With some of the rules regarding jersey numbers by position being relaxed this offseason, some Jacksonville players (like rookie running back Travis Etienne, who wears No. 1) have taken advantage. Though it doesn’t seem any of the veterans on the team chose to try out one of the newly allowed jersey numbers, the Jaguars did announce a handful of number changes for returning players on Twitter.
More number updates.#DUUUVAL pic.twitter.com/fGLKrdwxse
— #DUUUVAL (@Jaguars) May 19, 2021
Here’s a quick recap of all the changes.
- Running back Carlos Hyde, who wore No. 30 in Seattle last season and previously wore No. 34 during his stint with the Jags, will wear No. 24. That number was occupied by cornerback Josiah Scott last season, who was traded to Philadelphia on Tuesday.
- Cornerback Sidney Jones changes jerseys from No. 22 to No. 21. Though no one wore that jersey last season, it was owned by A.J. Bouye before that.
- Aaron Patrick, a defensive end who was signed late in the 2020 season, will take Dawuane Smoot’s former No. 91. Smoot changes from No. 94 to No. 91, the jersey that was formerly occupied by Yannick Ngakoue before he was traded.
- Cornerback Jameson Houston, who was acquired from the Eagles in the trade involving Scott, will change from the No. 46 he wore in Philly to No. 34.
- Cornerback Shaquill Griffin will retain the No. 26 jersey he wore in Seattle. Safety Jarrod Wilson, who wore that jersey last year, has changed to No. 25.
With a lot of new faces in town and a new era taking over Jacksonville, it’s as good a time as any for players on the team to rebrand. Coach Urban Meyer just hopes the changes in Jacksonville in 2021 aren’t limited to the jersey numbers listed on the roster.