JACKSONVILLE – The Jaguars may be without their starting running back – but perhaps just for a few days.
Starting running back Toby Gerhart could miss a few days of practice this week a hip flexor, the team announced Monday morning. But the Jaguars got good news on the injury front Monday when cornerback Alan Ball practiced for the first time in Jaguars 2014 Training Camp.
Ball, a veteran cornerback who is listed as the starter on the Jaguars' unofficial depth chart released Monday, missed the first week and a half of camp on the Physically Unable to Perform list with an ankle injury. He worked Monday on a limited basis.
"(Ball felt) pretty good," Jaguars Head Coach Gus Bradley said Monday morning after the Jaguars worked for about an hour and 40 minutes under overcast skies in 86-degree temperatures at the Florida Blue Health and Wellness Practice Fields.
"He took limited reps, though. Normally, a guy would get five or six reps. He got two. So, we're bringing him back. It will be interesting to see how he felt, but before practice he felt really good."
Practice was called around 11:40 because of lightning. Bradley said the team cut out a "four-minute" drill that was expected to last 10 plays.
The Jaguars on Monday were without Gerhart for a third consecutive day. He was among multiple players who missed a shortened practice Friday, and Gerhart – the team's starter after signing as an unrestricted free agent in the offseason – missed Saturday's mock game at EverBank Field.
The team announced following Monday's practice that the injury was a hip flexor. His status was announced as day to day.
Rookie right guard Brandon Linder, who was considered day-to-day last week with a foot injury and who missed Friday's practice and Saturday's mock game, also missed Monday's practice, as did wide receiver Cecil Shorts III (hamstring), as did tight end Clay Harbor (calf), wide receiver Tandon Doss (ankle), wide receiver Allen Robinson (hamstring) and linebacker J.T. Thomas (hamstring).
The Jaguars will hold a walkthrough practice later Monday afternoon, and will hold another practice at 9:55 a.m. Tuesday. Tuesday's practice is free and open to the public, and the Jaguars will work that day in full pads.
The Jaguars will play host to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at EverBank Field in their first 2014 preseason game Friday night.
IT'S GAME WEEK! Go here for full coverage leading up to #TBvsJAX: http://t.co/IE3EFUMlTM pic.twitter.com/RFLKKgp64n — Jacksonville Jaguars (@Jaguars) August 4, 2014
INJURY WATCH
Linebacker Dekoda Watson (sports hernia) remains on the Physically Unable to Perform list, with cornerback Aaron Colvin (knee) remaining on the non-football injury list. Gerhart, Linder, Shorts, Harbor, Thomas, Robinson, Doss, Thomas remain out of practice.
PLAY OF THE DAY
The plays of the day actually came between plays, as Bradley saw it. Early in practice, with the defense struggling, end Red Bryant and the defense got together and "started practice over," according to Bradley. Later in practice, quarterback Chad Henne called the offense together for a similar "regrouping" session. Bradley said each unit played better following the on-field discussions. Bradley said he liked the ownership each side of the ball showed Monday.
Time for some 11-on-11s as the #Jaguars hold their 1st practice of game week. #JagsCamp pic.twitter.com/YGY4fl6pJY — Jacksonville Jaguars (@Jaguars) August 4, 2014
HIGHLIGHTS
*Cornerback Dwayne Gratz had an interception midway through practice off an errant throw from rookie quarterback Blake Bortles. …
*Bortles came back several plays after Gratz's interception and made a nice 10-yard throw on the run to wide receiver Chad Bumphis. Bortles also had a nice throw to a well-covered Kerry Taylor on the sidelines. …
*Marqise Lee continued to play well in camp, catching an inside route from starting quarterback Chad Henne for a 20-yard gain in seven-on-seven drills. Henne also threw 12 yards to Lee later in the drill. …
*Middle linebacker Paul Posluszny intercepted Henne in seven-on-seven. …
*Henne also had a nice completion for a 20-yard gain to rookie wide receiver Allen Hurns in a 7-on-7 drill, finishing that drive with a short touchdown pass to running back Jordan Todman.
