JACKSONVILLE – This was a newsy day, and an important one.
That was true for multiple reasons Thursday, with the Jaguars returning to 2020 Training Camp practice at the Dream Finders Homes Practice Complex amid the nation's ongoing social issues.
The Jaguars started practice around 11:30, an hour and 45 minutes after the scheduled start time. Head Coach Doug Marrone also rescheduled his morning media availability to after practice as the team met for more than two hours in the morning discussing what Marrone in a statement called "creating actionable change in our communities."
The Jaguars then practiced for about an hour and a half in temperatures that reached 92 degrees, making it the hottest day of '20 camp to date.
The Jaguars worked in full pads Thursday, with multiple team drills and a one-on-one pass rush midway through practice.
Jaguars players are scheduled to practice the next two days, with a scrimmage scheduled to be held inside TIAA Bank Field Saturday morning.
Here's a look at Thursday's practice:
PLAY OF THE DAY
This was a day that felt as much about what was being discussed off the field as what happened on it, but multiple moments stood out. Quarterback Gardner Minshew II continued to show good deep accuracy and good chemistry with wide receiver DJ Chark Jr. His comeback route to Chark off play action in an early team period was perhaps the day's highlight play. One of Minshew's best passes of the day: a deep pass to fourth-year wide receiver Keelan Cole, who dropped the well-thrown ball that should have been a touchdown. It was a rare drop for Cole in recent weeks; he has stood out in much of camp. Minshew also found Chark for a touchdown in a seven-on-seven session and Cole for a 20-yard gain in a team drill, also throwing a back-foot touchdown in the flat to reserve running back Chris Thompson. …
STANDING OUT
*First-year receiver Terry Godwin continued to stand out in camp, catching a 20-yard pass from reserve quarterback Mike Glennon in an early team drill. Glennon also had impressive passes to rookie wide receiver Collin Johnson (15 yards) and veteran wide receiver Chris Conley (20 yards, touchdown).
*Rookie quarterback Jake Luton continued a strong camp, throwing a touchdown pass in seven-on-seven to rookie tight end Ben Ellefson and also throwing a touchdown pass to veteran wide receiver Michael Walker in the drill. …
*Running back Leonard Fournette had a good run around left end to start an early team drill. …
*Running back Devine Ozigbo had a nice 10-yard run up the middle in a team drill. …
*Rookie running back James Robinson had teammates cheering with a darting run through the middle of the line in an early team session. …
*Minshew found wide receiver Laviska Shenault Jr. over the middle for an intermediate gain in a team drill before the rookie receiver left practice. …
*Defensive tackle Caraun Reid and linebacker Leon Jacobs both had deflected passes in team drills. …
*Center Tyler Shatley looked strong in the pass rush drill, handling defensive tackles Timmy Jernigan and Doug Costin in separate repetitions. …
*Defensive ends Josh Allen and Dawuane Smoot ran a nice stunt on left guard Andrew Norwell and tackle Cam Robinson in a pass-rush drill; Norwell and Robinson handled Allen/Smoot on the ensuing repetition. …
INJURY WATCH
Linebacker Dakota Allen missed a second consecutive practice with a hip issue and rookie safety Daniel Thomas missed with a hamstring issue. Defensive tackle Taven Bryan remained out with a knee bruise and wide receiver Dede Westbrook remained out with a shoulder issue; Marrone on Monday called the status of the two players "week to week" and said neither situation was "surgical." Linebacker Quincy Williams remained out with a core muscle injury and Marrone also has termed his status "week to week."
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. …
