Over the last two weeks, David Garrard has completed 45-of-67 passes for 537 yards and 4 touchdowns.

The Buccaneers traded backup QB Luke Mccown to the Jaguars for a late-round conditional draft pick in 2010, according to a source with knowledge of the situation.

The Bucs had been shopping McCown, who was their No. 2 quarterback behind Byron Leftwich, for more than a week, and the Jaguars were looking to find a solid backup to starter David Garrard.

The move was made after both teams finalized their 53-man rosters and Tampa Bay wound up with four quarterbacks — Leftwich, McCown, Josh Freeman and Josh Johnson. The abundance of quarterbacks gave the Bucs trade options, which quickly materialized.

Jaguars coach Jack Del Rio said X-rays on Jones-Drew's shin were negative.

"I think he took a good shot there, got a bruise, X-rays were negative, all that stuff,'' Del Rio said. "He'll probably be a little sore, but he'll be OK. I think he was frustrated more than anything that the guy [Fred Smoot] went low there. I think he wanted to get his hands on him if he could. He'll be OK.''

Asked if Jones-Drew will be able to practice Wednesday, he said, "We'll keep our fingers crossed a little bit.''

Smoot caused the injury when he hit Jones-Drew after a pass reception from David Garrard that gained three yards.

Jones-Drew finished the night with three carries for 11 yards and three receptions for six yards.

The Jacksonville Jaguars remain interested in acquiring Kansas City quarterback Tyler Thigpen, and the Chiefs are certainly open to trading him. That mutual interest has not cooled and sources close to the situation maintain this trade could still occur.

Scott Pioli, who runs the Chiefs, is asking for a third-round pick for Thigpen, which is an awful lot for a third quarterback. However, with newly crowned — and compensated — starter Matt Cassel there, Thigpen isn’t getting the reps and having Thigpen around, should Cassel falter, could create a QB controvery, something the rebuilding club would not welcome.

Jacksonville first offered a sixth-round pick for Thigpen, then upped it to a fifth and they remain strong possibilities. Thursday night the Jags QBs went a combined 17-for-31 for 171 yards, 1 TD and 1 INT. David Garrard has been shaky as a starter for a while now, and they don’t have a dependable backup on the roster. Thigpen had been nursing a rib injury but is likely to play Saturday night. Other teams like Thigpen, too, but Pioli’s demand in this case is steep.

League sources continue to suggest that should Pioli be unable to get that third-round pick, Jacksonville is a prime candidate to pull something else, with a fourth-rounder possibly the happy medium in all of this.

Asante Samuel is in midseason form: Samuel always has been known as a playmaker, and that hasn't changed during the preseason. The veteran cornerback forced a fumble on the Eagles' 1 in the second quarter, knocking out Jaguars WR Nate Hughes on the play (the Jaguars picked up the fumble for a touchdown, but Hughes left the game with a concussion). On the Jaguars' next drive, Samuel intercepted a David Garrard pass intended for Torry Holt.

Byron Leftwich has a chance to serve a little on a steamy Saturday evening at Jacksonville Municipal Stadium.

Leftwich, who’ll start at quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Jaguars’ preseason home opener, has a chance to win the starting job against his former team. The Jaguars know what it means to him, even though it’s a preseason game.

“Football is fun when it has a little drama to it, when it has a little meaning to it,’’ said Jaguars defensive end Reggie Hayward. “This is his old team. He started his career here. He’s going to be playing in a very familiar stadium, and the fans know him very well. I think it’ll be a little emotional for him. He’s going to have a lot of fun playing.’’

The Jaguars cut Leftwich nine days before the start of the 2007 season, when coach Jack Del Rio awarded the starting job to David Garrard.

So far at camp, Jaguars QB David Garrard hasn't looked especially sharp in drills. Tyron Brackenridge stepped in front of an errant Garrard throw for an interception during Friday's morning workout that would've gone for a touchdown.

Jaguars HC Del Rio said part of those perceived struggles at camp can be attributed to Garrard working with a variety of young receivers.

"Mechanically, he's been very sound, making good decisions," Del Rio said. "It's about building that trust with him and the receivers, getting on the same page."

Garrard said the addition of receivers Torry Holt, Mike Thomas, Tiquan Underwood, and Jarett Dillard gives him added confidence while strengthening his resolve to rely on teammates instead of pressing too hard.

"I feel like I have guys I can count on now," Garrard said. "They have done everything in their power to make [him] a better quarterback as far as giving [him] weapons and offensive linemen. Going through a great '07 and a tough '08 has given me a perspective on the different types of seasons and what it takes."

Entering his eighth season, Garrard has broken through his quiet demeanor to develop into more of a vocal leader. Part of that evolution into a leader is symbolized by Garrard's loss of nearly 20 pounds during the offseason.

David Garrard threw interceptions at end of each practice session Friday.

The Rams, clearly in a rebuilding mode, decided to part ways with WR Torry Holt and he is starting the 2nd chapter of his career in Jacksonville. Holt is certainly the most accomplished of the Jaguars wideouts, but he will now take on a role of team leader, as well as go-to-guy for QB David Garrard.

“When you talk to Torry for five seconds, his knowledge of the game and enthusiasm for the game jump out at you the most,”
So what can Jaguars fans expect from the 33-year old pass catcher? No one knows for sure, but Holt believes he can be more than just a minor contributor.

“He's looked good,” Jaguars OC Dirk Koetter said. “He doesn't run like he once did, and when we became interested in Torry we watched a lot of film on him and Torry has explained to me that he knows how to take care of himself and be ready when the time comes. You've got to take him on his word on that.”

TRoy Williamson gave the Jaguars a glimpse of the WR they think he can be during the team's organized team activities this week.

Williamson made an impressive sideline catch Monday and then ran behind two defenders to pull in a TD pass in the back corner of the end zone Tuesday.

"Troy's done well,'' coach Jack Del Rio said. "He's done a nice job of competing.''

If Williamson keeps making plays like that, he can put himself in the mix for a WR job at a position that became more competitive when the Jaguars signed free agent Torry Holt and drafted 3 rookie WRs. Williamson has caught the eye of QB David Garrard, who said, "He's actually been looking really good. He needs to use his speed, go down the field and make plays on the ball that we need him to and just make routine catches.''