8 Early Winners and Losers of the Jacksonville Jaguars Offseason

The Jacksonville Jaguars wrapped up the first half of their offseason workouts on June 13 and won't reconvene for six weeks until the start of training camp.

An exciting new energy has been surrounding the team, as first-year head coach Gus Bradley continues to set the tone for what he expects out of his players. There is a positive buzz throughout the fanbase due to what Bradley has done thus far.

Fans are also excited by what they've seen on the field. Young players are beginning to show their potential, and they look ready to play significant roles for the team this year.

But it's not all good news, as some off-field problems have caused a distraction for the Jaguars throughout offseason workouts.

Here are the eight winners and losers from the Jaguars offseason so far.

Loser: Blaine Gabbert

Blaine Gabbert had to breathe a sigh of relief after the Jaguars bypassed the chance to take a quarterback in April's draft, but he shouldn't feel too comfortable just yet.

The third-year quarterback still hasn't solidified himself as Jacksonville's quarterback of the future, and the team has yet to decide whether Gabbert or Chad Henne will be the team's starter this season. The team seems intent on letting the quarterback competition continue into the preseason.

Gabbert still not being able to win the starting job has to put him in the loser category, especially since it came after offensive coordinator Jedd Fisch raved about him to John Oehser of Jaguars.com. The offensive coordinator is high on the young quarterback's abilities, but Gabbert hasn't been able to break away from the pack just yet.

Even more troubling is that the Jaguars are continuing to add quarterbacks in the latter stages of the offseason, as they claimed Mike Kafka off waivers last week. Kafka isn't just going to be a training camp arm, though. According to Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com, Caldwell said Kafka has “just as good an opportunity” as Gabbert and Henne to win the starting job.

Jacksonville is one of just two teams that will carry five quarterbacks into training camp. That can't be good news for Gabbert, as it means he will have more competition to overcome in order to become the team's starting quarterback.

Winner: Luke Joeckel

Being the No. 2 overall pick in the draft should be enough to make Luke Joeckel a winner this offseason.

Joeckel has proven himself to be well worth the high draft pick thus far in the offseason. He has been hard at work making the transition from playing left tackle in college to being Jacksonville's starting right tackle.

He is progressing quickly in the role and was "dominant" during the team's rookie minicamp in May, according to an AP report (h/t USA Today). Joeckel continued to acclimate himself to the new position during OTAs, and John Oehser reported that the Jaguars liked what they saw out of him. 

Although he has looked great so far, the real test will be when the pads go on in training camp. Joeckel has made the transition look almost seamless thus far, so there is no reason to believe he won't continue playing at a high level with pads.

The Jaguars seem to have finally solidified their offensive line with Eugene Monroe and Joeckel as the bookends.

Loser: Jeremy Mincey

Jeremy Mincey would have been considered a winner just 12 months ago, but a lot has changed in one short year.

Last offseason, he was fresh off the the best season of his career, when he led the Jaguars with eight sacks. He was able to cash-in on his performance by signing a four-year, $20 million deal that included an $8 million signing bonus.

Mincey was unable to recreate that success last season, though, as he finished the year with just three sacks. He told The Florida Times-Union's Vito Stellino that his lack of production was due to him playing too many snaps, but he thinks he'll be able to play better this year.

Although he thinks he'll play better, it remains to be seen where he could play. Mincey is a player without at home at this point in the offseason. He's not a natural fit at any position in head coach Gus Bradley's defensive scheme, and that could leave him as the odd-man-out on the defensive line.

Mincey would cost the Jaguars $6 million in dead money if they cut him, so it's unlikely he will be released. But at 29 years old and lacking a true position, Mincey's future in Jacksonville isn't a bright one.

Winner: Denard Robinson

Denard Robinson is one of several rookies who has been turning heads this offseason. It's not just because of his performance on the field, but it is also because of the intrigue surrounding what the Jaguars are planning to do with him.

The Jaguars announced him as a running back when they selected him in the fifth round of April's draft, but that is just one area where he will play. Jacksonville is going to find creative ways to use the former Michigan quarterback, and Sports Illustrated's Peter King reports that the team is adding wrinkles to its offense in order to make the most of his skills.

The wrinkles include playing Robinson at a variety of positions. Alex Marvez of Fox Sports reports that the rookie will get about 10-15 touches per game and will see time at several different positions, including running back, wide receiver and kick returner. 

Robinson has also seen snaps at quarterback, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Although he won't be one of the five quarterbacks challenging for the starting role, it will be interesting to see how his role as Jacksonville's Wildcat quarterback evolves.

The Jaguars won't win many games this year, but they'll certainly be a lot of fun to watch due to players like Robinson.

Loser: Justin Blackmon

For the second time in his young career, off-field issues have been the focal point of Justin Blackmon's offseason.

Blackmon will be suspended for the first four games of the 2012 season for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy. Although the reason for the violation hasn't been announced, Blackmon has a history of alcohol abuse. He plead guilty last year to an aggravated DUI after he was arrested with a blood-alcohol content that was three times the legal limit.

His suspension will not only hurt the team through the first quarter of the season, but it could also hurt the wide receiver financially. The suspension triggered a clause in his contract that voids future guaranteed money, which means the Jaguars could cut him without owing any of the remaining money on his contract.

Blackmon is at a crossroads in his career. While there is little doubt that he has a promising future on the field, he admits that he is a terrible decision-maker, per a report from the Associated Press (h/t ESPN.com).

His poor decisions could derail what could be a bright future.

Winner: Johnathan Cyprien

Second-round pick Johnathan Cyprien has been one of the standout players for the Jaguars this offseason.

He's expected to step in as a rookie and be Jacksonville's starting strong safety in Week 1, and he's looked every bit the part so far.

Cyprien got off to a hot start at May's rookie minicamp, where the Associate Press' Mark Long said he looked like a "man among boys." 

He continued to impress throughout the team's OTAs. If there was an MVP award given out during training camp, Cyprien would be the winner by a "landslide," according to Ryan O'Halloran of The Florida Times-Union.

As if all the praise for his performance wasn't enough, Cyprien inked his rookie contract Tuesday.

He is going to play a vital role in the success of the revamped secondary, and he seems to be more than ready to handle it. Caldwell looks to have hit a home run with Cyprien.

Loser: Maurice Jones-Drew

Maurice Jones-Drew spent much of the offseason rehabbing from Lisfranc surgery on his foot in hopes of being ready to participate in training camp, but legal issues have overshadowed his recovery.

He was allegedly involved in an altercation at a St. Augustine, Fla., restaurant during Memorial Day weekend. News4Jax.com's Kent Justice reports that an attorney said that Jones-Drew "viciously attacked" a security guard. Two lawyers claim to have footage of the incident from security cameras, according to Stuart Korfhage of the St. Augustine Record. The alleged videos have yet to be released, and Jones-Drew hasn't been charged with anything.

He didn't say much about the incident when asked about it at Jacksonville's mandatory minicamp last week. He said it was an "unfortunate incident" before moving on, according to a tweet from John Oehser.

Jones-Drew will continue to rehab from his injury in order to ensure he's 100 percent for the start of the regular season, but his constant distractions have become far too common.

Winner: Cecil Shorts III

Cecil Shorts III came out of nowhere last year with an outstanding sophomore campaign.

He had 55 receptions to lead the team with 979 yards and seven touchdowns before a concussion ended his season prematurely.

If this offseason is any indication, though, last season's performance was just the beginning of what he's capable of doing.

He's not resting on the laurels of his outstanding 2012 season. Instead, the 21 yards he was short of breaking of the 1,000-yard mark are motivating him to continue improving his game, according to John Oehser.

Shorts said:

"

“I still feel like I have something to prove,” he said. “That’s just how I’ve always been. I always play with a chip on my shoulder. I want to prove last season wasn’t a fluke, but really, last season doesn’t mean anything anymore. I want to continue to get better."

"

How exactly has he been getting better?

According to Brian Linder of The Daytona Beach News-Journal, he has done it by spending three weeks training with Arizona Cardinals All-Pro wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald. 

The hard work has paid off so far this offseason as CBSSports.com's Pete Prisco named Shorts his top breakout player for 2013. Yet Shorts has dreams of not only being one of the league's top breakout players but also one of the game's best receivers overall. "I want to be one of the elite receivers in this game," Shorts said. "It's going to take a lot of work to get there. I know that."

He's been putting the work in to get there and could be one the verge of making it into the upper echelon of receivers. The Jaguars have a great receiver in Shorts, and he's only going to get better.