Sunday, September 6, 2009
By Vic Ketchman, jaguars.com senior editor
Luke McCown (pictured) is in and Todd Bouman is out. Jaguars General Manager Gene Smith made that announcement on Sunday afternoon.
“You can keep three. You have to do what’s best for your situation. We still feel (McCown’s) a young, ascending player,” Smith said in explaining his decision to release Bouman and have only two quarterbacks on the Jaguars roster.
Smith traded an undisclosed draft choice to the Tampa Bay Bucs for McCown, 28, on Saturday.
“He’s coming in here to be our number two quarterback,” Smith said of McCown. “I do believe he has the ability to compete to be a starter.”
The release of Bouman put the Jaguars roster at the mandatory 53-man limit.
In a news conference on Sunday, Smith also explained the release of offensive tackle Tony Pashos, cornerback Brian Williams and long-snapper Joe Zelenka.
“We did ask both players to consider re-structuring (their contracts), and they decided not to,” Smith said of Pashos and Williams, who were asked to accept pay cuts. “It happens more than you think. It’s just not publicized. I tried to be out in front of it, in fairness to both players.”
Zelenka, a fan favorite for the last several years, was cut in favor of Jeremy Cain, who was acquired in the spring.
“That was a very intense competition. Sometimes it’s just a gut call, too. He showed good ability in coverage. He had good snap velocity,” Smith said of Cain.
“In the end, it’s strictly a football decision. He’s done tremendous things off the field. I take my hat off to him,” Smith added of Zelenka.