Maurice Jones-Drew Ends Holdout, Reports To Jaguars

The third down back in Mularkey’s system also gives the starter breaks on long drives, and if the Jaguars are going to be run-dominant, Jones-Drew is likely to have early opportunities to earn his spot back. Jones-Drew doesn’t know how much he should expect to play.

Here’s Mularkey:

“I did something I felt was right,” Jones-Drew said. “No one can tell me it was wrong.”

That Jones-Drew is taking this approach now is no surprise. He is a very proud guy who was never going to apologize or pretend that he didn’t think he deserved the new contract that he was holding out for.

Jones-Drew is going to need to work. Considering Mike Mularkey is able to fine him up to $30,000 a day - plus $60,000 for a three-day, mandatory minicamp -- Jones-Drew could be out $1.2 million this season. He is scheduled to make $4.45 million in 2012 and $4.95 million next year.

Here is some insight from Big Cat Country on Jones-Drew jumping right into the action:

From BCC:

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While Jones-Drew’s holdout drags into its 35th day, the Jaguars seem determined to get their star player back into the fold. Rumors have emerged that the running back wouldn’t mind a trade, but he has publicly disputed that claim and the team seems utterly disinterested in making such a deal.

Last season, Jones-Drew was among the most prolific offensive players in the NFL, rushing 343 times for 1,606 yards. He also caught 43 passes for 374 yards, and totaled 11 touchdowns on the year. It’s his third consecutive season with over 1,300 yards rushing, so the 27-year-old would obviously be in major demand.

Jennings is entering his fourth season in the league and third seeing time on the field, all with Jacksonville. The former Liberty University start has rushed for 661 yards, but missed the 2011 season on injured reserve after a knee injury and a concussion knocked him in last year’s preseason.

Jones-Drew entered the 33rd day of his holdout from the Jags on Wednesday, having accrued over $1 million in team fines.

Here’s Mularkey when asked if Jones-Drew could start the season:

Read more on the Jaguars at Big Cat Country and SB Nation Tampa Bay.

Related: Maurice Jones-Drew Holdout: Jaguars RB Thinks ‘Things Are Going To Work Out’

The running back offered the comment during a chat about fantasy football. After admitting he drafts himself every year, MJD assured that, holdout aside, he remains worth drafting this year.

“I think things are going to work out,” Jones-Drew said, an open-ended comment that doesn’t indicate whether he thinks they will result in a trade or in his reporting to Jacksonville to play his seventh season for the Jaguars.

With a little over two weeks until the Jaguars season begins, Jones-Drew would need to get into camp sooner rather than later to have any chance to start Week 1.

For the latest on all things Jacksonville Jaguars, head over to Big Cat Country and join the discussion.

The Jaguars’ 27-year-old running back has two years remaining on his contract and has been a holdout throughout all of Jacksonville’s training camp in protest of his contract, a five-year deal signed in 2009.

A team handing out a new deal with one year remaining isn’t unusual; a new deal with two years remaining is. Owner Shad Khan and the Jaguars do not want to set a precedent of paying a player two years before his deal is up. Besides, the Jaguars bet on MJD before he was the proven back he is today, so they’re expecting him to now honor that bet. They’re not going to make that bet twice.

The first brilliant Photoshopped creation to pop up was courtesy of the Jacksonville Jags Tumblr and boy howdy is it ever a beauty.

Glorious.

Alfie Crow, editor of SB Nation Tampa Bay and co-manager of Big Cat Country, offered some thoughts on Jones-Drew’s remarks -- and he doesn’t believe that Jones-Drew will end up on another team’s roster in 2012.

Jones-Drew has two years left remaining on his current contract, which would pay him $9 million over those two seasons.

Commenting on Jones-Drew’s holdout, Khan told the Florida Times-Union that the “train is leaving the station. Run, get on it.”

Khan’s comments irked Jones-Drew enough that he is now open to a trade, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Jones-Drew has been a no-show for Jaguars activities since workouts in April, and Khan stated back in July that there were no plans to give the running back a new contract before the start of this season. Khan has also stated that the holdout is “not a great concern:”

Jones-Drew has two years remaining on his contract with the Jaguars, which would pay him $9 million over two seasons. The six-year veteran was the bulk of the team’s offense last season, rushing for 1,606 yards and eight touchdowns, in addition to 374 yards receiving and three touchdowns.

Jones-Drew is set to make $9.5 million over each of the next two seasons after signing an extension in 2009. But one wonders how long MJD can sustain such a holdout, forfeiting $30,000 a day in fines for missing training camp. He has already racked up over $600,000 in fines.

Perhaps this is why first-year owner Shahid Khan, who is no stranger to labor disputes, doesn’t seem too concerned, according to Michael Silver of Yahoo! Sports:

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Steve Wyche at NFL.com reports that Jones-Drew -- who did not report to camp on Thursday -- plans to sit out all of training camp, if not longer, in order to garner a new contract. Jones faces a $30,000 fine for each day of training camp that he misses.

Jones-Drew led the NFL last season with 1,606 rushing yards and believes he has earned a top-tier contract.

The two sides have been squabbling over a new contract, which Jones-Drew is pressing for. The Jaguars, however, have dug in their heels and say they refuse to negotiate a new contract, as Jones-Drew still has two years remaining on the five-year, $31 million deal he signed prior to the 2009 NFL season.

Jones-Drew is seeing running back after running back cash in and sign new deals, and is looking for one more pay day after leading the league in rushing in 2011.

Jones-Drew sat out the team’s mandatory minicamp, and could be subject to a $30,000 per day fine if holds out of training camp. He has had no contact with head coach Mike Mularkey, and as of yet there has been no indication that the running back will be joining the team in the immediate future.

For more on the Jacksonville Jaguars offseason, please visit Big Cat Country or stop by SB Nation Tampa Bay. For more on the NFL in general, stay tuned to SB Nation’s dedicated NFL hub.

Mularkey is doing a good job of pretending that Jones-Drew is just like any fringe player trying to make the team, and that he doesn’t care whether or not his star running back shows up.

In reality, Mularkey’s offense is going to be hindered significantly if Jones-Drew decides to hold out, but admitting that isn’t going to help his employer in negotiations with Jones-Drew.

Jones-Drew skipped out on the team’s voluntary workouts and mandatory mini-camp, but it’s not known yet if he will report to training camp on time.

For more on the Jacksonville Jaguars offseason, please visit Big Cat Country or stop by SB Nation Tampa Bay. For more on the NFL in general, stay tuned to SB Nation’s dedicated NFL hub.

Brad Gagnon of Sports Radio Interviews transcribed a recent Jones-Drew interview with 102.3 ESPN in Denver, where the running back addressed the contract situation.

Jaguars fans are likely hoping this will all get resolved sooner, rather than later.

Jones-Drew has been seeking a new contract throughout the offseason. As recently as Monday, Jaguars GM Gene Smith made it clear that Jones-Drew would not be getting a new deal, saying they expect him to honor is contract. (Which is laughable considering Smith wouldn’t hesitate cutting someone who was under contract.)

This could be turning into quite the stand-off. This week’s mandatory minicamp is the last organized football action until training camp in late July. After this week the question becomes whether Jones-Drew will miss portions of training camp in order to secure a new deal.