Why is David Garrard Getting No Love?

Teams Looking for Starting QB Overlooking Jaguars Backup

To be successful in the NFL, it is almost a given that you need to have a quality quarterback running your offense.

It is such an important position, several teams around the league have given up big money to aging free agents and draft picks to trade for guys who have limited starting experience, are well past their prime and are even retired.

Despite the rush for a quality starter, one guy who may be the best quarterback not on the field on Sunday has been, for the most part, overlooked; Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback David Garrard.

All Garrard has done over the past two seasons is compile a 9-7 record in games he's started in place of an injured Byron Leftwich, throw 14 touchdowns compared to 10 interceptions and record a decent 82.2 passer rating. Yet a guy like Matt Schaub (0-2 as a starter, 69.2 career passer rating) had the Houston Texans trade multiple draft picks for him and give him big money to be their starter. In addition, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are giving the Denver Broncos a conditional 7^th round pick for quarterback Jake Plummer even though Plummer says he is retiring. And, the Oakland Raiders, who are in need of a starter, are trying to trade for Detroit Lions backup Josh McCown (10-12 as a starter, 72.1 passer rating).

The Minnesota Vikings, who currently have Brooks Bollinger and Tarvaris Jackson aren't even making a move to upgrade the spot.

Even the Jaguars aren't giving Garrard a chance, choosing to keep him on the bench when Leftwich is healthy (they did, however, work out a contract that pays Garrard more if he ends up starting more games that Leftwich).

There are two possibilities as to why teams aren't pursuing Garrard. One might be the Jaguars aren't interested in trading him, especially with the oft injured Leftwich. While this may be true, Leftwich is a free agent following the 2007 season and Garrard is a free agent after 2008. They aren't going to be able to afford to give both a big contract so, if the offer is intriguing enough, I'm sure they would consider it.