The Jacksonville Jaguars' trade of left tackle Eugene Monroe does not portend a mass exodus of the team's biggest names leading up to the Oct. 29 trade deadline.
Although general manager David Caldwell is stockpiling draft picks to build from the ground up, NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport reported Wednesday on NFL Network's "Around the League Live" that the Jaguars are not actively shopping the rest of their big-name veterans.
Rapoport did leave a caveat that Jacksonville "would listen -- as any team would -- if the deal is good enough."
The most obvious candidate to generate interest is contract-year bell cow Maurice Jones-Drew, but his trade value is currently at its nadir. Coming off foot surgery, the 28-year-old is averaging a meager 2.4 yards per carry through four games.
Rapoport added Thursday on "Around the League Live" that Jones-Drew and the Jaguars have yet to begin contract talks, but both sides are open to the idea of a long-term relationship. The Jaguars' focus now is on games, not the future, Rapoport said.
The new regime also might entertain offers on middle linebacker Paul Posluszny, overpaid tight end Marcedes Lewis, guard Uche Nwaneri and trouble-prone wide receiver Justin Blackmon. It's worth noting, however, that coach Gus Bradleygushed over Blackmon's commitment and frame of mind this week.
No matter the Jaguars' public stance, it wouldn't surprise us to see any of the previous regime's holdovers dealt in the coming weeks.
UPDATE: Caldwell insisted Thursday that there will be no fire sale in Jacksonville.
"I had good talks with (Posluszny) and (Jones-Drew) today and they're not going anywhere," Caldwell said, via ESPN.com. "We feel good about those guys being here. Nor do they want to go anywhere. They're part of this team and we're excited about having them a part of this team."
A more telling comment was Caldwell's admission that he will answer his phone if another team calls, even if he has "no intention" of making further trades.
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