Axe falls on 2 Jags starters

The Jaguars trimmed their roster to the NFL mandated 53-man limit on Saturday, but not without a little drama. The team released a pair of starters in tackle Tony Pashos and cornerback Brian Williams, who refused to take pay cuts, and acquired backup quarterback Luke McCown from Tampa Bay for an undisclosed draft pick. In all, the club released 21 players and placed defensive tackle Rob Meier on injured reserve with a shoulder injury. Pashos had started in 31 consecutive games for the Jaguars at right tackle, including 16 last season. Williams started 45 games for the Jags, and had six interceptions. The team attempted to trade both players before releasing them. "They asked him to take a pay cut and we refused, so they cut him," said Pashos' agent Rick Smith. Pashos signed a lucrative free-agent contract in March of 2007, but gradually fell out of favor with the club in two seasons as a starter. A run-blocking specialist, Pashos struggled against athletic edge defenders as the starting right tackle, prompting the Jaguars to switch him to guard in the week of practice leading up to the preseason finale against Washington. Pashos was scheduled to make $4.34 million in base salary this season. He became expendable when the Jaguars selected tackles Eugene Monroe and Eben Britton in the first two rounds of the NFL Draft and signed veteran free-agent lineman Tra Thomas. The Jaguars also signed reserve tackle Jordan Black to an extension on Thursday, Williams, who signed before the 2006 season, was also scheduled to make more than $4 million. Also cut on Saturday were quarterback Todd Boeckman; offensive linemen Cecil Newton and Cameron Stephenson; fullback Brock Bolen; defensive end Jeremy Navarre; linebackers Tim Shaw, Thomas Williams and former Fletcher High standout Johnny Williams; safeties Michael Desormeaux and Marlon McCree; cornerback Pete Ittersagen; punter Steve Weatherford; running backs Alvin Pearman, Chauncey Washington and Josh Vaughan; receivers Tiquan Underwood and Todd Peterson; tight end Richard Angulo; and long snapper Joe Zelenka, who was informed prior to the club's game against Washington that he would be released. Eight of the club's nine draft choices made the 53-man roster. In addition, two undrafted rookies - linebacker Russell Allen and defensive end Julius Williams -made the team. Thomas Williams, a fifth-round pick of the club in '08, was beaten out for a roster spot by Adam Seward, a fifth-year linebacker who joined the club during camp after he was released by Indianapolis. Underwood was drafted in the seventh round with one of the club's two compensatory picks. Weatherford lost a close punting duel with Adam Podlesh, and Zelenka was beaten out of the long-snapper's job by third-year veteran Jeremy Cain. Pearman spent the first two years of his career with Jacksonville, which traded him to Seattle for a sixth-round pick prior to the season opener of '07. Pearman rejoined the Jags last December, but was unable to find a niche in the club's crowded backfield. He and Washington lost out to seventh-round pick Rashad Jennings. The club will likely bring back some of the players cut today when it puts together its eight-man practice squad. The trade for McCown remains contingent upon him passing a physical. Once McCown signs, the Jaguars will have to cut another player to reach 53. McCown, 28, is 1-6 as a starter in five seasons with Cleveland and Tampa Bay. He lost the competition with former Jaguar Byron Leftwich for the Bucs' starting quarterback job. In his career, McCown has completed 59.7 percent of his passes for nine touchdowns and 10 interceptions. michael.wright@jacksonville.com, (904) 359-4657