Free-agent quarterback David Garrard(notes) has had at least two teams call since the Jacksonville Jaguars released him on Sept. 6, according to the Florida Times-Union: the Miami Dolphins and the Oakland Raiders. Unfortunately for Garrard, he’s got to pass on any opportunities for now because he needs to have surgery to fix a herniated disk in his back, according to the Florida Times-Union.

That surgery will put him out of action for four to six weeks, the paper notes, so he is likely unavailable to all for this season but plans to be back next year.

Garrard’s agent, Al Irby, emailed the Times-Union to say the Jaguars “withheld information” about the injury while Garrard was still under contract: “At $500,000 per game, they knew he would be down 4-6 weeks,” Irby wrote. “They didn’t want to pay that bill. Now you know the difference between a first-class organization like Indy, and a sorry organization like the Jags. Indy gave their QB a contract even though he couldn’t play all season. … David was told his back was fine. So he took them for their word. Now he has to go to surgery, and Jacksonville is saying, ‘Not my problem.’ What a first class organization!”

In response, Jaguars general manager Gene Smith told the paper, “David went through the standard process that all players go through when released.”

Let the rumors come to you. Follow Scoop du Jour on Twitter or Facebook.

Source: Florida Times-Union

Related: David Garrard, Jacksonville Jaguars, Miami Dolphins, Oakland Raiders

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP)—Matt Turk(notes) drove from Houston to Jacksonville on
Saturday night, a 14-hour trek across Interstate 10 that included several stops.

None of them was for a nap.

One of the oldest players in the NFL last season signed a one-year contract
worth nearly $2 million with the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday, giving the team
an experienced punter to replace Adam Podlesh(notes).

Calling Turk a veteran would be an understatement. The 43-year-old punter is
joining his seventh franchise in 18 seasons.

“He could walk in here with a cane, but I think he’s going to be OK,”
coach Jack Del Rio said.

Turk said he had contact with Philadelphia and the New York Giants as well
as Houston, where he spent the last four seasons. He said the Texans asked him
to hold off on making a choice until after they worked out Dave Zastudil(notes) and
Daniel Sepulveda(notes).

“I was like, `You want me to wait around?’ I can’t do it,” he said. “I
know how this business works and I was told that they were going to go young,
which I understood. But when they want you to wait to see if two other guys are
going to replace you or not is just something you can’t do.”

So he chose Jacksonville, returning to the Sunshine State where he played
two stints with the Miami Dolphins. Turk, who dealt with a hip flexor injury
last season, said the Jaguars were enticing because he will get to play with
special teams standouts Montell Owens(notes) and Kassim Osgood(notes).

Podlesh enjoyed a career year with Owens and Osgood. He ranked fifth in the
league with a net average of 39.2 yards. Tuck ranked 20th with a net average of
36.8 yards.

The Jaguars had hoped to keep Podlesh, but the free agent signed a
five-year, $10 million contract with Chicago. Jacksonville quickly turned to
Turk, who packed up his sports utility vehicle and made the nearly 900-mile
drive Saturday.

The Jaguars waived linebacker JoJo Dickson(notes) so make room for Turk, who signed
his contract Sunday and joined his teammates on the field for a morning
walkthrough. League rules prohibit him from practicing until next week, maybe as
late as Thursday.

“He’s been a good punter for a long time,” Del Rio said. “He’s punted at
a high level, he’s got great experience, he’s good with holds, poised and he’s
still got some pop in his leg. He’s done a great job taking care of himself and
that’s a position—kind of like maybe backup quarterback or even some of the
cornerbacks—you can play in your 40s now. I don’t think you could see a
running back doing that, but you can get with it at punter.”

Turk’s career started in 1993 by calling the Green Bay Packers relentlessly
while working at his brother’s bar. He eventually got a tryout and played in a
preseason game. He also played with the Los Angeles Rams (1994), Washington
(1995-99), Miami (2000-01, 2003-05), the New York Jets (2002) and the St. Louis
Rams (2006).

“I’ve been very blessed with health and longevity and my skill level to be
able stay at the level that it has in order to stay in the league,” Turk said.
“Because once that goes, they don’t keep you around because they like you.”

He could be far from done, too.

Turk has thought about trying to become the oldest player in the NFL,
breaking George Blanda’s record of kicking at age 48 in 1976.

“I think I could (play at 50),” he said. “I would love to. … If the
Lord blesses me with my health the way that he has and I continue to train the
way that I do in the offseason, it definitely can be done.”

JACKSONVILLE, FL (AP) — Donovin Darius has signed a one-day contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars so he can retire with his former team.

The 35-year-old safety played for the Jaguars from 1998 to 2006, then played three games with the Miami Dolphins in 2007. He has been out of the league since.

A first-round draft pick by Jacksonville in 1998 after a two time all-Big East Conference career at Syracuse University, Darius started 115 games with the Jaguars and finished with 858 total tackles, 14 interceptions, seven forced fumbles and two sacks. His final season with the team was cut short after 10 games because of a broken leg.

Darius’ 14 INTs rank third in team history. His 858 tackles rank second.

He is the second player to sign a one-day retirement deal with Jacksonville in the last week, joining defensive end Paul Spicer.

(Copyright ©2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Donovin Darius has signed a one-day contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars so he can retire with his former team.

The 35-year-old safety played for the Jaguars from 1998 to 2006, then played three games with the Miami Dolphins in 2007. He has been out of the league since.

A first-round draft pick by Jacksonville in 1998, Darius started 115 games with the franchise and finished with 858 total tackles, 14 interceptions, seven forced fumbles and two sacks. His final season with the team was cut short after 10 games because of a broken leg.

Darius’ 14 INTs rank third in team history. His 858 tackles rank second.

He is the second player to sign a one-day retirement deal with Jacksonville in the last week, joining defensive end Paul Spicer.

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP)—Donovin Darius has signed a one-day contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars so he can retire with his former team.

The 35-year-old safety played for the Jaguars from 1998 to 2006, then played three games with the Miami Dolphins in 2007. He has been out of the league since.

A first-round draft pick by Jacksonville in 1998, Darius started 115 games with the franchise and finished with 858 total tackles, 14 interceptions, seven forced fumbles and two sacks. His final season with the team was cut short after 10 games because of a broken leg.

Darius’ 14 INTs rank third in team history. His 858 tackles rank second.

He is the second player to sign a one-day retirement deal with Jacksonville in the last week, joining defensive end Paul Spicer(notes).