Former Jacksonville Jaguars RB Fred Taylor backs Maurice Jones-Drew for fresh deal – NFL News
Former Jacksonville Jaguars’ running back Fred Taylor has said that the Jags’ current RB Maurice Jones-Drew is working very hard on his fitness and form but is less likely to show up for training camp unless the compelling deal matter reaches a solution.
Fred, who retired as a Jaguar after signing a token one-day contract in 2011, insisted MJD is not a greedy player but expects Jaguars’ managers will show flexibility to their hard stance on the pending deal issue.
He said:
"He understands it's a young man's game. He's trying to use whatever leverage he has."
MJD has asked the Jaguars to redo his terms as he thinks – and this is confirmed in independent analysis – that he is far less paid than his counterparts with other teams.
Taylor said if the management does not agree to return to the negotiations table, the RB will most likely sit out on the fence during the entire or most part of the training camp, which opens later this month.
He added;
“I think (Jones-Drew) will continue to hold out because there were some things that were miscommunicated by both sides. Pride gets involved. Someone has to give. I don't think Maurice will be the first one to show his hand. Possibility it'll go into training
camp or even further."
The Jaguars have signed kicker Josh Scobee to a new contract this week but do not look in a mood to show flexibility on the deal matter of the RB.
General manager, Gene Smith, has repeatedly said that they expect MJD to service the remaining two years on his previous contract before asking for consideration of an extension.
Some independent analysts see the RB’s demand to be a genuine one but this is not simply enough to convince the Jaguars to consider that the player is worth more payout than what he earns at the moment.
The RB has skipped the entire offseason programme of the team including the three-day mandatory minicamp and is most likely, as Taylor said, to miss the training camp in protest of the new deal demand.
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