JACKSONVILLE – Saturday was a day for hitting.
It was also a day for most Jaguars players to participate in that hitting, with essentially the full roster participating in a full-contact practice at the Dream Finders Homes Practice Complex.
A day after 18 players didn't participate during an "injury maintenance day," the Jaguars were close to full strength on Saturday morning in a one-hour, 45-minute practice that took place under some overcast skies in 81-degree temperatures.
"When we can go live, defensive players get excited about that," cornerback Tre Herndon said via videoconference shortly after practice.
The Jaguars, working in full pads, conducted multiple team sessions during the practice – and held a one-on-one pass-rush session. The practice overall geared heavily toward run offense and run defense, with players tackling to the ground during a late team drill that emphasized first- and second-down situations. NFL players rarely tackle to the ground in practice to reduce injuries.
"It's a little different with no preseason games [this preseason]," Herndon said. "We definitely want to try to take those opportunities where we can work on our tackling and work on actual contact to try to gear up for Week 1."
Jaguars cornerback Tim Walton spoke to the media via videoconference before practice, with Herndon speaking after practice. Coverage of those availabilities can be found on jaguars.com and on Jaguars media channels later Saturday.
Here's a look at Saturday's practice:
PLAY OF THE DAY
This was an easy choice – and a fun one. With the offense on the defense's three-yard line, quarterback Josh Dobbs threw to the right flat. Defensive lineman Doug Costin leaped to defend the pass, which stuck in his hands for an interception. As Costin returned the interception for a touchdown, second-year defensive end/linebacker Josh Allen – who wasn't participating in the play – raced upfield beside him and celebrated the play by pouring water on Costin's head as he ran. As defensive players cheered, weak-side linebacker Myles Jack yelled multiple times: "Somebody get him a sub."
STANDING OUT
*Jack had one of his better practices of camp, with a good read and stop in the flat on a short pass from quarterback Gardner Minshew II to running back Chris Thompson early in practice. He had another good read a few players later and would have blown up a read-option keeper by Minshew. He had a tackle on running back Leonard Fournette on an outside run in full-contact work late in practice. …
*Minshew completed touchdown passes of 13 yards to tight end James O'Shaughnessy and three yards to wide receiver DJ Chark Jr. in a late-practice team drill. …
*Rookie cornerback Chris Claybrooks had two pass breakups in a late-practice team drill. …
*Second-year running back Ryquell Armstead had back-to-back nice runs in a late-practice team drill. …
*Rookie quarterback Jake Luton continued to look good in camp, throwing a nice 35-yard pass to rookie running back Nathan Cottrell in a one-on-one passing drill early in practice. …
*Rookie cornerback Josiah Scott had a second interception of the week after a deflected pass, this time catching a pass from reserve quarterback Mike Glennon that was deflected by wide receiver Keelan Cole. …
*Defensive end Dawuane Smoot and defensive tackle Timmy Jernigan both made multiple tackles in a late team period; Jernigan had a strong repetition against veteran guard/center Tyler Shatley in one-on-one pass rush. …
*Fournette and running back Chris Thompson both looked good early in a team period, taking screen passes from Minshew and turning them into gains. Fournette also looked strong in a later team period in the red zone, reeling off multiple 5-to-7-yard runs. …
*Glennon completed an 11-yard pass to tight end Ben Ellefson in a team drill later in practice. …
*Allen continued to look good in one-on-one pass rush, beating right tackle Jawaan Taylor with an inside move early in the drill. …
*Right guard A.J. Cann and defensive tackle Taven Bryan had a good battle in pass rush, with each winning a repetition. …
*Rookie defensive end/linebacker K'Lavon Chaisson continued to look good with a second consecutive day showing impressively in one-on-one pass rush. …
INJURY WATCH
Wide receiver Dede Westbrook missed practice with a shoulder injury and tight end Charles Jones missed with a foot injury. Rookie cornerback CJ Henderson missed a second consecutive practice with an illness. Safety Ronnie Harrison practiced Saturday on a full-contact basis as he returns in the team's concussion protocol; Harrison was limited contact Friday after missing practice Thursday. Linebacker Quincy Williams remained out after successful surgery Monday on a core muscle injury.
NOTABLE
*Defensive end Yannick Ngakoue remains away from the team, not having signed the franchise tag the team placed on him this past offseason. Having not signed the tag means Ngakoue is not under contract and his absence therefore does not violate NFL rules. Ngakoue can either sign the tag and play for the Jaguars on a one-year deal or not play in the NFL this season. …
*Offensive lineman Ryan Pope remains the lone Jaguars player on reserve/COVID-19, a new reserve category created by the NFL for a player who either tests positive for COVID-19 or who has been quarantined after having been in close contact with an infected person or persons. …
