This writer has a pretty good idea that when some Jacksonville Jaguar fans found out that free agent quarterback CHAD HENNE agreed to a two-year deal, they probably went into panic mode. Advice for those fans? Don’t panic because Henne may be a temporary fix and Gabbert is still the future of this franchise.
Yes, the Jaguars have a new head coach in MIKE MULARKEY, an offensive mind, and a well-respected quarterbacks coach in GREG OLSON, who in their long careers have never coached or had any attachment to any of the quarterbacks on the Jags current roster. New coaches who have no attachment to any players on their new team have a tendency to do some extreme house cleaning, and no player’s job is safe. Gabbert though is the most talented all around quarterback on the roster and it’s a good bet that Mularkey and Olson know that and will give him all the help he needs to succeed.
Henne will be in his fifth year when the 2012 season rolls around and Gabbert will be just in his second. Henne has 21 starts to his credit and 36 games overall that he has appeared since the 2008 season (he spent the 2008-2011 seasons in Miami) while Gabbert has appeared in 15 games with 14 of them being starts in his rookie year.
Henne though, is not the long term answer to Jacksonville’s offensive woes and to be perfectly honest, he will be keeping the seat warm for Gabbert who has more upside and is a dual-threat quarterback who can help the Jags with his arm and his feet (he ran a 4.62 at the 2011 NFL Combine). Some of his best passes at Missouri and with Jags in 2011 were when he was on the run. Henne can move but he is a pocket passer who needs good protection. He ran a 4.92 at the 2008 Combine, which is near offensive lineman speed.
Henne is basically signed until the 2014 off season or near the free agency period of that year, so he needs to do well in 2012 and 2013 (especially 2013), which includes earning a starting spot and of course fighting off Gabbert for that job. But if Gabbert wins the starting job for the next two years and stays healthy AND is very effective, then Henne’s signing will seem like a wasted effort for the Jaguars. But, Henne can still play and even if he does start and is effective for a year or two, it will give Gabbert time to get his affairs in order and get ready for his chance. So it’s sort of a win-win situation for Gabbert.
As mentioned earlier though, Mularkey and Olson never coached or drafted Gabbert, so he is not promised a darn thing for this franchise and neither is Henne or possible No. 3 quarterbacks LUKE MCCOWN or former Central Michigan star DAN LEFEVOUR.
As for the receivers that either Henne or Gabbert could be throwing to, MIKE THOMAS, JARETT DILLARD, and BRIAN ROBISKIE are the best the Jaguars have to offer in what is a no-name receiving corps. Neither one of those receivers—well, Robiskie had an excuse as he was in Cleveland for most of the 2011 season—stepped up for Gabbert as far as receiving went this past year. Thomas is a talent, but he isn’t big enough to be a consistent every down threat, even though he has always shown the courage to ignore his size and take on defenders since his days as an Arizona Wildcat and All PAC-10 all-purpose player.
The Jaguars need a true and bigger No.1 receiver to take pressure off of Thomas and future Hall of Fame running back MAURICE JONES-DREW.
Gabbert went 4-11 in his rookie year last year and produced an offense that couldn’t score (15.2 points per game, which ranked 29th in the entire league) and a last-place passing game (136.2 per game and last in the entire NFL). Get Gabbert some more offensive weapons and more experience and the Jaguars won’t have to worry about signing another quarterback.
