The Jacksonville Jaguars traded veteran cornerback Jason Craft to the New Orleans Saints today for a fifth round selection in the 2004 NFL Draft. The Saints had offered Craft a restricted free agent contract in 2002 before the Jaguars matched the offer to retain him.
"I would just like to thank the Jaguars fans and the city of Jacksonville for treating me well and for my opportunity here, but I understand this is a business," said Craft on the trade.
Craft, 27, was originally the Jaguars fifth-round draft choice in 1999 who won the starting right cornerback job in 2002 after serving as nickel cornerback in 2001. He played in the first 70 games of his career and had started 27 straight games until suffering a knee injury on October 12, 2003 and was eventually placed on injured reserve. Craft scored a touchdown in his first NFL game in 1999, returning a fumbled kickoff for a score. The sixth-year veteran has 183 tackles, seven interceptions and two forced fumbles in 71 career games with the Jaguars.
The Jaguars now have 10 picks in the upcoming draft — one pick in the first, second, fourth and sixth rounds and two picks in the third, fifth and seventh rounds.
