The quarterback controversy is ready to start in Jacksonville. Thankfully for the Jaguars, David Garrard took a more mature approach than Reggie Bush when watching the first round.
Garrard tweeted after Jacksonville selected Blaine Gabbert that “I love being a Jaguars and plan on being here for a long time.”
Coach Jack Del Rio said right after the pick that Garrard was the team’s starting quarterback, and Luke McCown was the backup. But he also said he wants Gabbert to push Garrard.
“We’ll have fun. C’mon. That’s part of the deal,” Del Rio said via the Florida Times-Union. “We all know you guys are going to have fun with it. ... We’ll keep the focus on the team. We have two good young men who are going to be battling.”
We’ve heard some speculation that Del Rio may have bought more time by getting Gabbert, but we don’t buy it. He needs to deliver a winner, and that could be tougher if there is pressure to play a rookie quarterback the next time Garrard misfires on a few passes.