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Posted by ESPN.com's Paul Kuharsky

The Jaguars cuts, just announced by the team:

Tight end Richard Angulo

Safety Marlon McCree

Running back Alvin Pearman

Offensive lineman Tony Pashos

Linebacker Tim Shaw

Running back Chauncey Washington

Punter Steve Weatherford

Defensive back Brian Williams

Linebacker Thomas Williams

Long snapper Joe Zelenka

Wide receiver Tiquan Underwood

Quarterback Todd Boeckman

Fullback Brock Bolen

Safety Michael Desormeaux

Cornerback Pete Ittersagen

Defensive end Jeremy Navarre

Center Cecil Newton

Wide receiver Todd Peterson

Guard Cameron Stephenson

Running back Josh Vaughan

Linebacker Johnny Williams

The team also placed defensive tackle Rob Meier (shoulder) on injured reserve.

Posted by ESPN.com's Paul Kuharsky

The Jaguars' Maurice Jones-Drew and Thomas Williams, Indianapolis' Adam Seward and former Jaguar Kyle Brady are among 24 current and former players who will take part in the annual NFL Broadcast Boot Camp at NFL Films, which features instructors from each of the league's broadcast partners.

This is from a release sent out by the Jaguars:

It will include hands-on work in areas such as tape study, editing, show preparation, radio production, control room operation, studio preparation, production meetings, field reporting and game preparation. Each player will tape segments as a studio and game analyst and take part in a networking session with television executives. Each player also will serve as a live radio host on SIRIUS NFL Radio.

Of the 40 players who took part in the Broadcast Boot Camp in 2007 and 2008, 21 have already earned broadcasting jobs as a result of their participation in the program ...

The NFL Broadcast Boot Camp is part of an ongoing NFL-NFLPA initiative to assist players in preparing for their post-playing careers. Over the past four years, more than 470 players have participated in the NFL Business Management and Entrepreneurial Program. Each offseason, with the support of team and league player development departments, more than 100 NFL players independently enroll in college courses as they work towards Master's or Bachelor's degrees while more than 130 others pursue career development opportunities.

This is one of many areas where the league is smartly proactive. Players and former players who have polished broadcast presences always seem to be in demand, even when we might think there isn't possibly a niche for another.

I don't know Brady, Williams or Seward at all. But it's not difficult to picture Jones-Drew, who's media-friendly and thoughtful, as a broadcaster after he's done with football.

Posted by ESPN.com's Paul Kuharsky

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Every blog entry with OTA practice observations comes with a disclaimer: These practices are about installations and themes. There are no pads and no real contact. These settings favor receivers and don't feature a lot of information about line play. Guys can look like superstars here and be terrible come camp or vice versa.

That said, here's what I saw, thought and heard during the Jaguars session Monday:

Somersaulting: Near the start of practice, defensive players stuttered stepped over five blocking bags on the ground, then rolled into a somersault and looked to grab a loose ball rolled by a coach. "Find the ball, scoop and score," linebacker coach Mark Duffner urged them. Safety Sean Considine's helmet popped off when he hit the ground.

First impression: In one-on-one work in the red zone, my first look at rookie corner Derek Cox was as he intercepted a pass to the back left corner intended for Maurice Dupree. Later, Todd Peterson broke away from Cox along the back line of the end zone under the goal post for an easy TD, Mike Walker dropped a catchable ball against Tyron Brackenridge and Brian Williams break up a pass for Dennis Northcutt. Cox looked pretty smooth.

During that red zone one-on-one period, defensive coordinator Mel Tucker stood under the goal posts and offered a lot of instruction. After a play he'd often talk with the defensive back involved about what unfolded and how it could have or should have been different in very specific terms. A bit later in a defensive walkthrough, Jack Del Rio's was the voice everyone was listening to.

Out of action: John Henderson fell out very early and didn't come back. He was under the shed at one end of the practice field in the shade. Everyone was presuming he fell out because of the heat - recent OTA sessions have been on cool rainy days. But it's sunny and in the high 80s or low 90s Monday. Not a good sign, but we don't have all the info in it yet.

Lineup stuff on defense: Williams was at right corner with the ones, with Considine paired at safety with Reggie Nelson. In nickel, Cox came in and took Williams' spot, while Williams kicked inside. The consensus among observers is that the competition is between Considine and Cox. If coaches feel the D is better off with Considine as a starting safety, then Williams winds up playing corner. If Cox is better, he plays corner and Williams goes to safety.

Justin Durant is playing middle linebacker, but Daryl Smith and Clint Ingram on either side of him. Didn't get a good read on the line, as people were shuffling, Henderson was out, and the O-line was sometime only using three people in team drills with the ends basically kneeling down at the snap. Line play in team periods in these situations often doesn't mean a whole lot.

Lineup stuff on offense: The starting line was, left to right, Tra Thomas, Uche Nwaneri, Brad Meester, Maurice Williams, Tony Pashos and the first two wideouts were Torry Holt and Mike Walker. (Walker gave Holt 81 without any resistance, happily returning to his college number 11 once it wasn't any longer being used by Reggie Williams.)

Wildcat work: Put the Jaguars on the list of teams experimenting with the Wildcat. In the first full team period, the offense broke the huddle and red-shirted David Garrard went wide right as a receiver, with Maurice-Jones Drew behind center in the shotgun, First play: handoff to Northcutt coming on an end around. Second play fake handoff to Troy Williamson and a run up the middle by Jones-Drew. (On defense before the snap, someone yelled, "You know 32 ain't throwing the ball." After the play, Del Rio said. "He got through the hole a little quicker than out quarterback power [run] does.") Third play: the snap went awry. Fourth play, handoff to Montell Owens.

With the second unit, tight end Zach Miller and Owens took snaps.

Update: 5:56 p.m.: I've since spent some time with offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter, who indicated it would be wise to read that period as more about getting the defense ready to defend it than the offense ready to run it. That doesn't mean they won't roll it out, but he urged me to keep in mind I just happened to be here on the day it came around for them.]

Shiny: The new sparkly teal quality to the helmets isn't as bad as I expected. In the sunlight, there is a special kind of shine that bounces off each one. As I sat down to talk with David Garrard, he pulled his out of the locker and we inspected it together. He's a big fan of that sunlight effect and the overall streamlined uniform look. He looked to be in command though the session, but in a 2:00 drill, he missed Tiquan Underwood deep left and Williamson deep right on consecutive passes as the offense failed to score. (More about Garrard specifically in a column to come later Monday.)

Fielding kicks: In kickoff return work, I saw Cox, Underwood, Williamson and Mike Thomas field balls. I am sure Brian Witherspoon was back there as well - I must have managed to miss him.

Different perspective: During a red zone team period, Torry Holt stood off to the side, away from the rest of the team. Later he told me it's just a matter of him getting away from the clutter and being able to better focus on a mental rep. He offered some commentary after a few plays. "You've got to catch that, you aren't going to get more open," he said to tight end Greg Estandia after he broke free from Considine running across the back of the end zone to the right corner. Estandia let Garrard's pass slide off his hands. Later Holt told Thomas, "You're letting them dictate to you."

Plays: Ingram had a pick of fourth-quarterback Paul Smith, as did Considine. Northcutt had a bobbling catch on the left sideline against Thomas Williams, who should have picked it. Russell Allen dropped an interception of a pass intended for Estandia.

Burst: Hard to gauge running backs in this setting, but Rashad Jennings showed a nice burst knifing through the middle on one play. He's a guy that's going to get a lot of attention. Regular observers love what they've seen of the seventh-rounder out of Liberty and said you can't find a nicer or more well-spoken rookie.

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	For Jacksonville to rebound from a disappointing 2008 season, it will need a better performance from linebackers Clint Ingram (51) and Justin Durant (56).

Posted by ESPN.com's Paul Kuharsky

Jack Del Rio was a third-round draft pick, a tough player who earned a spot on the All-Rookie team, built an 11-season résumé, made a Pro Bowl trip and amassed nearly 1,000 career tackles.

With a linebacker's mentality underneath his headset, it would befit Del Rio's Jaguars to be led by its linebackers, a group that failed to make enough plays for the 2008 season's disappointing 5-11 squad.

Now, without fixture Mike Peterson -- whose falling out with Del Rio last season added to the team's troubles -- three backers will be trying to put their stamps on the 2009 team: Daryl Smith, 27, a second-round pick from 2004; Clint Ingram, 26, a third-round draft pick from 2006; and Justin Durant, 23, a second-rounder from 2007.

"He expects a lot out of you," Ingram said of Del Rio. "Having him around is really an advantage. He's somebody who played the position and knows exactly what you're looking at. He's not been out of the game too long, he can relate to what we are going through, a lot of the things that we are seeing on the field."

A Closer Look Coach Mark Duffner and a scout weigh in on Justin Durant, Clint Ingram and Daryl Smith: JUSTIN DURANT Duffner: "A very quick, athletic, fast player. He has excellent change of direction, he's a very quick-twitch player. He has a lot of range. We feel like he's got a lot of big play capability and ability. He has played primarily as an outside linebacker for us. He's a very active player."  Scout: "He's a bit undersized and I expect they're moving him inside to the Mike. He's a phenomenal athlete, he's quick to the football, he's an aggressive tackler, he can play in coverage with range, he can man up. He's got the greatest upside of all of them and he can really develop into a consistent 100-tackle type. [He had 113 last year, according to the team's count.] ... The horses up front [John Henderson and Rob Meier] will allow for Durant's instincts to help him get to the football quickly, free up a lot of stuff for him to run tackle to tackle or sideline to sideline. Whether or not he has the ability to hold up will be the question, and I think the guys up front can limit the amount of hits he takes." CLINT INGRAM Duffner: "Clint started off very slowly last year, you know it was a personal situation where a close friend of his and one of our teammates got injured. I think that affected Clint early in the start of our season. But as the year went on, particularly in the latter half of the season I thought he really started to come on and play. He's a very strong, sudden, explosive player, a very strong hitter, he has very natural strength. We've put him at outside linebacker, and those are really interchangeable, that's where he's had the vast majority of his experience and repetition." Scout: "He's not as fluid straight line as Durant and lacks Durant's speed. His big thing is attacking well against the run. He's a Sam type, an on-the-line, jam-the-tight-end guy who works well going downhill and in gaps on the offensive line. He has some struggles in coverage dropping back, being fluid, in his ability to see and react to crossing routes and ranging to the sidelines." DARYL SMITH Duffner: "I think he's a very good football player, he's got size, speed, strength, quickness, change of direction. He's very versatile, he's played all of our linebacker positions and we're going to try to keep him at really one and let him continue to ascend as a player. He's strong against the run, he's got pass rush ability. He's really got everything you're looking for in terms of a linebacker. I think he's a bright guy, I think he's a very instinctive player too, he has big-play ability. ... We moved him around, he played outside, he played Mike and never really had a home where he could really take off. I thought he had a solid year for us last year, but if he's in one spot, you'll see him really start to spike up in terms of his productivity." Scout: "He's got the versatility to play inside or outside. He's aggressive, he's a good athlete. He's tough against the run. He plays pass better than Ingram, but not as good as Durant. He has little holes you can poke with the passing game and run fits. I see him as the weakside guy who can run and chase, but he can bounce around."

Ingram said Del Rio interacts with the linebackers quite a bit -- "I don't even see where he has time to take care of any of that stuff he has to do as a head coach as much as I see him around" -- and has learned much from Del Rio about being patient in making his reads and using precise footwork.

The Jaguars are finished reflecting on last season, but in conversations with the AFC South Blog this week both Durant and Ingram said they are holding themselves and the linebacker group accountable.

"We had a lot of mental errors, we allowed too many big plays, we allowed too many rushing yards, we just really weren't good as a whole," Durant said. "... I missed too many tackles last year, I didn't make as many plays as I should have made. I put a lot of pressure on myself to perform. I think that I am a playmaker. That's what I am working on this year, my tackling, my open-field tackling and being more physical."

On Ingram's report card, last year the linebackers played C-plus or B-minus football, and he gave himself a C.

"When things are going like that, I feel like I should be able to step up and do some things and get guys going and be one of those guys who can get something rolling," he said. "Defenses feed off of big plays, hits, emotion. Some of that type of stuff I feel like I should have done a better job of, I should have done a better job out on the field showing it. I did all right, but nowhere close to what I expect out of myself, nowhere close to what coaches expect."

He's reluctant to use it as an excuse and knows it affected the entire team, but Ingram was not himself early in the season. He was coming to terms with the shooting of offensive tackle Richard Collier, a close friend who wound up losing a leg.

For a Jacksonville bounce back this fall, the Jaguars' athletic trio of linebackers will need to more consistently make plays. At this time of year, everyone around the league is optimistic about just about everything, but at least they can sketch out why.

Linebackers coach Mark Duffner said the Jaguars allowed their scheme to get blurred a bit last year. The focus now is making things clearer for players so that they are able to use their talents without over-thinking things. They should resist the temptation to overextend. [Still, the defense was centered on takedowns by the linebackers far more than anyone else in the AFC South: Some 42 percent of Jacksonville's tackles were by linebackers, with Houston at 33 percent, and Indianapolis and Tennessee at 29 percent.]

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