Jaguars coach Mike Mularkey recently made news when he told NFL Network's Albert Breer there wouldn't be a quarterback competition in Jacksonville.
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"Blaine (Gabbert) is our starting quarterback," Mularkey said.
That's what Mularkey has to say. It's the offseason, and Gabbert was beaten up last season on the field and in the media. In the NFL, actions speak louder than words. The Jaguars aggressively went after Chad Henne and paid him big money for a backup quarterback so he wouldn't go to interested teams like the New York Jets.
In fact, Henne didn't really receive a backup's salary. He got a salary that indicates flexibility to move up the pecking order. Don Banks of SI.com wrote Tuesday that's exactly what some folks inside the Jaguars' organization expect to happen. Banks wrote that there are those inside the organization who expect Henne to beat out Gabbert by late August.
The Jaguars are re-teaching Gabbert the fundamentals this offseason. They are talking about how confident he is, which is the type of thing you say when you are trying to build up confidence.
It's not a surprise Gabbert has his detractors inside the building. His problems in 2011 went beyond the normal rookie learning curve. This season will be about proving people wrong -- even in his organization. If Gabbert doesn't start the season fast, the Jaguars have an option ready to take his place.
