(Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)
The quarterback position has been one of the most scrutinized spots for the Jacksonville Jaguars going back to the days of Mark Brunell, when he was still in his prime.
This is not an unusual topic for NFL fans of any team lacking a legitimate elite signal caller.
It matters very little whose name is inserted into the discussion.
David Garrard enters his third season as the unchallenged starter at quarterback for the Jaguars. It is a position that took the veteran six years to achieve, as he waited patiently behind two separate starters hoping for his shot at the brass ring.
When the team released Byron Leftwich prior to the start of the 2007 season, Garrard finally reached his goal of starting in the league. He responded positively to the challenge, posting one of the most efficient efforts of any starting quarterback in the league with 18 touchdowns and only three interceptions.
His quarterback rating for the 2007 season was among the best in the NFL, placing him in the top 10 for the season.
His most important achievement was helping the Jaguars earn a playoff spot and, subsequently, their first playoff win under Jack Del Rio.
It was a heady time for the player who had nearly lost his opportunity altogether at the end of the 2006 season. He almost caused a complete meltdown at the end of the season by filling in for the injured Byron Leftwich and taking the team out of playoff contention. By the end of the season, Garrard had been replaced by Quinn Gray.
He dedicated himself to putting that dismal performance behind him, and over the next few months as he prepared for the 2007 season, he worked on improving the flaws in his game.
He addressed a hitch in his throwing motion that caused his passes to miss the mark, and he focused on trying to make better decisions.
With the help of his quarterback coach Mike Shula, Garrard started to make significant strides during training camp leading up to the 2007 season, and he earned the confidence of his head coach as a result.
Garrard silenced the critics and proved that he could be a quality starting quarterback (in the right situation) with his 2007 performance.
Then, he got paid.
When Garrard signed his contract extension prior to the start of the 2008 season, many wondered if the Jaguars had rushed into giving him a new deal. The contract was the most lucrative ever signed by a Jaguar, so the team was making an unprecedented commitment to a quarterback who had only performed exceptionally well for one year as the starter.
The contract put to rest any talk of finding a starting quarterback for the Jaguars. After years of controversy, they were confident that they had found their guy, and they were eager to pay him despite the fact that he still had another year left on his current deal.
Expectations were high heading into the 2008 season. The Jaguars were being touted as a Super Bowl contender in media circles, and the buzz was growing louder by the day.
Garrard, coming off of his 2007 performance, was a contributing factor to this talk. Everything appeared to be heading in the right direction for the player and for the team.
Then, along came the injuries and off-field issues that sent the team into a tailspin.
Prior to the start of the season, the Jaguars were dealt a series of blows that left the team off balance and reeling. Starting with the arrest of receiver Matt Jones for cocaine possession, followed by Brad Meester's serious injury, and then Richard Collier's shooting, things were not going well for the team.
Meanwhile, their big wide receiver, free agent acquisition struggled to get on the field. Jerry Porter was barely able to take the field before he partially tore a hamstring that required surgery. He never regained any sort of form that would allow him to get up to speed, and as a result, he never developed any sort of chemistry with Garrard.
On opening day against the Tennessee Titans, the Jaguars were dealt two of the most significant blows to the team when Maurice Williams and Vince Manuwai were both lost to season-ending injuries before the halftime break.
With so many things going wrong around him, Garrard was never able to follow up his 2007 performance with any meaningful effectiveness. He struggled to deal with a makeshift offensive line that could barely protect him. He was barely able to establish himself in the pocket before he was being flushed out.
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