Maurice Jones-Drew: Why Jaguars Should Pony Up for Star Back

Maurice Jones-Drew is holding out for a long-term contract because that's what great players do when they reach the apex of their respective careers.

The NFL is a ruthless business, and as such, players who have reached Pro Bowls and have proven their worth as team leaders deserve a certain level of pay.

The 27-year-old back from UCLA has been a highly-productive weapon for the Jaguars since his rookie season in 2006. He currently owns franchise records for single-season rushing and all-purpose yards, as well as single-game all-purpose yards. When you think of the Jaguars, you think of Fred Taylor...and then Maurice Jones-Drew.

It is easy for detractors of long-term NFL contracts to say he will not hold up for the length of his deal. He does, after all, play the position of running back. Running backs are known to have a very short shelf life in the league, what with the beating they absorb game after game.

For Drew, the 2010 season is sort of his defining chapter thus far.

That season, he played 14 games with a torn meniscus in his left knee. According to Drew, he noticed the injury in training camp, but didn't bring it to light in fear his opponents would use it against him. Following the season, he was named Running Back of the Year by the NFL Alumni Association.

I bring that up to combat any theories or misconceptions people have regarding this guy's durability. Running backs may be known to decline as their careers inch along, but Drew is going in the opposite direction. Last season, he ran for 1,606 yards and eight TD at a 4.7 yards-per-carry clip. That's almost 300 yards more than the previous season, and at a better clip as well.

In addition to running the ball, Drew has proven a capable pass-catcher out of the backfield. So far in his career, he is averaging around 46 catches per season to go along with 400-plus yards.

The Jaguars are not a very good team right now. Blaine Gabbert struggled in his rookie season, and although they drafted Justin Blackmon in the first round, his addition is unlikely to propel them to the playoffs. Keeping Jones-Drew doesn't guarantee a playoff game either, but he is a draw.

He is also a guy who has been reliable and has done so as the perfect poster boy for the organization. I know it seems crazy to sign a guy who is nearing his 30s and plays an unbelievably unforgiving position in a tough league, but this guy is worth it.