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.
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