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Quote (kargus @ Nov 28 2012 04:24pm)

inb4 babin back to pro bowl with us

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Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end John Chick was voted the 2012 Ed Block Courage Award winner by his teammates, the club announced today.

Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end John Chick was voted the 2012 Ed Block Courage Award winner by his teammates, the club announced today. Chick is one of 32 NFL players who will be honored in March at the annual Ed Block Courage Awards Dinner in Baltimore, Md.

The award is presented to a player from each team who exemplifies a commitment to the principles of sportsmanship and courage and serves as a role model in the community.

Chick ruptured the patella tendon in his right knee on December 5, 2011 against San Diego.  He immediately began his rehabilitation, which was a lengthy process that included the entire 2012 offseason.  He opened the 2012 season on the club’s physically unable to perform list before making his debut at Green Bay on October 28.  The Gillette, Wyoming native has played in 16 games for the Jaguars after joining the club in 2011.  He played three seasons (2007-09) in the Canadian Football League with the Saskatchewan RoughRiders where he was voted the league’s Most Outstanding Defensive Player in 2009.

The Ed Block Courage Award is named for former Baltimore Colts Head Athletic Trainer Ed Block who worked for the organization from 1954 to 1977.  The Ed Block Courage Award Foundation promotes the prevention of child abuse by raising awareness of the epidemic and assisting agencies who provide for the care and treatment of abused children in communities throughout the NFL.

Past Jaguars winners include  Jarett Dillard (2011), Aaron Kampman (2010), Richard Collier (2009), Brad Meester (2008), Greg Jones (2007), Jorge Cordova (2006), Paul Spicer (2005), David Garrard (2004), Tony Brackens (2003), Fred Taylor (2002), Jimmy Smith (2001), Tony Boselli (2000), James Stewart (1999), Mark Brunell (1998), Dave Thomas (1997), Derek Brown (1996) and Paul Frase (1995).

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Gene Smith Likely to Be Fired; Jaguars' Coaching Staff to Remain
Published Nov. 27, 2012
By Charlie Campbell - @draftcampbell

WalterFootball.com has learned from sources that the Jacksonville Jaguars are expected to make changes after this season. General manager Gene Smith is likely to be fired, with possibly other additions and subtractions in the front office. However, the coaching staff under head coach Mike Mularkey is highly likely to return in 2013. These moves would come as no surprise, as there have been many reports of Smith's future dismissal as the Jaguars have continued to struggle on the field.

Jacksonville brought in its new coaching staff last offseason, and all of the coaches received multi-year contracts. It isn't appealing to owner Shahid Khan to fire this staff and then have to pay two coaching staffs for a few seasons. He understands that the current group inherited one of the worst rosters in the NFL. Sources have said that Khan has a good relationship with the coaching staff and knows that the coaches deserve more time to turn around the Jaguars considering the state of the team when they arrived.

Jacksonville's new coaches have improved the play of second-year quarterback Blaine Gabbert, but the team has really made strides after going to veteran Chad Henne as its quarterback. With Henne under center, the Jaguars took the Texans to overtime in a losing effort on the road before beating the Titans last Sunday.

Jacksonville's roster has progressively decreased in talent and ability to compete under Smith's direction. Smith started out with the Jaguars as an area scout and moved up the ladder to become their executive director of college and pro personnel before becoming the general manager in 2009. Many of his draft picks haven't worked out; Gabbert being the most glaring. The team traded up from the 16th-overall pick to the 10th spot to select Gabbert - just one choice before the Texans snagged J.J. Watt. Smith sacrificed a second-round pick in order to make the deal for the bust quarterback.

Other early-round picks have disappointed like defensive tackle Tyson Alualu and guard Will Rackley. Smith also used a third-round pick on punter Bryan Anger last April just a few picks before Seattle selected quarterback Russell Wilson.

Smith has had some misses in free agency too. He signed veteran Laurent Robinson to a big contract last March, and the new wideout was a bitter disappointment before ending the season on injured reserve. Smith also signed Mike Thomas to a big contract extension, and he never lived up to the deal before being given away to Detroit before the trade deadline. The offensive line has been a weakness all year and was neglected in free agency.

The Jaguars are 2-9 and playing improved football without Gabbert in the lineup, and Smith was a driving force to keep Gabbert on the field in hopes that he would play well enough to save Smith's job. Jacksonville clearly needs to make massive roster changes to become a postseason contender again, and Smith is unlikely to be in charge of those decisions. Sources believe that he will be at the center of the team's offseason changes that won't include a new coaching staff.

Quote (vHero @ Nov 28 2012 06:52pm)

Inb4 Babin helps jags win more pointless games this season.