JACKSONVILLE – The Jaguars did more maintaining Monday.
They did a lot of hitting, too – with Head Coach Doug Marrone calling it part of a plan to navigate best as possible an unprecedented 2020 Training Camp.
Quarterback Gardner Minshew II was among nearly 30 Jaguars players not practicing Monday morning, with 24 players held out for injury maintenance. Marrone said he is pleased with health in camp, in which padded work began two weeks later than normal because of COVID-19.
"We're really healthy right now," Marrone said. "I feel good about the way things are going."
Marrone spoke to the media via videoconference shortly before a 90-minute practice Monday in 85-degree temperatures at the Dream Finders Homes Practice Complex. It marked the fifth consecutive day of practice for the Jaguars – and the second time in three days the team has held out double-digit players for injury maintenance.
Marrone emphasized that the maintenance days are for players with past medical issues who previously have had to push through injuries to complete seasons. He said the team simulates the workload of a normal practices with the player working inside in non-contact situations.
He also said it allows more extensive evaluation of players participating in practice.
"I'm looking at a lot of matchups out there," Marrone said. "We talk about who we want to see go against everyone, so we get different types of individual looks. The players who are inside are having the same amount of tax on their body. They're not getting hit, but they're pushing, pulling and lifting … those kinds of things."
Rookie defensive end/linebacker K'Lavon Chaisson – the No. 20 overall selection in the 2020 NFL Draft – met with the media via videoconference shortly after practice. Coverage of the availabilities of Chaisson and Marrone can be found on jaguars.com later Monday.
Here's a look at Monday's practice:
PLAY OF THE DAY
With many front-line players out for injury maintenance, there weren't a slew of huge plays Monday. Notable in practice: a one-on-one pass rush drill early along with a lot of one-on-one receiving/coverage work near the goal line early. The Jaguars also had a period in which players tackled to the ground late in practice, with the team simulating game situations in practice more than in past camps because of the lack of preseason games due to COVID-19. One notable play Monday came early as reserve quarterback Mike Glennon found rookie tight end Tyler Davis wide open deep down the left sideline for a 35-yard gain.
STANDING OUT
*Rookie quarterback Jake Luton continued to look good, getting extensive repetitions Monday and making a nice throw to rookie wide receiver Laviska Shenault Jr. for a 15-yard gain early in practice; Shenault also had a 10-yard reception from quarterback Josh Dobbs Monday. …
*Chaisson continued to impress in one-on-one pass rush, showing good use of his hands and good quickness around the edge. …
*Rookie nose tackle DaVon Hamilton had multiple strong repetitions in one-on-one pass rush. …
*Defensive end Josh Mauro won several repetitions in the pass-rush drill. …
*Second-year running back Ryquell Armstead had a strong practice with two good runs in a team drill. …
*Second-year safety Andrew Wingard had a tackle on Armstead early in a late tackle-to-the-ground team drill. …
*Running back Devine Ozigbo had a nice seven-yard run around right end in the late team drill. …
INJURY WATCH
Rookie cornerback CJ Henderson returned to practice after missing three days with an illness that was not COVID-19-related. Defensive tackle Taven Bryan missed a second consecutive practice with a knee bruise sustained in practice Saturday and wide receiver Dede Westbrook a third consecutive practice; Marrone called the status of the two players "week to week" and said neither situation was "surgical." Linebacker Quincy Williams remained out with a core muscle injury and Marrone also termed his status "week-to-week."
NOTABLE
*The following players were listed as out for maintenance reasons Monday: Defensive end/linebacker Josh Allen, Bryan, Minshew, right guard A.J. Cann, wide receiver D.J. Chark Jr., wide receiver Chris Conley, tight end Tyler Eifert, running back Leonard Fournette, defensive end Adam Gotsis, safety Ronnie Harrison, cornerback D.J. Hayden, cornerback Tre Herndon, linebacker Myles Jack, defensive tackle Timmy Jernigan, defensive tackle Abry Jones, center Brandon Linder, left guard Andrew Norwell, tight end James O'Shaughnessy, left tackle Cam Robinson, middle linebacker Joe Schobert, defensive end Dawuane Smoot, right tackle Jawaan Taylor, running back Chris Thompson and safety Jarrod Wilson. …
*Defensive end Yannick Ngakoue remains away from the team, not having signed the franchise tag the team placed on him this past offseason. Having not signed the tag means Ngakoue is not under contract and his absence therefore does not violate NFL rules. Ngakoue can either sign the tag and play for the Jaguars on a one-year deal or not play in the NFL this season. …
*Offensive lineman Ryan Pope remains the lone Jaguars player on reserve/COVID-19, a new reserve category created by the NFL for a player who either tests positive for COVID-19 or who has been quarantined after having been in close contact with an infected person or persons. …
