JACKSONVILLE – The list is getting long, and Doug Marrone's work is getting real.
The Jaguars on Wednesday entered practiced with their longest injury list of the season, with four key offensive starters not expected to practice.
Starting wide receivers Allen Hurns and Marqise Lee both were expected to miss practice Wednesday, as were starting right tackle Jermey Parnell and starting left guard Patrick Omameh.
"Each case is an individual basis," Marrone said as the Jaguars (6-3) prepared to play the Cleveland Browns (0-9) at FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland, Ohio, Sunday at 1 p.m.
Marrone said Monday Hurns likely wouldn't play against Cleveland after sustaining a late-game ankle injury in a victory over the Los Angeles Chargers last Sunday. Lee has started the last three games after missing practice time with a knee issue.
Parnell (knee) missed the Los Angeles game, with swing tackle Josh Wells starting in his place. Omameh (quad) left the Chargers game and was replaced by reserve interior lineman Tyler Shatley.
"It's at that point," Marrone said. "I tried to simulate a tough training camp so right prior to that third preseason game, you like to tell the players, 'Look, this is pretty much how you're going to feel at this time (midway through the season), both physically and mentally.' Part of this game as it goes along it's a very physical game, and it's reflective of what you see on our injury report today.
"Now, I've got to do a good job of managing these players, getting them back and get them ready. It's a Catch 22 and it's something that's difficult in coaching. You have to go out there and practice; you have to get the reps. At the same time, are you wearing them down? How do you bring them back?
"It's one of the tougher things to do coaching-wise."
Also on Wednesday:
*Thirteen players were listed on the pre-practice injury report, with nine expected to practice: quarterback Blake Bortles (right wrist/illness), wide receiver Arrelious Benn (knee), cornerback Jalen Ramsey (back), running back Leonard Fournette (ankle), linebacker Blair Brown (hamstring), guard A.J. Cann (triceps), tight end Marcedes Lewis (knee) and defensive end Dawuane Smoot (knee). Bortles has been listed on the injury list with the wrist issue all season and has started all nine games. …
*Marrone lauded not only the performance of AFC Defensive Player of the Week A.J. Bouye so far this season, but the preparation. A fifth-year cornerback who signed as an unrestricted free agent from Houston this past offseason, Bouye returned an interception off Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers 51 yards to set up a game-winning overtime field goal Sunday. "He's a highly competitive kid, and he doesn't want anything going against him," Marrone said. "He's really a student of the game. He's someone who's really studied film, and really sees the whole picture – other things going on around him outside of his individual responsibilities."
*Marrone also discussed the impact of strong safety Barry Church, who signed with the Jaguars as an unrestricted free agent from Dallas in the offseason. Church is the Jaguars' third-leading tackler this season with 42 total tackles – and he also has a sack, an interception and four passes defensed. "He's my voice of reason," Marrone said of the eight-year veteran. "When I see a lot of things going on, you'll see me yell at Barry. I'll blame him. I'll be like, 'This is your fault.' He'll say, 'What do you mean?' I'll say, 'You've got to get this taken care of.' He'll say, 'I didn't do anything.' I'll say, 'You've got to solve it.' He's probably the under-the-radar day that gets a lot of things done and communicated in the locker room and on the field. He's a very mature guy and someone I talk to quite a bit. He's a smart football player."
*The Browns are 1-24 over their past 25 games, but they rank 12th in the NFL this season in total defense and No. 4 against the run. Marrone on Browns defensive coordinator Gregg Williams: "There's always going to be a new wrinkle during the course of the game. He's one of the top guys in the league." …
