Darius rips into Jaguars, is seeking trade
 

Darius rips into Jaguars, is seeking trade
FOX Sports Radio


Donovin Darius hopes he's played his last game in a Jacksonville Jaguars uniform.

Darius called FOX Sports Radio's Saturday Game-Time Re-Act with Ben Maller to voice his displeasure after being tagged the team's franchise player for the third consecutive year.
"I played for this team for five years on my rookie contract, and three years in a row they franchise me," Darius said. "And basically they're trying to bully the situation by saying if you don't accept a low contract, then we're going to put the franchise tag on you and eliminate your chances from going on the free-agency market and securing your future.

"Because they took that business route, I took my business route by telling them I want to be out of there, and don't want to play for their organization anymore, and I want to seek a trade."

Tuesday, Darius received a one-year tender contract from the Jaguars.

With the franchise tag, the hard-hitting safety's new deal is worth the average of the top five salaries at his position last season — which is $4.97 million — or a 20 percent raise, whichever is greater.

"On Thursday they gave me permission to seek a trade, and so I'm looking for a new home," Darius said. "And there are a couple of teams out there again that I think have interest that would like my services. ... We'll bring a deal back to the Jaguars ... some kind of compensation whether it's player for player or a draft pick for me ... maybe like a second-round or a third-round pick or whatever the case may be.

"I'm looking for a send-away party. I'm tired of the organization."

Darius rips into Jaguars, is seeking trade
 

Dude, me and LKelley talked about and posted that last week. You really are late. Trying to get some credit from Halo? ;)

Darius rips into Jaguars, is seeking trade
 

I would take him for a 3rd rd pick!!!!!!

[Edited on 6/3/2005 by FireVenturi]

Darius rips into Jaguars, is seeking trade
 

While this isn\'t a lot of new news, the article was written 1 hour ago.

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/3442430

Darius rips into Jaguars, is seeking trade
 

I would be willing to forgo the possibilty of trading up to get DJ if we could snag Darius for Howard. I say take what you can get now.

Anyone have any reports on Channing Crowder? ;)

Darius rips into Jaguars, is seeking trade
 

You never know, but I doubt the jags would do it as they signed a DE to start this week.

Darius rips into Jaguars, is seeking trade
 

why complain about being tagged??? I\'d let them tag me... thats good money.

Darius rips into Jaguars, is seeking trade
 

Being tagged is a funny thing isn\'t it? First when these guys get into the NFL, They just want a chance to play, It\'s like they say, they would play for free. As they establish names for themselves and their market value increases, they Demand more money or NOW they won\'t play at all. When the money is good then they refuse to play because they want a LONG term deal? It goes on and on. Now they\'re in the top of their class and positions so teams label them their Franchise Player, Giving them GUARANTEED Money, and a chance to sign and stay with their current team. It just never seems enough? The player then feels insulted that they have been hindred from exploring the Free Agency Market by their OWN team as No one will RISK giving up 2, 1st rounders to steal a Franchise Player away from another. It just seems rather like and endless circle? I\'m not picking a side, because I can see the argument from either side, I just think it\'s funny how it all comes down.

But for most us watching from the outside, as EUPHORIA said

\" Why complain about being tagged??? I\'d let them tag me... thats good money. \"

Darius rips into Jaguars, is seeking trade
 

Does it even make sense to complain about being tagged, especially a few years in a row? If DD plays for the Jags this year, he will have made about 15 million in the last 3 years (thanks to the 20% pay raise). Plus he won\'t be tied up in a long term contract with relatively small base sallaries, but could get the signing bonus he seeks after the season if the Jags let him go.

On a side note: A player making (earning?) five million dollars yacking about an orginization \"eliminating his chances to secure his future\" sounds like a moron to me.

Darius rips into Jaguars, is seeking trade
 

Keep Howard, give up your second or third (and maybe another low rounder or player if that\'s what it takes). That\'s my plan.

Darius rips into Jaguars, is seeking trade
 

Inking Howard, he\'ll make less money initially, but makes garenteed money in the long run as well. I agree we keep Howard. To me he starts and you find ways to get Smith into the game besides alternating him at DE.

This Darius doesn\'t make sense to me you make top5 money for a year... thats good. But to complain and want a trade, something is up, I think its an excuse just to move out of there.

[Edited on 7/3/2005 by Euphoria]

Darius rips into Jaguars, is seeking trade
 

Offering just a second without Howard would be an extreme lowball. I wouldn\'t even entertain that if I were the Jags.

I dont see the upside for keeping Howard any longer.

Smith is a DE. He\'s not big enough for DT. Enough with the experimentation. We drafted him for DE and that\'s what we should pay him to play.

[Edited on 7/3/2005 by GoldenTomb]

Darius rips into Jaguars, is seeking trade
 

Here are two good reasons:

1) John Pease uses a platoon type scheme to the D-line. Lots of players, lots of rotating. Keep guys fresh all game and move them around. It makes the line seem nastier as the game wears on. Pease has used as many as 9 defensive linemen in his rotation in the part. I like Willie Whitehead, but if Grant or Smith need a spell, Whitehead\'s not exactly on the same level. That\'s assuming we have zero injuries.

2) This has me licking my chops. Imagine third and nine. The Saints line up with Grant, Whitehead, Howard, Smith. That\'s disgusting. That\'s 20 or 30 sacks alone throught the year from that formation.

[Edited on 7/3/2005 by WhoDat]

Darius rips into Jaguars, is seeking trade
 

The art of the negociation... you start low and go from there. There is nothing wrong with your philosophy but you have to start thinking outside the box if you want to win. You have 2 solid DE and managed to get a gifted pass rushing DE in the draft... hmmm. Ok Howard ya don\'t like at DC ok... lets see what else we can do... how about moving Smith to OLB even as a Nickel CB to BLITZ. Smith can play at LB don\'t discredit that even. Pats win because they have coaches who thinks outside the box, it takes more than just putting the best 11 guys on the field you can you have to get the best players in a position to make plays. Thats where Howard and Smith come in.

Darius rips into Jaguars, is seeking trade
 

There you said it....the Pats have coaches that think outside the box. The Pats had Romeo Crennel. We have Rick Venturi. See the difference? Trying to do what they do without being in the inside of their organization won\'t work. We have to do our own thing, because what the Pats do won\'t work for us. They have a talented coaching staff with elaborate, highly effective schemes, whereas we don\'t. We have to rely more on the talent of our players.

Darius rips into Jaguars, is seeking trade
 

exactly!!! Talented Howard, Talented Smith, so you just agreeed with me, we use the talent we have.

Darius rips into Jaguars, is seeking trade
 

Um, anyone thought of what happens to Charles Grant in a year or two if we keep Howard? He will be due for a new contract, Howard will be in the middle of one, and Smith will already be getting paid good money. Unless we wanna tie a good bit of money in one position, no matter how talented Howard is, he has to go. I read today they are looking at re-signing Bentley already, even before Deuce and Horn which is good. But come on, it\'s good to talk about keeping Howard, but he is hurt often, and will command more money than we can afford.

Darius rips into Jaguars, is seeking trade
 

I\'m with Whodi on this one. We simply cannot afford to keep Howard and improve the other need spots on the team. Unless we\'re merely going to improve through the draft - which I, personally, don\'t think will do to improve the 32nd ranked defense and 27th ranked running game.

Darius rips into Jaguars, is seeking trade
 

Don\'t get me wrong I am not opposed to see him going... just I am not sold either way is the way to go. You could sign him to a long term contract and he won\'t be getting 7.8 mil.

Darius rips into Jaguars, is seeking trade
 

I hope to high heavan that howard is traded..otherwize we are in trouble.

Darius rips into Jaguars, is seeking trade
 

Even if he isn\'t getting 7.8, he will be getting at least 5, maybe even 6, and not to mention bonus. Then like I said, Grant comes up in a year or two. Well we will have committed a 5 or 6 year contract to Howard. I value Grant more than Howard cause he is ON THE FIELD. So then what, we franchise him, have to trade him, meanwhile Howard is almost 30, and if he gets injured this often now, it\'s not gonna get better. I can see what you are saying, but resigning Howard will not be cheap by any means, and the $$$ is better spent elsewhere. I would rather draft a guy we can platoon instead of having a first round pick(Smith) as a rotational player. I can\'t believe I am saying this but IF Sully means what he says, we will be fine without Howard and his hefty contract. Then, what if he says he doesn\'t want to sign a long term deal and will just play for the franchise amount? Financially, we would be so screwed. But like I said, I can see your point, I guess I am leaning towards us being in a no win position if we keep him.

Darius rips into Jaguars, is seeking trade
 

Point is....we sealed Howard\'s fate by franchising him. There was very little chance of him coming back with him being an UFA, but now it\'s certain that he will be traded. I wish that he would play for the Saints forever, but he wants to be a starter for a team, which he is totally entitled to. Will Smith wants to be a starter too. Will Smith is cheaper, younger and has more upside. Easy choice.

Darius rips into Jaguars, is seeking trade
 

I completely agree with saintwhodi. Howard is a \"luxary\" we cannot afford when you look at the weak areas on the defense. Spend the money elsewhere...