JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – While scouting new talent at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis, Jaguars head coach Jack Del Rio announced that Byron Leftwich will be his starting quarterback when the teams take the field later this year.
Confirming that Leftwich will be the first team quarterback going into training camp, Del Rio also said that David Garrard and Quinn Gray would be retained. He said the team would not attempt to sign a quarterback in free agency.
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Garrard, who has been Leftwich's backup for four years, started the final 10 games of 2006 after Leftwich broke his ankle.
With Garrard under center, the Jaguars went 5-5 and missed the playoffs by one game.
"Byron's the No. 1 guy. That's the direction we're going," Del Rio said as the player observation and interview processes began Thursday at the RCA Dome.
Del Rio said he and new quarterbacks coach Mike Shula and new offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter evaluated their options and reached consensus that Leftwich was their best bet.
He said he has communicated that decision to Leftwich.
"We've spoken," Del Rio is quoted as saying on the team's Web site. "I talked to him the week after the Super Bowl. We spent three hours talking."
Before he was hurt in November, Leftwich played in six games in 2006, seven touchdowns with five interceptions, earning a quarterback rating of 79. In 11 games in 2006, Garrard had 10 touchdowns, 9 interceptions and 80.5 quarterback rating.
This is the last year of Leftwich's contract with the Jaguars.