Jerry Porter: From outhouse to penthouse

By Lee Gordon  |   Sunday, April 13, 2008  |  Comments( 5 )

Jacksonville Jaguars
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There may not be a happier free agent this offseason than Jerry Porter. One team's trash is another teams treasure. And things have to be really bad if the Raiders don't want you anymore. Porter pushed himself out of the Bay Area after a number of incidents, one in which he admitted that he wasn't even watching the game.

But now, it seems as though his career has been rejuvenated with the Jags. But has it really? Is this guy what the Jags need to make it past the second round of the postseason? Is he really a No. 1 receiver? The honest answer is that Porter is better than everyone the Jaguars currently have. And because of that, the teal and black decided to invest $30 million over six years to find out if the former West Virginia star is worth his weight.

Upon his arrival in Florida, Porter said all the right things. He's happy to be in Jacksonville, and he feels like a rookie again. He's looking forward to working with David Garrard. Maybe all of those things are true. If he's half as good as Randy Moss was last year, given a new lease on life, then Porter is worth the money.

A season ago, Porter caught 44 passes for just over 700 yards. That's not exactly No. 1 receiver stats. But it's all about potential and anything the Jags can do to not have to draft a receiver this year is worth the money. Since the team arrived in the mid-1990s, only two receivers have had any kind of sticking power. Jimmy Smith, who's retired, and Keenan McCardell, who's close to it. The Jags haven't had a receiver to be proud of in a while. Last year, Reggie Williams and Dennis Northcutt did a good job. Matt Jones played his way out of town. But Porter could be the first receiver in a few years to give opposing teams fits. But he'd better stay healthy; if not, that smile will evaporate quickly. It's not to say the Jags are resting the 2008 season on Porter's shoulders, but without him, their offense is the same as last year. That won't be good enough.

Porter has started 63 of his 104 career games and has 284 career receptions for 3,939 yards. So what does that mean for the Jags? Nothing, unless he can duplicate it and then some in his new home. Porter has the quarterback to do it, he has an offensive line that's one of the best in the league and possibly the top one-two backfield punch in the NFL. This is Porter's last big contract if he doesn't do what he's supposed to do. Randy Moss is no longer stealing his shadow. The Jags are winners, unlike the Raiders. This city is nice enough, and the media are pretty easy on the players. Now it's up to Jerry Porter.
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