Times-Union.

Dwight Lowery re-signed. On the phone with him now. #Jaguars RT @lowerydlo: looks like Lowery's back... twitter.com/LoweryDLo/stat…

— Tania Ganguli (@taniaganguli) March 14, 2012

The Jaguars acquired Lowery in a trade with the New York Jets just before the start of the 2011 NFL season for a seventh-round pick. It took Lowery a few weeks to get into the starting lineup, but he was still able to make in impact playing in sub-packages early on.

The terms of the new deal with Lowery have yet to be disclosed.

For all news and information regarding the Jacksonville Jaguars and their offseason moves, please visit Big Cat Country.

Jaguars Designate Restricted Free Agent Tenders

With the start of the 2012 NFL Free Agency season, the Jaguars have also tendered some of their restricted free agents. The team announced that three players were hit with a restricted free agent tender.

Following Jags restricted free agents received tenders: Russell Allen (2nd round), Courtney Greene (7th round) and William Middleton (5th)

— jaguarsinsider (@jaguarsinsider) March 13, 2012

Russell Allen started some of the season for the Jaguars once Clint Session went out of the lineup with a concussion and played fairly well. The Jaguars like Allen because of his versatility, being able to fill in at all three linebacker positions.

One player who curiously wasn't tendered was defensive lineman Leger Douzable, who played really well in spots at defensive tackle and defensive end while the Jaguars dealt with injuries on their defense.

For all news and information regarding the Jacksonville Jaguars and their offseason moves, please visit Big Cat Country.

NFL Free Agency 2012: Chad Henne Visiting Jacksonville Jaguars, According To Report

The Jacksonville Jaguars will host free agent quarterback Chad Henne according to a report by Adam Schefter of ESPN. With Luke McCown an unrestricted free agent, the Jaguars wanted to make getting a back up quarterback a priority.

More visits: chad Henne expected to visit Jacksonville, Kyle Orton expected to visit Dallas.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 13, 2012

Henne was originally a second round pick of the Miami Dolphins and should provide an excellent back up option for Jaguars quarterback pick Blaine Gabbert. Henne started four games for the Dolphins in 2011 before shoulder surgery landed him on injured reserve. Prior to that he started 27 games between the 2009 and 2010 seasons. Henne has accumulated more than 7,000 career passing yardage as well as 31 touchdowns and 37 interceptions during his career with the Dolphins.

For all news and information regarding the Jacksonville Jaguars and their offseason moves, please visit Big Cat Country.

NFL Free Agency 2012: Laurent Robinson Visiting Jacksonville Jaguars, According To Report

Free agent wide receiver Laurent Robinson has scheduled a visit with the Jacksonville Jaguars according to a report by Jason La Canfora of NFL Network.

Dallas WR Laurent Robinson on his way to visit the Jags. Cowboys will try to keep him #freeagency

— Jason La Canfora (@JasonLaCanfora) March 13, 2012

Robinson broke on to the scene last season for the Dallas Cowboys, catching 54 passes for 858 yards and 11 touchdowns. Robinson is a big time speed threat, which is something the Jaguars need on their offense. He did a good job with explosive plays for the Cowboys in 2011, and as La Canfora notes the Cowboys will try to keep him. The cost of Robinson or if he can be a number one receiver. The concern with Robinson is he's done it only one time and it took him a while to stick onto a team.

For all news and information regarding the Jacksonville Jaguars and their offseason moves, please visit Big Cat Country.

Jaguars Release Kassim Osgood And Kevin Haslam

The Jacksonville Jaguars have been quiet prior to the start of NFL free agency, but released two players on Tuesday afternoon. The Jaguars release special teams ace and wide receiver Kassim Osgood, clearing up a little bit of cap space. Osgood announced his release on Twitter.

Well I had a great experience in Jacksonville. Good people, good fans, great city! I will not be a jaguar next year, but the show must go on

— Kassim Osgood (@kassimosgood81) March 13, 2012

Cutting Osgood saves the Jaguars roughly $2.993 million in salary.

The Jaguars also released offensive lineman Kevin Haslam, who also announced his release on Twitter. Haslam spent the 2011 season on injured reserve with a torn MCL, so his release may have more to do with his injury than saving money on the salary cap.

For all news and information regarding the Jacksonville Jaguars and their offseason moves, please visit Big Cat Country.

Jaguars Free Agency 2012: Is Mario Williams A Smart Investment For Jacksonville?

The Jacksonville Jaguars have a lot of salary cap room to play with in Free Agency, and they desperately need a pass rusher to help their defense. Mario Williams is one of the best rush defensive ends in the league and is a free agent. Seems like a pretty good match, right? Our Jags blog Big Cat Country certainly thinks so.

Williams may command a ridiculous contract. It may even end up as something like eight years, $120 million with $50 million guaranteed. That's a lot of money, but it's still a smart play for the Jaguars. Rather than throwing smaller deals at "upside" free agents like Pierre Garcon, Wallace Gilberry, or Tim Jennings, it's time for the Jaguars to swing for the fences.

Williams will cost a ton, but signing him would single-handedly improve a pass-rush that would be near the bottom of the league without Mincey to at least the middle of the pack. If they're able to bring Mincey back as well, Williams, Mincey, and potential draft picks could create a pass-rush that would rival the league's best.

There are some rumors out there that the Jaguars will have interest in Williams, but if he is in it for the money, the Jaguars can certainly compete with anyone else.

For all news and information regarding the Jacksonville Jaguars and their offseason moves, please visit Big Cat Country.

NFL Free Agency 2012: Jaguars Are $40.6 Million Under The Salary Cap Entering Free Agency

While the Jacksonville Jaguars have claimed that they will not be making plays for expensive free agents, the Jags do have a great amount of cap space to go after free agents and provide depth. The official NFL salary cap was announced to be $120.6 million for 2012. When free agency begins on Tuesday afternoon, the Jaguars will be $40.6 million under the cap. Its the fourth highest amount under the cap in the league only behind the Cincinnati Bengals, Denver Broncos and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

One of the biggest needs this offseason is getting some help for second year quarterback Blaine Gabbert. While the Jaguars don't seem to be players for free agents such as Vincent Jackson, there is enough depth at wide receiver this offseason that they could find a diamond in the rough and not have to break the bank to sign him. Jacksonville has already expressed interest in pursuing Josh Morgan.

For all news and information regarding the Jacksonville Jaguars and their offseason moves, please visit Big Cat Country.

Jaguars Don't Need Or Want Tim Tebow

Despite media speculation of the Jacksonville Jaguars having interest in trading for Tim Tebow, the desire to do so by both the fans and the franchise just isn't there.

Jaguars Re-Sign OT William Robinson To 2-Year Deal

The Jacksonville Jaguars have been working on bringing back some of their own impending free agents before the start of NFL Free Agency on Tuesday March 13. One player the Jaguars brought back is offensive tackle William Robinson who was slated to be a restricted free agent, according to John Clayton of ESPN.

#Jaguars reach a two-year deal to re-sign offensive lineman Will Robinson, a source told @ClaytonESPN

— Paul Kuharsky (@espn_afcsouth) March 9, 2012

Robinson was a late season waiver claim by the Jaguars after he was released by the New Orleans Saints. Robinson has been in the NFL since 2009, originally joining the Washington Redskins playing in just one game. Robinson then bounced to the Seattle Seahawks for the 2010 season before signing with the Saints for the 2011 season. Robinson played his college football at San Diego State.

For all news and information regarding the Jacksonville Jaguars and their offseason moves, please visit Big Cat Country.

Jaguars Free Agency 2012: Jags Pursuing WR Josh Morgan?

Blaine Gabbert had a tough rookie year for the Jacksonville Jaguars, but if the team doesn't find him some help at the wide receiver position in the offseason, they won't exactly be setting him up to succeed. One potential free agent wide receiver target is Josh Morgan, who was a solid early-season contributor for the San Fransisco 49ers in 2011 before an injury ended his season prematurely. Matt Maiocco of CSN Bay Area believes that Morgan is a serious target for Jacksonville.

Jacksonville is expected to make a competitive play for Morgan once the free-agent signing period opens. Former 49ers assistant Jerry Sullivan, who thinks highly of Morgan, was hired as the Jaguars wide receivers coach in January.

Morgan caught 15 passes for 220 yards and one touchdown in five games last season. He underwent season-ending surgery on his ankle in October.

For all news and information regarding the Jacksonville Jaguars and their offseason moves, please visit Big Cat Country.

Rashean Mathis Re-Signs With Jaguars For One Year, $5 Million

Unrestricted free agent Rashean Mathis was going to be one of the Jacksonville Jaguars' biggest losses this offseason if he opted to test the free agent waters, but he's decided to return to the team where he's spent the entirety of his professional career. Adam Schefter dropped the news on twitter.

Like an old homecoming: Jaguars reached agreement with CB Rashean Mathis on a one-year, $5 million deal.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 7, 2012

Mathis was an All-Pro selection in 2006 and was one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL during his younger years, but his play dipped a bit in the couple of years prior to the 2011 season. Mathis got off to a brilliant start this past year, but tore his ACL mid-season and missed the final seven games of the year.

Because Mathis is 31-years-old and coming off of a major injury, he was always unlikely to command serious interest in a long-term contract from anyone. If he returns to full health before training camp, he should be a starter for the Jaguars in 2012.

For all news and information regarding the Jacksonville Jaguars and their offseason moves, please visit Big Cat Country.

Jaguars Free Agency 2012: Josh Scobee Receives Franchise Tag

The Jacksonville Jaguars have been trying to sign their kicker Josh Scobee to an extension, but it appears that the two sides could not reach an agreement, and the team had to franchise him.

The #Jaguars have franchised kicker @JoshScobee10. He is locked in for at least one more year.

— Tania Ganguli (@taniaganguli) March 5, 2012

Placing the franchise tag on Scobee means that he will play under a one-year deal for no less than the average of the top five highest paid kickers in the NFL. It used to be an honor to be considered the teams "franchise" player, but now because of injury and non-gauranteed contracts, players prefer to sign the longer deals that ensure a steady pay day for years. But there aren't a lot of kicker injuries, so it isn't as bad for Scobee as it could be for players at more dangerous positions.

For more on the Jacksonville Jaguars, visit SB Nation's Jaguars blog Big Cat Country. And for more on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, please head over to Bucs Nation. For more on NFL Free Agency, visit SB Nation's NFL hub.

Jaguars Could Franchise Tag Jeremy Mincey, According To Report

The Jacksonville Jaguars haven't placed their franchise tag on anyone at this moment, but with the deadline on March 5 fast approaching, it's possible the Jaguars could place their tag on defensive end Jeremy Mincey. Most believed that the team would use their franchise tag on kicker Josh Scobee, but Adam Stites of Big Cat Country reports that the team could use their tag on Mincey.

While the conventional thought in the media is that kicker Josh Scobee is the player that makes the most sense for the Jaguars to assign the franchise tag to (if they do at all), a source told me today "don't be surprised" if the Jaguars assign the franchise tag instead to defensive end Jeremy Mincey.

The official numbers for the franchise tags haven't been finalized, but the projected tag number for the 28-year old defensive end would be $10.6 million guaranteed.

For all news and information regarding the Jacksonville Jaguars and their offseason moves, please visit Big Cat Country.

NFL Free Agency: Josh Morgan Could Be A Jaguars Target

The Jacksonville Jaguars need an injection of talent at the wide receiver position. What once looked like a great wide receiver group to hit free agency now looks like one that will be diluted down as we inch closer to the deadline for the franchise tag. One player who could be available that has been linked to the Jacksonville Jaguars is San Francisco 49ers receiver Josh Morgan, according to Mike Maiocco at CSN Bay Area.

There was some buzz about Morgan at the combine. If the 49ers do not sign him before March 13, several teams are expected to be interested. Jacksonville could be one of those teams. A source close to Morgan told CSNBayArea.com that "nothing is cooking" right now toward a new deal with the 49ers, but that can change in a hurry. He continues to show up nearly every day at the 49ers' practice facility to work out and rehab from his season-ending leg injury. He is on pace to take part in offseason practices without any restrictions.

New Jaguars wide receivers coach Jerry Sullivan apparently really likes Morgan and was on the 49ers staff when Morgan was drafted by the team. It's likely that Sullivan could lobby Jaguars general manager for a chance to work with once again with a once promising receiver.

For all news and information regarding the Jacksonville Jaguars and their offseason moves, please visit Big Cat Country.

2012 NFL Free Agency: Jaguars, Buccaneers Could Use Hines Ward

The Steelers intend to release wide receiver Hines Ward, but a hall of fame player like that will most likely catch on with another team, assuming he wants to continue his career on a team other than the Steelers. According to Jason La Canfora, via SB Nation, the Jaguars and Buccaneers make sense as potential landing spots.

NFL Network's Jason La Canfora wonders if a team like the Tampa Bay Bucs or Jacksonville Jaguars could use a veteran receiver like Ward. That makes some sense. I think his best role would be a mentor-type to a team with young receivers. Ward obviously can't be the featured receiver anymore, but he can contribute given the right situation.

It's important to note that this isn't based on any concrete evidence that those teams could consider Ward for their roster, rather just speculation on the reporter's part that those teams could be good fits.

For more on the Jacksonville Jaguars, visit SB Nation's Jaguars blog Big Cat Country. And for more on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, please head over to Bucs Nation. For more on NFL Free Agency, visit SB Nation's NFL hub.

Nate Collins Arrested For Marijuana Possession, According To Report

Jacksonville Jaguars defensive tackle Nate Collins was arrested for possession of marijuana Thursday evening, according to a report by the Fauquier Times-Democrat. This marks the first arrest for the Jaguars since wide receiver Matt Jones was arrested on March 9, 2009.

Jacksonville Jaguars player Nathaniel Collins was arrested last Thursday evening in Warrenton. The defensive tackle was traveling north on U.S. 29 when a Virginia state trooper stopped him for illegal window tint. The trooper noticed the scent of marijuana coming from the car and found a duffle bag with marijuana joints in the trunk.

This effectively ends the streak of non-arrests by the Jacksonville Jaguars, who hadn't had a player arrested during the Gene Smith era. Collins was originally signed by the New York Giants as an undrafted free agent out of Virginia in 2010 but was picked up by the Jaguars during the 2010 season and made the roster in 2011, playing a rotational role on the defensive line. Collins is a pending exclusive rights free agent in 2012.

2012 NFL Free Agency: Jaguars, Josh Scobee Have 'Significant Gap' In Negotiations

One of the biggest free agents who could bolt from the Jaguars this offseason is, surprisingly enough, kicker Josh Scobee. He and his agent have been trying to work out a new contract with Jacksonville, but according to Tania Ganguli of the Florida Times-Union, there is still a sizable gap in the negotiations.

Contract talks between the Jaguars and kicker Josh Scobee's agent have progressed. The sides have exchanged contract proposals, but there is still a significant gap between what each side wants. Scobee will be an unrestricted free agent when the market opens on March 13 at 4 p.m. unless the Jaguars re-sign him to a long-term deal or apply the franchise tag. That date is two weeks later than free agency has started in the past.

The Jaguars could easily franchise Scobee, and the figure for a kicker would not be very high, but I'm sure they would prefer to leave that option open for another one of their free agents if they can and sign Scobee to a long term deal. It still seems like that a deal is not quite on the horizon.

For more on the Jacksonville Jaguars, visit SB Nation's Jaguars blog Big Cat Country. For more on NFL Free Agency, visit SB Nation's NFL hub.

Rashean Mathis: 'I'm not ready to let go of my guys yet'

Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Rashean Mathis was finally looking like he was getting back to his 2006 All-Pro form during the 2011 NFL season. With an improved safety tandem behind him, Mathis looked much better than he did in the previous season when the secondary as a hole was a disaster. Mathis' season was cut short however when he tore his ACL against the Indianapolis Colts, missing the final seven games of the season. Making matters worse, Mathis was in the final year of his contract and is now scheduled to be a free agent, but he wants to come back to Jacksonville.

"I'm not ready to let go of my guys yet - the locker room, the camaraderie we have," Mathis told John Oehser of Jaguars.com. "That is still a part of me. There will be a day where I wash my hands of it and say, ‘The Lord has allowed me to do great things,' but that's not here. My time is not up yet."

Mathis has been a stalwart on the Jaguars defense since his rookie season when he took over the starting cornerback position. Mathis has been a fan favorite and also taken a lot of unwarranted criticism (at times) because he's also from Jacksonville, playing his high school football at Englewood High School. Mathis wants to continue his career in his hometown.

"That's what I want - and there is hope," Mathis told Oehser. "Hopefully, I don't hit free agency. The people who work for me know that and my agency knows that - and they have always known that. I've never kept that a secret, but I understand the evaluation process that has to go on and the trust process with this injury that has to go on."

I don't expect Mathis to command much money in free agency and if he's recovered from his injury, he can still provide a reliable service in the Jaguars secondary. As it stands, the Jaguars starting cornerbacks would be Derek Cox (who's coming off his own injury) and Drew Coleman, the teams nickelback from 2011. Both William Middleton and Rashean Mathis are slated to be free agents. It's definitely a position of need for the Jaguars entering the 2012 season.

Jaguars Free Agency 2012: Josh Scobee, Jeremy Mincey Could Receive Franchise Tag

Monday is the first day that NFL teams can put a franchise tag on their players, ensuring that they will be on the roster next year while the team tries to figure out if they want to work out a long-term contract. The guys over at SB Nation have put together an article that lists the players for each team that are likely to get tagged, ranked by the likelihood that it happens. They think that Josh Scobee is the man for the Jaguars.

Josh Scobee. The franchise tag number on a kicker is a little over two and a half million bucks, which is (relatively) cheap, so expect Jacksonville to use the tag on their kicker. He's a solid kicker who the Jags want to bring back. Jeremy Mincey is a dark-horse candidate for the franchise tag as well.

Scobee is a pretty good player, and it is good for the Jaguars that there isn't someone who deserves a franchise tag that would pay them at a higher grade. Although that doesn't speak well about the state of the roster when the kicker is the most prized free agent.

For more on the Jacksonville Jaguars, visit SB Nation's Jaguars blog Big Cat Country. For more on NFL Free Agency, visit SB Nation's NFL hub.

Jeremy Mincey, Jaguars Haven't Talked Contract Yet, According To Report

Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Jeremy Mincey is coming off his best season in the NFL, ending the 2012 NFL season notching a career high eight sacks after completing his first full season of his career. The Jaguars and Mincey haven't exchanged initial contract proposals yet however, according to a report by Adam Stites of Big Cat Country.

Jeremy Mincey is still fresh off of one of the best seasons from a defensive end for a Jaguars player in several years and, according to a source, the team wants to make sure he stays in Jacksonville. While the two sides have not yet sat down to negotiate and have not talked contract figures at all to this point, the Jaguars were also set back by a head coaching search and the filling of the coaching staff that followed shortly thereafter.

Stites reports that Mincey is a priority for the Jaguars to bring back in 2012, as they'll likely have a void at the defensive end position with Matt Roth also hitting free agency and Aaron Kampman coming off back-to-back season ending injuries and due a large chunk of salary. Mincey broke on to the scene in Jacksonville last season, taking over for first-round bust Derrick Harvey and picking up five sacks on the season. Prior to that, Mincey had bounced from a few teams and struggled to stay healthy.

For more on the Jacksonville Jaguars, visit SB Nation's Jaguars blog Big Cat Country. For more on NFL Free Agency, visit SB Nation's NFL hub.

Josh Scobee, Jaguars Begin Contract Negotiations According To Report

The Jacksonville Jaguars have some free agents of their own they'd like to keep. Free agent place kicker Josh Scobee is one of those free agents. Scobee and the Jaguars have begun preliminary contract negotiations, according to a report by Tania Ganguli of the Florida Times-Union.

Sources have told me very preliminary discussions have begun about Scobee's contract and both sides want a long-term deal reached. Scobee is absolutely one of the team's top priorities. More should shake out, on all of the Jaguars free agents, during the combine when agents and team personnel will all be in Indianapolis and have a chance to meet.

Scobee doesn't kick a lot of field goals compared to the rest of the kickers in the league, but he makes a lot of clutch and long field goals. He's also got a big leg on kickoffs and allows the Jaguars special teams unit to pin teams back on kickoffs and kicks touchbacks. If the two sides can't come to a deal before the start of free agency, it's possible the Jaguars could place the franchise tag on Scobee. The tag for kickers in 2012 is just $2.9 million, which would be close to in-tune with what his salary would be with a new long-term deal.

For more on the Jacksonville Jaguars, visit SB Nation's Jaguars blog Big Cat Country. For more on NFL Free Agency, visit SB Nation's NFL hub.

Jaguars Plan To Be Spenders In Free Agency

New Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shahid Khan plans to spend in free agency, as the Jaguars have plenty of holes to fill.

2012 NFL Free Agency: Updated Salary Cap Numbers For All Florida Teams

The NFL has an interesting provision in the CBA where teams are allowed to rollover unused cap space from one season to the next, so there are plenty of teams this year that have low salary numbers that could improve their team greatly through free agency. According to SB Nation, the Jaguars and the Buccaneers have among the most cap space in the NFL.

The Jacksonville Jaguars didn't spend $31 million of cap room in 2011, so they now have $45 million of room. . . The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, thanks to $23.519 million of carryover cap money, have the second-most cap space with $60.496 million.

The Dolphins, meanwhile, should have some room to play with because they can rollover their cap room from last year to add to what they had today; and according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, they had $9.1 million as of November.

For more on the Dolphins and their offseason permutations, please head over to the Phinsider. To find out what the Bucs are planning on doing with all that room, check out Bucs Nation. And for more on the Jaguars, please head over to Big Cat Country.

2012 NFL Free Agency: Jacksonville Jaguars Have Some Key Free Agents

The Jacksonville Jaguars have 16 potential free agents, including the likes of kicker Josh Scobee and defensive end Jeremy Mincey.

2012 NFL Salary Caps: Bucs Have Room; Jaguars, Dolphins Do Not