[Tony tha Mavs fan]

Monday, August 25, 2003



By Len Pasquarelli
ESPN.com


Even as Jacksonville Jaguars officials remain purposely vague about the status of quarterback Mark Brunell, and tap-danced around the issue of job security as the regular season approaches, there was yet another indication on Monday that they might consider ending the 10-year veteran's tenure with the club.

League sources confirmed to ESPN.com that a high-ranking Jaguars personnel official phoned the New York Jets on Monday to see if they might be interest in adding Brunell through a trade. The Jets apparently said they were not interested in such a deal.

But the mere fact the Jaguars attempted to initiate trade talks, or simply inquired about outside interest in Brunell, did not augur well for his future. There are some within the Jacksonville organization who feel the team would be better served cutting ties to Brunell as they did with coach Tom Coughlin, and rebuilding with a younger quarterback.

ESPN's Chris Mortensen also reported that Brunell was offered to the Cowboys and Ravens, who also declined.

The Jaguars invested their first-round pick in this year's draft on Byron Leftwich. And second-year quarterback David Garrard, who has performed well in camp, might be one of the NFL's most improved players this summer.

First-year coach Jack Del Rio told the team's web site that "nothing has changed" in his stance about the Jaguars' starting quarterback. But pressed on the issue, Del Rio could not be pinned down. Said Del Rio: "Right now, he's our quarterback."

Certainly trading or releasing Brunell - and rumors have abounded in Jacksonville over the past few days concerning both scenarios - would signal the end of an era there. That would officially toss the franchise into rebuilding mode, a moniker owner Wayne Weaver has attempted to avoid, as he tries to market his team and sell tickets.

Brunell, 32, represents a tether to the past, a time when the Jaguars advanced to the AFC championship game in only their second season of existence.

During the spring, in dealing with Brunell's contract, it became increasingly clear that the upcoming season would be his final one in a Jacksonville uniform. But he has not looked good in camp and Garrard has closed the gap. There is little doubt, as well, that Leftwich is the face of the team's future.

Brunell is scheduled to earn a base salary of $6.75 million in 2003. His base salary for '04 is $6.5 million but he is also due a $2 million bonus if he is still on the Jacksonville roster next March 1.

Acquired by Jacksonville in a trade with Green Bay in 1995, Brunell has been the Jags' starter since he arrived. For his career, he has completed 2,141 of 3,557 pass attempts for 25,309 yards, with 142 touchdown passes, 86 interceptions and a passer rating of 85.1. He has appeared in 119 games and started 114 of them.
Len Pasquarelli is a senior writer for ESPN.com.