The Jaguars enter their 2024 training camp with a relatively clean bill of health.
Only two players are on Jacksonville’s injured lists at this point in the offseason: Defensive lineman Arik Armstead (knee) is on the active/physically unable to perform list; wide receiver David White Jr. (knee) is on injured reserve.
The Jaguars aren’t rushing Armstead, one of their prized free agent signings of the year, back onto the field as he continues to recover from surgery on a torn meniscus suffered last season with San Francisco, according to Jacksonville head coach Doug Pederson.
“This guy, he’s played a ton of football, right?” said Pederson. “I wanna make sure guys like that — you know, we brought them here obviously to help us. But at the same time, we’ve got to make sure that they’re healthy before we put them on the field.”
Armstead missed five games due to the injury and returned to action below full health during the 49ers’ 2023-24 three-game playoff run, waiting to operate on the hurt until after the campaign.
In nine years with the 49ers, who picked him in the first round of the 2015 NFL draft, Armstead tallied 302 tackles with 43 for loss, 33.5 sacks, three forced fumbles and six defended passes. He added 38 tackles with six for loss, eight sacks and one forced fumble in 12 playoff games, including two Super Bowl appearances.
After being released by San Francisco in March, Armstead joined Jacksonville on a three-year, $43.5 million deal.
“He knows what it takes. He’s a vet. I’ve seen him during OTAs, I’ve seen him even while he was here during our little three days with the rookies,” Pederson said.
“He’s kind of another coach right now on the field until he gets ready to go. That’s invaluable. That’s gold out there on the field. So I’m not concerned right now this early that he’s not out there. I just wanna make sure that when he is out there, that he’s a hundred percent.”
Pederson also shared that Jaguars’ rookie running back and return specialist, Keilan Robinson, suffered a sprained toe during Jacksonville’s rookie minicamp, forecasting the injury would limit the fifth-round draft pick to begin camp.
Yet Robinson participated in position and team drills without wearing a no-contact jersey during Wednesday’s practice, appearing unrestrained during the workout.
Undrafted rookie offensive lineman Steven Jones “tweaked” his calf during a pre-camp conditioning test on Tuesday, per Pederson. Jones was not observed during Wednesday’s practice.
While his injury wasn’t mentioned by Pederson, Jaguars free agent safety signee Darnell Savage sported a no-contract jersey while participating, including during team drills, in Wednesday’s practice.
Savage was similarly active while limited during Jacksonville’s offseason team activities and mandatory minicamp while continuing to recover from a rotator cuff injury suffered with Green Bay in Week 13 last season.
Savage inked a three-year, $21.8 million deal with the Jaguars after posting 302 tackles with nine for loss, one sack, nine interceptions, one pick-six, 32 defended passes and two forced fumbles in five seasons with the Packers.