St. Louis Post-Dispatch Bernie Miklasz column.(Column)

Byline: Bernie Miklasz

April 29--The Jacksonville Jaguars are a good fit for Blaine Gabbert. The Missouri quarterback had to wait in the green room a bit before getting his name called, and now he'll have to sit for a while before emerging as the Jacksonville's starter.

But the wait should be worth it for both parties as long as the Jaguars handle Gabbert with care.

Gabbert needs to develop before taking over an NFL team. He's making a transition from a college spread offense. His skills, while abundant, require refinement. This isn't a ready-made NFL starter.

And if the Jaguars are smart, they'll give Gabbert a chance to grow before tossing him into the pit. There's no need to rush him. And in the long run, a patient approach will only benefit Gabbert.

Jacksonville has a veteran starter in David Garrard. He's been a solid, full-time starter since 2006. Over the last five seasons Garrard ranks 15th in the NFL in passer rating. He took the Jags to the playoffs in 2007, and won a postseason game in Pittsburgh. But Garrard is generally viewed as a quarterback in decline, and the franchise clearly wanted to secure a quarterback for the future.

"In the long-term interest of this ballclub, they've got a pretty good quarterback at a position where, if they ever want to win a Super Bowl, has got to be better," said Mike …