Training camp is finally here and FanHouse breaks down the most important position battles heading into the season, team by team.One could argue that the Jacksonville Jaguars' Super Bowl aspirations bounced off Dennis Northcutt's hands last January. David Garrard completed 64% of his passes last season, but it seemed like it should have been much higher, because the Jaguars' receivers dropped so many passes. That's just one reason why this team spent $30 million on Jerry Porter.
That said, Porter will miss the preseason while recovering from hamstring surgery, so its up to the remaining receivers to show that they know how to catch -- which might seem like a tall order when photos like this and this keep popping up. Those photos, however, didn't stop the Jags from taking a flyer on Troy Williamson, who reportedly looked great in minicamp. Still, that was minicamp. How will he fare in actual games?
Reggie Williams' job might be the safest after his breakout season last year. Despite catching only 38 passes, he had career highs in yards per catch (16.6) and touchdowns (10), and he has the size every coach loves. He and Porter are projected to be the starters.
So what other targets does Garrard have?
Williamson and Northcutt both enter this training camp with something to prove -- namely, that they can do their job and catch the ball. Northcutt still has slot-receiver speed, but so does Usain Bolt, and I have about as much confidence in Bolt's ability to catch as Northcutt's.
Second-year players Mike Walker, John Broussard and D'Juan Woods are also in the mix. Walker is coming off a knee injury that cost him his rookie season, while Broussard only managed 3 more catches last season after his diving 47-yard touchdown grab in Week 1. Woods spent last year on the practice squad, and I wouldn't be surprised to see him end up there again.
Then there's Matt Jones, who led the team in drops last year. Why he hasn't been cut yet after his arrest for possession of cocaine is one of the great mysteries of the NFL -- right up there with Matt Millen's continued employment.
Even if Jones is allowed to compete for a job in the Jags' camp, though, he probably wouldn't get one -- especially if Walker stays healthy, Porter heals quickly and Williamson shows that he's cured his fumblitis. If those things happen, Garrard won't have any shortage of pass targets. That means more running room for Fred Taylor and Maurice Jones-Drew, which would mean big trouble for the rest of the AFC South.
