Maurice Jones-Drew has been the face of the Jacksonville Jaguars franchise since he signed a contract extension with the team in 2009. Part of the reason why the Jaguars may be so hesitant to pay the running back is because now that Jones-Drew is getting closer to 30 years old, the team is worried that he's losing some explosiveness, according to CBS Sports writer Pete Prisco.
Jones-Drew will be 29 when his current deal expires. He is smart enough to know that backs nearing 30 usually don't get big deals, which is why he wants one now. That's understandable. It's also the reason why the Jaguars won't give him one. Let him play out this deal, and then see what happens. This isn't a back league anymore, and teams are more and more reluctant to pay backs.
Prisco says that despite his hold out from OTAs with two years remaining on his contract, he is getting largely a free pass from fans in Jacksonville because of his status as the face of the franchise. Prisco says that that may not be a bad thing, as it could help pave the way to really helping the establishment of the passing game under quarterback Blaine Gabbert
He is seemingly getting a pass from the fans for not being around Jacksonville, even if the work isn't mandatory. The good thing is that with Jones-Drew gone, the team can start morphing from being so run-heavy to a team that is built around the passing game.
The Jaguars certainly hope that any issues between them and Jones-Drew can be resolved before the start of the season.
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