Jaguars Blog

Find out about fifth-overall pick Justin Blackmon's latest brush with the law, Andre Branch signing his deal and what the team is doing to expand their fanbase.

Blackmon Arrested for DUI

The player who is supposed to take the Jaguars passing game to the next level found himself in a bit of hot water Sunday morning as first-round pick Justin Blackmon was arrested for "aggravated DUI" in Stillwater, Oklahoma, as first reported by Kelly Hines of the Tulsa World News.

Our take: This is Blackmon's second such arrest as he was locked up in 2010 after attending a Dallas Cowboys game while at Oklahoma State. This arrest shouldn't lead to any league suspension but he's now on the watch list. In the draft, people noted the character issues of Notre Dame wide receiver Michael Floyd and brushed over Blackmon's previous indiscretion. Doesn't really sound like a "Gene Guy."

Branch Is Delivered

The Jaguars have historically been a little "late to the party" regarding the signing of their draft picks. Better late than never as they came to terms with second-round pick, former Clemson defensive end Andre Branch. Here's the Associated Press story by Mark Long.

Our take: Branch has been receiving rave reviews through the first few OTA sessions as he appears to be a learning sponge. Defensive line coach Joe Cullen appears to be a big fan, and if Branch can make an impact as a rookie the Jaguars defense could be even better than the unit that finished 2011 ranked sixth overall.

Expanding the Brand

The Jaguars have been on a mission to gather more season ticket holders. That mission includes player caravans from Georgia all the way down to the Daytona Beach area. Whereas this is a great start, should the team attempt to move its training camp to try and attract new customers? Big Cat Country Editor Alfie Crow gives his take.

Our take: The Jaguars claimed for years that caravans, billboards and proactive marketing campaigns were a waste of time. Doing nothing didn't work and now they are taking a proactive approach which is to be applauded, regardless of the results.



Charlie Bernstein is the NFL Insider for ESPNFlorida.com and ESPN 1080 and 1040 in Orlando/Tampa and Editor-in-Chief of Sports Media Interactive, covering the National Football League, NCAA, and National Basketball Association. Charlie covers the Jacksonville Jaguars for FoxSports and has been featured on the NFL Network and Sirius NFL Radio. Charlie is also a member of the Pro Football Writers of America. You can follow Charlie on Twitter @nflcharlie