JACKSONVILLE – Times change fast in the NFL.
If A.J. Bouye didn't realize this already, the Jaguars' veteran cornerback has learned it in a big way in recent days.
Bouye, who originally signed with the Jaguars an unrestricted free agent in the 2017 offseason, was a member the following season of one of the NFL's best secondaries – a group that included himself, cornerback Jalen Ramsey, safeties Barry Church and Tashaun Gipson and nickel Aaron Colvin.
With Ramsey's trade Tuesday to the Los Angeles Rams, only Bouye remains.
"I'm the last one here from '17, me and Dub," Bouye said Wednesday as the Jaguars (2-4) prepared to play the Cincinnati Bengals (0-6) at Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio, Sunday at 1 p.m.
The "Dub" to which Bouye referred was safety Jarrod Wilson, a reserve in the '17 team – with the rest leaving one by one since the end of a season in which the group combined for 18 interceptions.
Colvin signed with the Houston Texans as an UFA in the '18 offseason, and the Jaguars released the now-retired Church last December. The Jaguars released Gipson for salary-cap reasons last March, after which he signed with Houston.
The Jaguars traded Ramsey – a two-time Pro Bowl selection – to the Rams Tuesday a month after he requested a trade.
"It's a little weird," Bouye said. "This morning, I actually looked at a picture of me, A.C. Gip, Jalen [and the others]. I was like, 'Dang, I'm the only one still here.' Times change in two to three years. You just have to move on to it, adjust to it and accept it how it is.
"We can't question everything going in the front office, everything going on with the coaching staff and things like that, the moves. We just have to accept what it is and keep moving forward."
Also around the Jaguars Wednesday:
*Things are quieter around quarterback Gardner Minshew II these days. Whereas in the previous weeks national media and Twitter blew up with stories about Minshew Mania and the rookie's signature mustache, the days since a 13-6 loss to the New Orleans Saints have been less maniacal – and substantially quieter. And Minshew said he's fine with that. "I don't care," Minshew said during his weekly media availability Wednesday. "We don't listen to it much anyways, so it's about the same." Minshew, after throwing for nine touchdowns and an interception in his first five NFL appearances, completed 14 of 29 passes for 163 yards and no touchdowns with an interception against New Orleans. The Saints utilized a defense designed to take away second-year wide receiver DJ Chark Jr. and limit Minshew's mobility, and Minshew said Wednesday at this point in his career he is "still seeing new looks. It's only been six games so far, so each team presents new coverages, new challenges, different ways they're going to attack us and different ways we're going to have to attack them, so it's definitely learning each week and I hope to learn every game I play from here to the end." Minshew said Wednesday he may continue wearing the knee brace he has worn the last two games. "I'll probably wear it for the game [against Cincinnati] just to have for precaution," he said. "It doesn't affect me. In the Carolina game, I ran pretty well on it – just didn't have as many opportunities I felt like this week to run. So, it wasn't a hindrance, it was just more through the flow of the game."
*Wide receiver Marqise Lee missed practice Wednesday with an ankle injury sustained in a loss to the New Orleans Saints Sunday, and tight end Geoff Swaim was listed on the Wednesday injury report as being in the concussion protocol after taking a violent hit to the head against New Orleans. Center Brandon Linder and defensive end Calais Campbell both received veteran days off as has been the norm for both players on Wednesdays this season. Safety Cody Davis missed practice with a hamstring injury, and tight end Josh Oliver practiced with a hamstring injury that has kept him out since early in training camp.
