JACKSONVILLE – Branden Albert is expected to work with the Jaguars next week.
Albert, the Jaguars' left tackle who has been absent from the team's voluntary offseason program, likely will participate in the team's mandatory minicamp next week.
"He told me he was going to be here," Jaguars Head Coach Doug Marrone said Friday following the team's 10th and final 2017 organized team activities practice at the practice fields adjacent to EverBank Field. "I take him for his word, so we'll see."
Albert, acquired in a trade from the Miami Dolphins in March, did not attend any of the team's 10 OTAs the last three weeks, nor did he participate in the offseason program before that. NFL offseason activities are voluntary for veterans except for a mandatory minicamp.
Marrone said he would wait until Albert arrives and undergoes a physical before determining how much the 10-year veteran will participate next week.
"There's a process everyone goes through, but you never know," Marrone said. "I'm not going to jump ahead of myself. We'll set that plan when he comes. I'm not going to waste a lot of time thinking about it. There are a lot of other things going on."
Marrone on Friday also addressed the three weeks of OTAs that ended Friday.
"It's like anything else, when you end the OTA period that you have, I always kind of look at it as, 'Too little too fast,''' Marrone said. "You always want more. You want more practices. You want to spread out. You want to be able to spend more time …
"You don't complain about it. You just do the best job you can."
Marrone had said last week the plan was to introduce all necessary situations such as red-zone, two-minutes and so on during OTAs. He said Friday that the coaches accomplished that.
"We were able to get everything in we wanted," Marrone said. "There are a couple of things situationally that are showing up that we need to work on and do a better job situationally, but now we're into the next step."
Marrone said he doesn't expect a huge difference in approach next week compared to the past three weeks.
Also Friday:
*Marrone, asked how many times a game quarterback Blake Bortles will ideally throw next season, said his answer was simple: "Zero." He said he wasn't joking about this, and he wasn't smiling when he said it. "For me, I'd like to run the ball every play," Marrone said. "I want to go back to the old way. I want to change the game." Marrone added that he didn't know a specific ideal number for Bortles' passing attempts next season. …
*Safeties Barry Church and Tashaun Gipson remained out of OTAs Friday, and Marrone said he's not planning on the pair participating in minicamp. Neither worked during any of the 10 OTAs. Marrone also said he doesn't expect running back T.J. Yeldon – also out since the beginning of OTAs – to participate next week. …
*Running back Chris Ivory returned Friday after missing two days, and tight end Neal Sterling did not work after returning to practice Thursday. Wide receiver Dede Westbrook and cornerback Aaron Colvin also remained out. …
*Rookie running back Tim Cook and rookie wide receiver Kenneth Walker are not in attendance because of NCAA rules prohibiting players from participating in offseason programs until their schools finish spring classes. …
