Quarterback Mark Brunell, who missed practice yesterday due to a sore Achilles, practiced today and will be under center for the start of Thursday's preseason final in Dallas, but tight end Kyle Brady continues to be sidelined by a mysterious leg infection.
The Jaguars reported today that Brady missed practice, again, and continues to be treated with antibiotics for an infection that is thought to have entered Brady's body through an abrasion just below his right knee. Coach Tom Coughlin would neither confirm nor deny that Brady is being treated for a staphylococcus bacteria infection.
"Fortunately, our medical people have been all over it since day one. They like the progress, but the problem has not been eliminated," Coughlin told reporters yesterday about Brady's infection, which surfaced following last Thursday's preseason win over the Kansas City Chiefs.
Meanwhile, the Jaguars have said weak side linebacker T.J. Slaughter missed practice today due to a separated right shoulder and he will not play in Dallas. The date of the injury is unknown, though he turned in his best performance of the preseason last Thursday against the Chiefs. The Jaguars did not rule Slaughter out of the season-opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sept. 9.
Slaughter's backup, rookie Eric Westmoreland, missed practice again today with a sprained knee.
The Jaguars waived six players today, leaving their roster at 74 players, including nine players who qualify as NFL Europe roster exemptions.
All of the players released are undrafted free agents. They are: guard Justin Amman, wide receivers Marcellus Harris and Micah Ross, defensive tackle Julius Yeast, running back Jerry Westbrooks and middle linebacker Richard Hogans, who was put on the waived/non-football injury list.
All NFL rosters must be reduced to 65 players by four p.m. today. Any player who participated in NFL Europe this past spring is granted a roster exemption until this Sunday, Sept. 2, when all rosters must be cut to 53 for the start of the regular season.
Vic Ketchman is the Senior Editor of Jaguars Inside Report, the official team newspaper of the Jacksonville Jaguars. One-year subscriptions may be purchased by calling 1-888-846-5247.
