JACKSONVILLE – The Jaguars got the best possible injury news Wednesday.
Not only is rookie running back Leonard Fournette expected to practice Wednesday as the team begins preparing for the Cincinnati Bengals, rookie left tackle Cam Robinson is, too.
Fournette, the Jaguars' leading rusher and the focal point of the offense, missed the team's final game before this past week's bye – an October 22 road victory at Indianapolis – with an ankle injury sustained on October 15 against the Los Angeles Rams.
Robinson, the starting left tackle in all seven games this season, sustained an ankle injury early in the victory at Indianapolis.
Both were listed as expected to practice on Wednesday's pre-practice injury report.
"It's a step in the right direction," Jaguars Head Coach Doug Marrone said Wednesday as the Jaguars (4-3) continued preparing to play the Bengals (3-4) at EverBank Field Sunday at 1 p.m.
The Jaguars appeared to emerge from this past week's bye relatively healthy, with wide receiver Marqise Lee (knee) the only player not expected to practice Wednesday. Lee has started all seven games this season.
Starting center Brandon Linder, who missed the last three games before the bye with an illness, also is expected to practice Wednesday. Linder and Fournette practiced Monday with Robinson working with trainers on the side. Marrone said Monday Robinson likely wouldn't have played had the Jaguars played on Sunday.
The only other player on the injury report was quarterback Blake Bortles. He practiced with a right wrist injury, and has been listed that way on the injury report all season while starting all seven games.
Also on Wednesday:
*Marrone said his main focus this week when talking to players will be about the opportunity to finish 3-1 in the second quarter of the season. "We're 2-1 and we haven't won a quarter in a long period of time," Marrone said. "I'm trying to keep our focus on that. That's what I've tried to talk to players about, and not get into any questions about [winning] back-to-back [games] or anything of that nature. Let's just make sure we keep our eye right on what's up next and not worry about what's behind us or in front of us." …
*Marrone said running back T.J. Yeldon's performance in the final game before the bye has caused coaches to find a way to activate him Sunday regardless of whether Fournette is active. Yeldon, a second-round selection in the 2015 NFL Draft, rushed for 122 yards and a 58-yard touchdown on nine carries in a reserve role against the Colts. He had been inactive for the first six games, and was active against the Colts with Fournette deactivated because of the ankle injury. "I thought he played really well," Marrone said of Yeldon. "That's what we look for in players – to play well. If they show us good things, we put it on ourselves to make sure they get those opportunities again to keep playing." …
*Marrone discussed how the team could use defensive tackle Marcell Dareus Sunday. The Jaguars traded a sixth-round selection in the 2018 NFL Draft to Buffalo for Dareus this past Friday; he began practicing with the Jaguars Monday. "We're trying to just make sure [he knows], 'Hey, what they call apples in this system are oranges in our system,''' Marrone said. "We're trying to work with him during the week, to work with him extra, to see what we can get out of him knowing that as we go his opportunity to grow in the role will grow." Dareus, the No. 3 overall selection in the 2011 NFL Draft, had 7.5 and 10 sacks in 2013 and 2014, respectively, when Marrone was the Bills' head coach. Marrone said Monday he expects Dareus to help the Jaguars' run defense. The Jaguars currently rank 32nd in the NFL against the run.
