Maurice Jones-Drew Seeking New Contract?

Added on Apr 17, 2012 by Scott in

NFL

Running back Maurice Jones-Drew’s absence from the Jaguars most recent voluntary offseason workouts might be much ado about nothing, or it could be much ado about a new contract. Reports have surfaced that MJD is unhappy with the financial compensation rewarded from the deal he inked in 2009, which currently ranks him as the eighth-highest paid runner in the NFL.

Jones-Drew feels strongly he has outplayed the parameters of the contract and it’s hard to argue with his assessment. The 27-year-old Pro Bowler won the 2011 rushing title after rumbling for 1,606 yards on 343 carries, both career highs. He has amassed over 1300 yards on the ground in each of the last three seasons and also has 130 receptions during that time frame.

AS far as one-man offensive gangs go, MJD tops the list. Adrian Peterson and Matt Forte are close, but neither is the sole weapon on their respective teams. Peterson has Percy Harvin, Forte has Jay Cutler. Meanwhile, Jones-Drew has… Mike Thomas? Blaine Gabbert? Marcedes Lewis? Not exactly a murderer’s row of talent.

It’s easy to conclude that the diminutive back deserves to be paid. However, Jacksonville has to consider several factors before deciding to fork over additional cash. Jones-Drew has been a stalwart for sure, but there are still concerns about the knee he injured in 2010. Despite playing all 16 games last season, he appeared to be missing the signature explosiveness that he had in 2008 and 2009 when he accounted for 30 total touchdowns.

He’s still got plenty left in the tank, although three straight seasons of 300-plus touches adds up quickly, especially for undersized runners. He may have earned a raise, but committing to him long-term could prove to be a mistake. The Jaguars are ushering in a new era under head coach Mike Mularkey and have many holes to fill on both sides of the ball. Ignoring their best player’s complaints would be unwise, but so to would neglecting a long overdue rebuilding process.

Source: CBSSports.com