Perhaps the biggest question facing the Jacksonville Jaguars this offseason is what kind of production they will get from the quarterback position next season.
Incumbent starter Blaine Gabbert is entering his second season in the NFL after struggling mightily in his rookie year. Those struggles have raised questions as to whether or not he will ever evolve into the franchise quarterback the Jaguars envisioned he would become when they traded up to draft him.
New Jaguars head coach Mike Mularkey seems more confident than most about Gabbert’s future prospects.
According to Mularkey, Gabbert is the Jaguars starting quarterback and there will not be a training camp competition between him and back-up Chad Henne.
Mularkey has had success in the past developing young quarterbacks, most notably the work he did the past couple of seasons with the Atlanta Falcons and their quarterback Matt Ryan. He is confident that he can do the same for Gabbert that he did for Ryan.
Gabbert should benefit from some coaching this offseason. The NFL was in the midst of a lockout when Gabbert was drafted last year and he missed out on most of the typical offseason workouts that help rookies make the transition from college to the pros. If you believe Mularkey, Gabbert is taking full advantage of the coaching he is receiving from his new coaching staff this offseason.
“I’ve seen improvement over the short time I’ve been with him, and (in the spring) you get coaching and teaching in a less stressful environment,” Mularkey said.
Gabbert is the most important piece to the Jaguars puzzle in 2012. With a top-5 defense and rushing offense already in place, the Jaguars could have one of the most drastic turnarounds in 2012 if Gabbert can improve his game.
Original Story:
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May 15, 2012
