Will they or won't they? That is the question surrounding the Jacksonville Jaguars and veteran running back Maurice Jones-Drew. General manager David Caldwell originally denied the idea that the team would trade away the running back. However, reports are surfacing once again that if offered the right deal, Jacksonville would part ways with Jones-Drew.
League sources report Jones-Drew would be traded if the right deal was presented to the Jaguars. That is common knowledge with any player that has an up and down resume like the running back. So far this season as the lead back in Jacksonville he has put up just 279 yards and two touchdowns. Those numbers are not blowing anyone away.
There are many questions surrounding this whole situation. Jones-Drew is playing out the final year of his contract and was hoping to hit free agency with a solid season behind him. That hope is diminishing by the week. His $4.95 million salary makes him even less marketable for the Jaguars. Add on top of that the fact that Jones-Drew will turn 29 in March and a trade seems highly unlikely.
The Jaguars have almost no chance at retaining the running back after the season. The Jaguars are headed nowhere and Jones-Drew knows it. However, his free agency value might be even less than his trade value. Ask Michael Turner about that.
The only teams that might consider bringing in Jones-Drew would be playoff contenders that need a little added push to help them late in the season. Teams like the Atlanta Falcons or the New York Giants that are struggling with depth at the position are unlikely to take a look simply because the asking price is too high.
Jacksonville will certainly push for a trade to happen. It benefits the team more than letting Jones-Drew simply walk away at the end of the year for nothing. If they can get a trade and draft picks as compensation, it would continue to help in the rebuilding effort. Jacksonville is in need of a productive draft in 2014.
Jones-Drew will likely stick with Jones-Drew for the remainder of the year. His production on the field has dropped with each season. As he gets older, interest gets smaller. Caldwell will not find that "right deal."