Interview with Jaguars Insider Vito Stellino (Florida Times-Union)

  Transcribed 7/18 from Audible Podcast by Sigmund Bloom and Cecil Lammey

Cecil Lammey: Let's jump right in with this Jaguars conversation and talk about the quarterback position there. Lord Byron Leftwich, which is what I like to call him, Lord Byron is there. Could be his last season with the Jaguars. What's he got to do this season to really take hold of that job, prove that he is the man, and get that contract extension?

Vito Stellino: He's got to take them to the playoffs, and hopefully even win a playoff game or two. That's the criterion. Of course, if he does that, he'll be in demand, and then the question is, does he even want to stay here, because he's had kind of a rocky relationship with the coach. If he doesn't take them to the playoffs, or if he gets hurt again, they'll just let him leave as a free agent. So, this is kind of a make or break season for him. Fifth year, he's missed 15 of the last 21 games with injuries, he's got to stay healthy, and he's got to perform.

Sigmund Bloom: Vito, you mentioned that Byron has been missing a lot of games to injury. Last year when he was out, the running game really picked up the slack. Fred Taylor, who the team has brought back, and Maurice Jones-Drew, really a revelation out of the backfield. Do you see anything about the workload split between those two changing this year, or is it basically going to be the same 1-2 punch as last year?

VS: I think it'll be pretty much the same as last year. They think Drew is at his best when he's maybe carrying 15 times. Of course that might change if Fred doesn't produce. He's not getting any younger, but he's as effective as he was last year, then they'll do pretty much the same thing, although there are some questions whether or not teams may start to key on Drew. He got a lot of his yards last year on passing downs, when the other teams had the nickel defense in, lined up in the shotgun, kind of crossed them up. So, it'll be interesting to see if they do that again, and if it's effective as it was last year.

CL: Let's stick with that run game, and talk about a guy who has been banged up throughout his entire career, whether it was at Florida State, or there with Jacksonville. Of course, it's Greg Jones. Here's a guy who's got the power. He's got some speed, but he just can't stay healthy. What is his role going to be with the team? Is he going to make the team? What do his future prospects look like?

VS: Well, he's now had two (torn) ACLs. One in college, one last year. So, he's got to show that he's still a viable back. He's a very good blocker, a good fullback, but how much he'll carry the ball will depend on how much of a comeback he makes this year.

SB: Vito, another position that has been the subject of a lot of talk this offseason for the Jags is wide receiver. A lot of noise that it's a wide open competition. Let's talk about - is it really a wide open competition, or is that something that Jack Del Rio is doing to motivate the first round draft picks Matt Jones and Reggie Williams to finally live up to their first round billing, and do you think that their starting jobs really are in danger?

VS: Their jobs are in danger of making the team, much less starting. No, it's not a motivational ploy, Del Rio rarely knocks his players publicly. So the fact that he's brought up that Reggie Williams and Matt Jones have to stay healthy and he's asked where they stand - they don't stand at the front of the line - this is a critical year for them. They also have a new wide receiver coach, Todd Monken, who has made it very clear that there's no #1 receiver, and also they've got some alternatives now. Mike Walker, John Broussard - a couple of draft choices. Dennis Northcutt will be the slot receiver. Charles Sharon, an undrafted free agent last year, he was a starter much of the offseason because Jones and Williams were hurt. So, those four guys, and then you've got Ernest Wilford, a fifth, those guys will all be vying for positions. If Jones and Williams don't produce, they might not even be on the team.

CL: Let's talk about a rumor that has been circulating around there, around Jacksonville. It has to do with the quarterback position and Daunte Culpepper. Is there any way that the Jags, who already have some really good quarterbacks in Byron Leftwich, David Garrard, and Quinn Gray. Is there any chance that they bring in Culpepper in some sort of trade, do you see any of that scenario playing out?

VS: It's not a rumor. Dirk Koetter, the offensive coordinator, told the other three quarterbacks they were interested in Culpepper. Del Rio said if Culpepper comes, Leftwich is still the starter. But hey, if he doesn't produce, who knows what happens? But they are definitely interested in Culpepper. Not as a trade, they're waiting for the grievance he has – they're not going to trade for him because the Dolphins want to get rid of him. They figure they'll be patient, eventually he'll come free, win or lose the grievance, they've got to make a move on him eventually. So, they're definitely interested because Leftwich and Garrard, neither one has proven he's the answer. You've got a guy like Culpepper, granted he has issues because of his knee injury. We don't know how effective he's going to be, but they've certainly got to take a look at him, if he's available. Now, it'll be his call, he'll be a free agent. He's might decide he doesn't want to come here. He might decide somewhere else. He's a Florida native. Tampa probably isn't viable because they've got a zillion quarterbacks already. I think Jacksonville has a good shot at him. Granted, someone else pays him more money – it always comes down to money – and the Jaguars as a small market team are very careful with their salary cap. So, he'd have to take less money, and they could get outbid for him, but they're definitely interested in Culpepper.

SB: Vito, you mentioned the new offensive coordinator, Dirk Koetter, and he's somebody who has very effectively used the tight end in his offensive schemes in the past. The Jags are definitely stacked there, with first round draft pick Marcedes Lewis, George Wrighster, and then Jermaine Wiggins, being reunited with Mike Tice. Do you see a new emphasis on the tight end in the passing offense, and who out of those three guys could step up and be the primary target?

VS: I think he likes to throw to the tight end, but they haven't proven that they've got a tight end to throw to yet. Wrighster will not be ready to start training camp. He had a torn labrum and surgery in the offseason. Marcedes Lewis was very disappointing as a rookie, so he's got to prove that he can do it, and Wiggins is just a journeyman. So, they're looking for somebody to step up there, because Dirk Koetter likes to throw to the tight end, but until they show they've got a tight end that can do that, that's a big question mark.

CL: Now, Vito, my last question for you has to do with a general overall question about the Jaguars. The state of the Jaguars address, if you will. This season, you've said, it's got to be a playoff, a playoff win. What do you expect from the Jags this year?

VS: Well, if I knew that, I would be making a lot of money in Vegas. Although it turns out there's a good book out on Vegas, if you win too much, they won't let you bet. If you get a computer and figure out how to beat the spread, you can be effective, except that they will stop taking your bets. So that's a little side issue. But anyway, this is a critical season for the Jaguars. They don't make the playoffs, Del Rio gets fired, Leftwich will be gone. They'll start over, new coach, new quarterback. On the other hand, if they make the playoffs, definitely if they win a playoff game, then they'll be offering Leftwich an extension, assuming he's the guy that takes them there and stays healthy and plays well. Del Rio could probably get an extension. So this is a make or break year. There's no coach since the merger that has failed to win a playoff game in his first five years and then later won a Super Bowl with that team. The days with Tom Landry, who would take seven or eight years to have a winning year, and what was it, eleven years, then he won a Super Bowl? Those days are over. You have to show that you're going to do it soon, and most guys, if they don't make the playoffs after five years get fired. There's a couple of exceptions - Norv Turner in Washington, Dennis Green in Minnesota, and the record holder is Jim Mora, who went from 86-96 I think, about 10 years, never won a playoff game. He lasted about a decade, but that's very unusual. It's pretty likely, if Del Rio doesn't make the playoffs, he'll be gone. So then you've got a lot of turmoil. But if it's a good year, then you've got some stability - stability's always important, and also they need to win because they need to sell tickets. They haven't won a playoff game since 1999. They've got four or five thousand tickets still to sell this year. They're starting a ticket selling campaign. That's very important for a small market team. This is a critical year. In the 13 year history of the franchise, this may be the most important year. Either way, however it goes, it's going to have huge ramifications for the future of the team.

SB: Vito, my last question for you is on the defensive side of the ball. It's about one of the big leaders, Mike Peterson, whose season was ended by injury last year. The offseason sees them sign Daryl Smith to a long term extension, they draft Justin Durant, a great talent at linebacker in the second round. Is the writing on the wall that Mike Peterson may be moving out of his familiar middle linebacker position, and maybe in a year or two, no longer be on the team?

VS: Well who knows in a year or two, football's a one year at a time game, but he's back at middle linebacker in the offseason, and I think they're comfortable with him there, although in their scheme, the linebackers are almost interchangeable, so it's not that big. It's not like Dick Butkus or Jack Lambert playing middle linebacker. When Mike Peterson got hurt, Daryl Smith just moved in there and didn't miss a beat, although they did kind of fade at the end of the year. The big question is not Mike Peterson, the big question is Reggie Hayward. He's coming off a torn Achilles. Some guys are never the same after that. He's a pass rusher. So, how he performs is very critical for the defense. The defense did not play well in the last two or three games, and they only recovered four fumbles all year long, the lowest in the league. So, they're looking for the defense make some big plays, and also play better down the stretch.

CL: If you want to keep up with the Jacksonville Jaguars, of course you read the Florida Times-Union, and everything Vito Stellino writes. Hey Vito, thanks for joining the show, man.

VS: OK good talking to you, tell people just look at Jacksonville.com to find the Times-Union on the internet.