Torry Holt, Jacksonville Jaguars / Photo: Newscom

As far as I’m concerned, Torry’s got six-to-eight more years left in his career. You can’t base an opinion on his production — or lack thereof — with the Rams last season (64 catches, 796 yards, three TDs). STL was a train wreck. And they let their best receiver go in some kind of crazy “youth movement”. But if any other team needs help at the receiver position, it’s the Jags. Last offseason they thought they were getting some quality depth with the additions of Jerry Porter and Troy Williamson, but Jerry is no longer with the team and Troy struggled to stay on the field. Plus Matt Jones was waived because he can’t stay out of trouble. And unrestricted free agent Reggie Williams (an 11-game starter last season) is not listed on the team’s current roster. So, the receiver-depleted Jaguars are suddenly feeling a lot better about themselves.

Source: Jaguars.com

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Jaguars Sign Torry Holt

Jacksonville Jags wide receiver Matt Jones pleaded not guilty today to cocaine possession following his July 10 arrest. He faces a criminal trial on October 10. Initially, I thought Matt would be immediately out of Jacksonville, but he’s actually having a good training camp and until he’s proven guilty (if he is he’ll face up to 10 years in prison), he’ll most likely remain with the Jags. Matt knows he’s on thin ice, but injuries to receivers Jerry Porter and Reggie Williams have given him more opportunities and to his credit, he’s making the most of those opps. In the Jags preseason opening win against Atlanta, Matt led the team with three catches for 37 yards.

Source: ESPN.com

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Matt Jones Pleads Not Guilty

Bad news for the Jacksonville Jaguars. Projected starting wide receiver Jerry Porter had surgery on a hamstring tear that will force him to miss the entire preseason. As hamstring injuries go, the Jags are hoping this one won’t linger, but Jerry’s still going to miss valuable “bonding” time with his new quarterback, David Garrard. He was absent for much of the team’s minicamps and OTAs, resting and hoping the thing would heal. But team doctors finally decided surgery would be his best option. With Matt Jones’ status still up-in-the-air and unproven Troy Williamson a mystery, the Jags have a lot of uncertainty at the wide receiver position.

Source: National Post

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Jerry Porter to Miss Entire Preseason

It’s preseason with a tinge of the playoffs. That will be one of the highlights of a 13-game national television preseason schedule that was announced today by the NFL, along with the complete list of 2008 preseason matchups. All 12 of the 2007 NFL playoff teams will be featured in the national TV games.

It all starts in Canton, OH — site of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. On Sunday night, August 3 on NBC (8:00 PM ET), the Indianapolis Colts will take on the Washington Redskins in the annual Pro Football Hall of Fame Game. It will be an eventful weekend for the Redskins as two of the greatest players in their history — cornerback Darrell Green and wide receiver Art Monk — will join the class of 2008 at the Hall of Fame induction ceremonies on Saturday. The game also will mark the NFL head-coaching debut of Washington’s Jim Zorn. That game is just the start of the preseason national TV excitement:

WEEK 1: Two of the top-10 receivers of last season in both catches and yards square off as New Orleans (Marques Colston) visits Arizona (Larry Fitzgerald) on Thursday, August 7, ESPN, 8:00 PM ET ….. NFL fans will see the debut as a starter of Packers QB Aaron Rodgers, who this year takes over for the retired Brett Favre, when Cincinnati travels to Green Bay (Monday, August 11, ESPN, 8:00 PM ET).

WEEK 2: Panthers QB Jake Delhomme will continue his comeback from elbow surgery as he is tested by new Eagles (and former Patriots) CB Asante Samuel when Philadelphia hosts Carolina (Thursday, August 14, FOX, 8:00 PM ET) ….. Two recent first-round quarterbacks meet for the first time as Oakland (JaMarcus Russell) visits Tennessee (Vince Young) on Saturday, August 16, FOX, 8:00 PM ET ….. Two division winners go at it as New England (preparing to duplicate its undefeated ’07 season) travels to Tampa Bay (Sunday, August 17, NFL Network, 8:00 PM ET) ….. And the Super Bowl XLII champion New York Giants debut at home against Cleveland (Monday, August 18, ESPN, 8:00 PM ET).

WEEK 3: Two quarterbacks seeking to re-establish themselves as starters go at it as San Francisco (Alex Smith) travels to Chicago (Rex Grossman) on Thursday, August 21, FOX, 8:00 PM ET ….. The Battle for Texas takes place when Houston visits Dallas (the preseason series is tied 2-2) on Friday, August 22, CBS, 8:00 PM ET ….. Pittsburgh’s No. 3 NFL rush defense of ’07 can judge where it stands for ’08 when it faces Minnesota RB Adrian Peterson, the NFL ’07 Offensive Rookie of the Year and Pro Bowl MVP (Saturday, August 23, CBS, 8:00 PM ET) ….. Buffalo helps Indianapolis open its new 63,000-seat Lucas Oil Stadium (Sunday, August 24, NFL Network, 8:00 PM ET) ….. And two more division winners meet when Seattle travels to San Diego. The Seahawks will be priming new RB Julius Jones (Monday, August 25, ESPN, 8:00 PM ET).

WEEK 4: The national TV schedule concludes with another matchup of playoff teams as Washington prepares to kick off the season and new Jacksonville WR Jerry Porter gets his final tune-up (Thursday, August 28, NBC, 7:00 PM ET).

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NFL’s Preseason National Television Schedule Features Every ‘07 Playoff Team

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The Jacksonville Jaguars added free agent wide receiver Jerry Porter from Oakland (six years, $30 million) and traded their 6th round Draft pick (this year) for former Minnesota Vikings wideout Troy Williamson today in an attempt to boost their passing game. Half of the equation will work.

While I like the addition of Jerry Porter — he’ll quickly become the Jags’ number one receiving option — I really don’t like what Troy Williamson brings to the team. He proved to be a first-round (7th overall selection in 2005) bust after three years in Minnesota. The Vikings drafted him hoping his elite speed would make up for their loss of Randy Moss, but he simply couldn’t hang on to the football a lot of the time. Even after an offseason of specialized work (and from what I hear, a lot of it), Troy couldn’t pull it together with only 18 catches for 240 yards in ‘07. The straw that finally broke the camel’s back was in the Vikes’ final regular season game at Denver when Troy had slipped some 20 yards behind the Broncos defensive secondary and dropped a simple catch from QB Tarvaris Jackson that would’ve resulted in an easy touchdown. The Vikings lost the game and missed the playoffs. Jacksonville would’ve done better to avoid Troy and select a wide receiver with their 6th round pick.

Jerry Porter brings veteran leadership to the Jags and should have a number of years left in his career. He’s only 29-years-old despite having been in the league eight seasons already. Amidst revolving quarterbacks last season in Oakland, he managed a respectable 44 catches and six touchdowns. The Jags have suffered through several years of not really having a “go-to” wide receiver (not since the great Jimmy Smith). With Jerry Porter they get that plus enough speed to stretch the field.

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Jacksonville Jaguars Add Wide Receivers, Jerry Porter and Troy Williamson Inked

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With free agency just hours away, I still can’t believe the New England Patriots don’t have a deal in place for wide receiver Randy Moss. His record-setting 2007 more than earned him the right to have been signed to a long-term deal by the Pats. He kept his nose clean and was a leader and good teammate. He’s Tom Brady’s favorite target. What more needs to be said? I feel like as soon as I publish this, news will break of his signing … with the Patriots. Still, New England has a lot to consider. They have a slew of free agents and have the difficult task of deciding who they can keep. Remember, this was an 18-1 team last season. A roster overhaul isn’t really an ideal game plan. Who am I to question the mighty Patriots, though. They seem to find a way to make it work.

It’s always easy to assume the teams with the most money to spend will do the most spending in free agency. But what each team must do is look at their needs and decide what holes can be filled best in free agency or the upcoming Draft. And for those teams without a lot of cash to spend, it doesn’t mean they won’t be active. Obviously they have fewer options, but if there’s a player out there they want, they’ll do what they have to to get after him.

Here are my Top 10 free agents heading into tomorrow’s free-for-all:

1. Randy Moss, WR, Patriots
2. Michael Turner, RB, Chargers
3. Alan Faneca, G, Steelers
4. Lance Briggs, LB, Bears
5. Asante Samuel, CB, Patriots
6. Marion Barber, RB, Cowboys
7. Justin Smith, DE, Bengals
8. Bernard Berrian, WR, Bears
9. Tony Richardson, FB, Vikings
10. Derek Anderson, QB, Browns

Other players I really like (in no particular order) are Daunte Culpepper (QB, Raiders); Chris Brown (RB, Titans); Jerry Porter (WR, Raiders); Ernest Wilford (WR, Jags); Donte Stallworth (WR, Patriots); Jesse Chatman (RB, Dolphins); Julius Jones (RB, Cowboys); Atari Bigby (DB, Packers); and Lorenzo Neal (FB, who was released by the Chargers) and DeShaun Foster (RB, who was released by the Panthers). There are a lot of good players that will be available soon.

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Randy Moss Leads Top 10 NFL Free Agents