The Jaguars made their first two significant roster moves of the offseason on Wednesday, releasing wide receiver Jerry Porter and cornerback Drayton Florence, players the Jaguars acquired in expensive free agency a year ago.
"In going through our personnel evaluations and roster analysis, we are making decisions we believe will help improve our team for the 2009 season and beyond," General Manager Gene Smith said in a statement released by the Jaguars on Wednesday.
Porter and Florence were signed on the first week of free agency last March, in moves the team hoped would address needs and put the team over the top in its pursuit of the Super Bowl. That hope, of course, was not met.
A spring hamstring injury resulted in Porter having surgery in July, missing all of training camp and missing the first three games of the regular season. Porter played in 10 games and started six of those, catching only 11 passes for 181 yards and one touchdown. He sustained a season-ending groin injury in Chicago on Dec. 7.
Florence was a starter at cornerback for the first four games of the season but spent most of the remainder of the season as a "nickel" back and reserve. He played in 15 games and started in eight of those, but intercepted no passes.
Monday, Feb. 9, was the first day teams were permitted to release players.
