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Editor-in-Chief
Posted Apr 19, 2009
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The Jaguars appear to be on the verge of inking former St. Louis Rams wide receiver Torry Holt. What does Holt have left in the tank, and most importantly, how will his presence affect what the team does in next weekend’s draft? We have the answers.
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It appears as if Torry Holt has gone through the interview process with several teams, including two in the AFC South (Jags and Titans), and ESPN is reporting that Jacksonville is on the verge of a deal with the talented receiver. Here is a piece that we did about three weeks ago on Holt that included a full scouting report:
http://jac.scout.com/2/849925.html
So assuming that the deal gets done in the next day or two as expected, how will this affect the Jaguars draft?
With Holt about to be 33-years old, he is certainly not the long-term solution for what currently appears to be one of the worst wide receiving corps in the league in years. The Jaguars still need to address the position in the draft, but they may be able to avoid taking either a Michael Crabtree or Jeremy Maclin in round one.
Rookie receivers rarely make any impact in the NFL, and although it certainly makes sense to collect more young talent at the position, the team can’t expect a lot of immediate production. Holt will give the team a reliable possession receiver, and could allow the coaching staff an opportunity to cultivate some younger draft picks without them being thrust into too great of a role. Basically, Holt’s presence will allow for some patience for the new rookie receivers, whomever they may be.
Torry Holt (Getty Images) |
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More importantly, Torry Holt’s presence could give David Garrard one more shot to earn the contract he was so kindly given last spring after just one successful season as a starting quarterback. With a veteran receiver like Holt, the Jaguars may avoid taking Mark Sanchez in round one if he’s available to them, and trade out of the selection and acquire more draft picks.
Trading out of pick #8 makes sense on paper, as many NFL sources have stated that there really isn’t much talent differential between the 20th pick and 5th pick, only the 5th pick would likely cost four times as much. Still, passing on yet another potential franchise quarterback is dangerous business, as the Jaguars have gone the longest without selecting a quarterback in the draft (2003-Byron Leftwich), and it appears that they have no legitimate answer at the position, and at the very least, no legitimate developmental prospect at the position.
Signing Holt could have a positive impact on some of the Jaguars younger receivers, mainly Mike Walker who the team is very high on. For the first time since Jimmy Smith retired after the 2005 season, the Jaguars will have a legitimate veteran receiver on the roster who has had success. He can serve as somewhat of a mentor to the younger players and perhaps they will develop at a faster pace.
Charlie Bernstein is the Editor-in-Chief of Sports Media Interactive, covering multiple teams in the National Football League, NCAA, and National Basketball Association. Charlie is a regular syndicated contributor to FoxSports and Sirius NFL Radio, and has been featured on the NFL Network. Charlie is also a member of the Pro Football Writers of America. Feel free to contact him -HERE- with questions or comments.
For more, go to: JagNation.com
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