Triplets are like the holy grail of offense. Every team wants to have one--a stud QB, RB, and WR-- but most are not lucky enough to be able to put the pieces together. Jacksonville is hoping they might have the makings of one.

To call Blaine Gabbert and Justin Blackmon studs at this point would be pushing it at this stage in their careers. Gabbert has yet to do anything of value, but he hasn't had any tools to do anything with either. The team did pick up Laurent Robinson in the off-season, but the real addition is in former Oklahoma State wide receiver Justin Blackmon.

His holdout was a little on this side of ridiculous. Blackmon did screw up. He should not have been shocked that the team wanted to add some protection into his contract. A stud player is just another convict when he gets arrested.

In the end the team did not get much of anything included in the way of protection. They did get a good chunk of his signing bonus deferred, but that's it. I suppose the team figured that they needed a play-maker more than they needed protection in case he screwed up again.

That leaves running back Maurice Jones-Drew.

MJD is one of the best. Sadly he became as good as he is about half way through his current contract meaning that technically he can't bank on his game for another couple seasons (although an extension after this season would not be unheard of).

For Blaine Gabbert and Justin Blackmon to have the time they need to get on the same page they need to have MJD in the backfield. With him there the focus of opposing defenses will be on the run giving Gabbert and Blackmon some much needed time to develop.

Shahid Khan has to know that he needs his best player in camp. Rashad Jennings (MJD's current backup) is not bad. In limited action during the '09 and '10 seasons he averaged over five yards a carry when he played. The man is no MJD though.

Fans can only hope that the two (Khan and MJD) will find some middle ground and get the team's best player into camp--soon!

The NFL lowered the ticket threshold teams had to meet in order to keep the game from being blacked out on local television. While the idea may appear to be a boon to the fans, it wasn't a smart business decision for the teams so guys like the Indianapolis Colts and Jacksonville Jaguars declined to take the option.

This means that unless the team sells out every home game the home town fans not in the stands might not be able to watch their team play.

For Jacksonville the struggle is nothing new; its been one they've had to deal with the last few seasons. Should the team not get two thirds of its dynamic trio into camp soon they will likely be looking at having those issues again.

Without Maurice Jones-Drew in the lineup the team will not have a running game. Wide receiver Justin Blackmon is expected to give them a much needed threat at wide receiver. It's widely believed that someone like Blackmon is needed so the team can see if Blaine Gabbert is the QB of the future.

Jim Irsay should have seen this issue coming in Indianapolis. After years of selling out every game with ease and having a season ticket waiting list as long as Kenny Britt's rap sheet, the team has over 1600 season tickets still up for sale. With the team not expected to be much better than the one that took the field last year fans just aren't willing to pay the high cost of tickets.

The teams are trying to empower the fans by saying that they can't affect the game from home, but in this economy spending a couple hundred to sit in small seats rather than a comfy couch is not too appealing.

What would training camp be without a little bit of drama, right? Jacksonville sure has plenty of it with the absence of Maurice Jones-Drew and the 'fine' controversy.

I understand exactly what Shahid Khan, the Jacksonville Jaguars owner, is thinking. MJD is under contract; two years left. Technically and legally there is no need to pay him any more than what he is already getting. It isn't Khan's fault that MJD has played better than his contract.

That's the joy for a businessman in the NFL though; getting more for your money. Too often owners end up paying on the promise of results (like they used to do with rookie contracts). Now negotiations are skewed in the owner's favor.

However, what he's not understanding is that he is a new owner and his team has not been that good for some time. In fact, the only players that have really been producing with an regularity is his kicker (Josh Scobee) and MJD. 

Business is business, but sometimes you have to bend. The Jags need MJD in camp. He is the team leader and the best weapon they have. They need to have him operating on all cylinders when the season starts in order to give the team any chance at being competitive. 

Throw the man a bone Khan and move on before you alienate your best player and biggest draw. There will be plenty of teams that would love to steal him when he becomes a free agent...

It has to be a little tough being the new guy in town, even when you're an extremely wealthy millionaire. You want to do stuff that will make you popular with all the other kids, but you still have to be true to who you are (because eventually your true colors will come out).

Shahid Khan, the owner of the Jacksonville Jaguars, wants to be liked by the fans and has been quite active in the community in his short time at the helm of the team. However, he will be hated and burned in effigy if he doesn't do two things (to be fair he has to do one of them, but it would be smart to do both).

Khan needs to figure out someway to give Maurice Jones-Drew some more money and needs to lock in Josh Scobee to a new contract.

Scobee isn't  as importan as MJD (for obvious reasons), but he has been a vital piece of the team's offense since they drafted him in 2004. With an offense that will likely move the ball but have trouble getting the ball into the end zone, they need to be able to count on getting those much needed field goals.

Maurice Jones-Drew is the face of the franchise. He is a hard working, popular player that is one of the best at what he does. As bad as the team was last year and as non-existent as the passing game was, he still won the season rushing title--even though every defense knew to focus on him!

Being the businessman that he is, Khan sees a guy that still has two years left on his current contract. He doesn't need to pay him anymore than he already is. So why should he?

Because its the smart thing to do.

To be fair to Khan, even though it sucks, MJD is under contract. To be fair to MJD, he is one of the premier backs in the league and he's getting paid like a part time player. He deserves more; that goes without saying.

If he doesn't pay MJD anymore than he already is, MJD is supposedly ready to sit out the season. In this day and age I could see that happening. Players do not want to risk getting hurt before they are able to cash in. 

Do I think it will happen? Absolutely not. MJD is too much of a competitor. He will play; he'll just skip everything he possibly can. Then he'll play, have another stellar season, and when it comes time to actually negotiate a contract he'll wait and see what his value is on the free agent market.

Do not let the face of the franchise go Khan. Throw him a bone; find a way to give the man some more money and promise to do him right come contract time.

One of my favorite country songs growing up was "Looking for love in all the wrong places" by Johnny Lee (I think). The song comes to mind right now because I think that the new owner of the Jacksonville Jaguars, Shad Khan, is looking for love; whether it's in the wrong places remains to be seen.

If a recent Harris Interactive poll is any indication he may have a hard time finding any love for his new team. The poll had the Jags rated as the least popular team in the NFL.

That's kind of depressing.

Before others can love you, you have to love yourself. According to defensive back Dwight Lowery the team is doing more in order to love itself.

"I see more commitment all around from the coaching staff, obviously Shad (Khan), the new owner. He's building a championship environment," Lowery said. "The weight room is a lot different and that's the newest thing that's been seen so far."

Any relationship expert will tell you that before you can be loved you have to love yourself. Hearing Lowery talk about the difference in the coaching staff, the new weight room, and the new locker room it sounds like the team is trying to do what needs to be done internally. The hard part will be changing the minds of all those people that rated the Jags so low.

If Shad Khan has his way the team will get the chance to take huge step in that direction. According to a team spokesperson, the Jags have expressed an interest to HBO to be on the reality show Hard Knocks next season.

While that would be great for the Jags, it may not be so great for HBO. The Jags just don't have anything going on (that we know of) that would make for good television. The coaching staff hasn't been busted doing anything stupid. There is no known dissension in the locker room. There haven't been any major trades this off-season. The Jags are pretty much on auto-pilot (translation-- boring as he** TV).

Denver was asked, but they refused (would have been the Peyton Manning Show essentially). The Jets have been all over the media talking about the show (Woody Johnson wants to, Rex Ryan does not--shocker). It's been rumored that the network may be looking at going with both the 49ers and Ravens (featuring the Harbaugh brothers).

As you can see Shad, there is some pretty stiff competition for the show; both New York and the Balt/San Fran idea would make for great television. Now if you can fabricate some kind of controversy between Maurice Jones-Drew and Blaine Gabbert, get a few guys arrested for the usual NFL-ish things (drugs, dui, assault), and then have someone convert to Islam we might be talking.

Jacksonville looked like a bad team for the most part last year. Their offense was essentially a one-trick pony named Maurice Jones-Drew; all be it a very talented one. Defensively they were pretty good overall. It was just the complete lack of a passing game that kept them from being even remotely competitive.

I would not be shocked if the Jags managed to nab a pair of quality wide receivers during the off-season and became a competitive team once again. If the words of GM Gene Smith are any indication that doesn't seem too likely to happen.

According to Smith, the Jags are going to be pretty quiet in free agency this year.

In my mind that is not such a good thing. I understand his general concept of building through the draft like Smith wants to do. When you build a team together and hold on to them over time you are more likely to get a group that can gel and play well on the field.

It's been a few years since the Jags have had even one recognizable name in its wide receiver corps (let me amend that--years since they had a guy known for his football prowess; you know what I mean Matt Jones). David Garrard never had a good receiver to work with and BlaineGabbert definitely did not last season.

If I were Smith, I would take the best available wide receiver when its the Jags turn in the first round. At No 7 they are going to have lots of options. Teams have had good luck with first round wide receivers lately; hopefully the same can be said for who the Jags take.

Without a secondary receiving threat, that will not mean a whole lot; teams will just double or triple cover whoever it is if the Jags do not get another receiver.Expecting to get another playmaker--unless they go for another receiver with their second pick--is unlikely. That leaves free agency.

The good thing about free agency this season is that there are a number of wide receivers from marquee down to role players that are going to be available. I can understand if the team didn't want to spend big money on a Marquess Colston type of guy, but they desperately need someone.

You've got the makings of a good team here Smith. Do what needs to be done in order to win before you run poor MJD into the ground.