JACKSONVILLE – Allen Hurns is progressing nicely. Very nicely.
In fact, the third-year veteran wide receiver said he has progressed from January sports hernia surgery enough that he will be ready for the team's offseason program.
Hurns joined Jaguars.com LIVE Thursday afternoon and said he expects to be ready and able to participate fully when organized team activities begin in mid-April.
"Oh, yeah … for sure," Hurns told J.P. Shadrick and John Oehser Thursday. "It's going really well. It's exciting to see how I'm progressing."
Hurns, who originally signed with the Jaguars as an undrafted free agent from the University of Miami following the 2014 NFL Draft, surpassed 1,000 yards receiving with 10 touchdowns this past season. He did so playing through a sports hernia injury sustained in a Week 3 loss at New England.
While establishing himself as a critical member of an improving young offense, he did so not completely certain every week if he would be able to play. Hurns missed just one of the final 13 games, and that miss came at Tennessee December 6 because of a concussion.
"There were games I was warming up where I was saying, 'I'm not sure I'm going to make it this game,''' Hurns said. "I was just playing it week by week. I didn't know how far I was going to go. When I had the issue, I didn't know if I was going to finish the season. It was very tough."
Hurns credited fellow second-year receiver Allen Robinson with helping him play through the injury.
"He felt my pain," Hurns said. "He helped me a lot. He knew what I was going through."
Hurns, who finished the 2015 season with 64 receptions for 1,031 yards and 10 touchdowns, is well-known around the Jaguars for a productive, diligent work ethic. He ran routes alone early last offseason at Bishop Kenny High School – just across the river from EverBank Field – when NFL rules mandated players couldn't use the team's facility.
Hurns said Thursday he is looking forward to again being able to practice and work full.
"Last year, I wasn't practicing on Wednesdays," Hurns said. "It was more mental stuff, so that was tough for me. I'm excited to be full-go now. …
"It's killing me, but the main thing I've got to tell myself is, 'Be patient. You can't rush this. The main thing is being ready for the season and playing all of those games.' I keep telling myself, 'Patience.'''
Also on Wednesday:
*Hurns addressed the Jaguars' immediate future: "I think everybody's excited right now, just to see where the team is heading and the offseason moves we made, the guys we have coming back. It's very exciting for us right now." …
*Hurns addressed the next step for the Jaguars' offense: "Consistency. The main thing for us is getting the run game going. As far as the passing game, we've got to take it to another level. Teams are going to be tuned in what we have going, and we have to take it to another level." …
*Hurns said the free-agent acquisition he perhaps is most interested in seeing is Tashaun Gipson, a free safety who previously played with the Cleveland Browns. "He's a ball hawk," Hurns said. "One of my guys, [former Miami wide receiver] Travis Benjamin, he played with him in Cleveland. He's always around the ball, so I'm excited about that." …
