Tag: Ezra Cleveland

4 Jaguars questionable, Zay Jones ruled out vs. 49ers

The Jaguars will officially be without Zay Jones and they listed four players as questionable for Sunday against the 49ers.

Not long after Jacksonville Jaguars coach Doug Pederson said that Zay Jones was a “long shot” to play Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers, the wide receiver’s absence was made official in the final injury report.

Jones is the only player who was ruled out by the Jaguars with another four listed as questionable.

“Tyson [Campbell] is doing well, he had a good week of practice, him and [Andre] Cisco are really good, Walker [Little] is really good, so they should be fine,” Pederson said during his Friday press conference.

Daniel Thomas is primarily a special teamer and the newly acquired Ezra Cleveland is expected to be a backup, so it wouldn’t be devastating if the Jaguars were without either or both of those players.

The bigger question mark Sunday is the availability of San Francisco 49ers offensive tackle Trent Williams and defensive tackle Javon Hargrave who were both listed as questionable Friday.

Williams missed the 49ers’ last two games due to his ankle injury and only returned to practice Thursday. Hargrave wasn’t on the report at all Wednesday, but popped up Thursday with a knee issue.

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5 Jaguars players limited, none absent in Thursday practice

On Thursday, the Jaguars had their entire active roster at practice for the first time this season.

The Jacksonville Jaguars had their entire active roster on the practice field Thursday for the first time this season.

While the team’s injury report didn’t have any “did not participate” designations for the first time in 2023, there were still five Jaguars players who were limited. That included wide receiver Zay Jones, who continues to work his way back from a knee injury that has sidelined him since Week 5.

Cornerback Tyson Campbell, safety Andre Cisco, offensive lineman Ezra Cleveland, and special teamer Daniel Thomas were the other four players limited Thursday.

The only change on the report from Wednesday to Thursday was the return of Yasir Abdullah, who was absent earlier in the week due to an illness.

On Wednesday, Zay Jones told reporters that he was making progress in his recovery. Still, it would be a surprise if he was available to play Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers.

For the 49ers, all eyes are on offensive tackle Trent Williams, who missed practice Wednesday due to the same ankle injury that kept him out for two games before the team’s Week 9 bye. On Thursday, he returned to the practice field, but was limited.

The addition of defensive tackle Javon Hargrave with a knee injury is also notable.

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Jaguars WR Zay Jones returns to practice Wednesday

Zay Jones was one of five Jaguars players limited in practice Wednesday.

The Jacksonville Jaguars had five players limited in practice Wednesday, including wide receiver Zay Jones.

The only absence for the Jaguars was rookie pass rusher Yasir Abdullah, who was missing due to an illness.

Jones, 28, suffered a knee injury in Week 3 and then re-injured the same knee when he returned in Week 5. On Wednesday, he was back on the practice field for the first time since the team’s early October trip to London.

Defensive backs Tyson Campbell and Andre Cisco were both game-time decisions in Week 8 due to hamstring injuries and were both listed as inactive on gameday. That duo was limited Wednesday, but there’s not much concern about their availability Sunday.

Newly acquired offensive lineman Ezra Cleveland was also limited and said after the practice that he’s “95 percent” in his recovery from a toe injury.

The Jaguars’ Week 10 opponent, the San Francisco 49ers, were without three players, including Trent Williams, in practice Wednesday.

Williams missed the 49ers’ last two games.

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Ezra Cleveland on trade to Jaguars: ‘It was definitely a surprise’

New Jaguars offensive lineman Ezra Cleveland says he had “no idea” the Vikings were thinking about trading him.

Ezra Cleveland didn’t see the trade that sent him to the Jacksonville Jaguars coming at all.

A week after getting dealt to the Jaguars by the Minnesota Vikings, the 25-year-old lineman said he was blindsided when he was traded by the team that drafted him in 2020.

“It was definitely a surprise,” Cleveland said in the Jaguars’ locker room Wednesday. “My agent called me a little bit before it happened and let me know. I had no idea.”

Was Cleveland hurt that the Vikings chose to send him elsewhere?

“A little bit. I feel like anyone who was in that situation, they’d feel that way. But that’s just the NFL. It’s a new team, I’ve got to learn everybody’s names, get to know them. The o-line’s been great so far, I’m excited to play with them.”

In Jacksonville, Cleveland joins a team that has won five straight games and is two games up in the AFC South standings. The Jaguars’ 6-2 record and status as a legitimate contender made the trade easier for Cleveland to stomach. The Florida sunshine doesn’t hurt either.

“Everyone here is in a really good mood, and everyone’s been really nice,” Cleveland said. “I can’t tell if that’s from being 6-2 or … I’m sure it’s because of the sunny weather. I haven’t been in a place with a bunch of sunny weather. But no everyone’s been really nice, it’s exciting to come into a contender and hopefully I can help them out.”

Cleveland started 49 games during his three and half seasons with the Vikings. With the Jaguars, he’s expected to be a backup left guard behind Walker Little.

“If they want me to play, then I’ll play. If I’m a backup, I’ll be a backup,” Cleveland said. “I’m here to support the guys, get to know them, learn the offense the best I can, and I’ll be ready when my number is called.

“I think I got the playbook down, pretty much. There’s a few things that are different — the lingo is a little different than when I was with [Jaguars offensive line coach Phil Rauscher in Minnesota] — but in terms of just getting stuff down, I’m almost there.”

There’s a chance Cleveland won’t play much at all in 2023. But with uncertain futures for Cam Robinson and aging veterans like Brandon Scherff and Tyler Shatley, a starting role for the newly acquired lineman in 2024 wouldn’t be surprise. But first, the impending free agent would have to be re-signed.

“I do think this definitely could turn into a long-term situation for him where he could definitely compete and be in position to help us moving forward,” Jaguars coach Doug Pederson told reporters Monday.

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Doug Pederson: ‘Walker Little is the left guard,’ not Ezra Cleveland

Newly acquired offensive lineman Ezra Cleveland will be a backup for the Jaguars, says Doug Pederson.

Newly acquired offensive lineman Ezra Cleveland will not be a starter with the Jacksonville Jaguars. At least not any time soon.

Less than a week after the fourth-year guard was added in a trade with the Minnesota Vikings, Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson made it crystal clear that it’ll be Walker Little in the starting lineup moving forward.

“Walker Little is the left guard. I want to be as clear as I can, Walker is the left guard,” Pederson said. “That’s been communicated to everybody. Cam [Robinson] is the left tackle. That is our plan and that has never changed.”

That makes the Jaguars’ decision to give up a sixth-round draft pick to land Cleveland, who is set to become a free agent in the offseason, a little surprising. But Pederson says the depth provided by the acquisition was much-needed and he isn’t ruling out a starting job in Cleveland’s future — so long as he sticks around in Jacksonville.

“Ezra is somebody who can really provide that necessary backup guard,” Pederson said. “He’s a very capable, smart, talented left guard. He played some right guard his rookie year, he’s been primarily a left guard ever since. He’s a really good value for us and really solidifies an offensive line that was already good.

“You have to look at long-term, as well. Obviously, the age of our offensive linemen: Brandon Scherff, as great as he’s been playing, he’s not getting younger; Tyler Shatley, he’s not getting younger. You have to have guys who are very capable who are on your roster. … I do think this definitely could turn into a long-term situation for him where he could definitely compete and be in position to help us moving forward.”

Cleveland, a second-round pick in 2020, started 49 games in his three and a half seasons with the Vikings.

Little started the first four games of the season at left tackle before moving inside to left guard after Robinson returned from a suspension. Little was injured early in his first start at guard, but is expected to return to the starting lineup in Week 10 against the San Francisco 49ers.

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Kwesi Adofo-Mensah talks trade deadline, Jaren Hall, Kirk Cousins

Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah talks about the trade deadline, Jaren Hall and more

The Minnesota Vikings had an active trade deadline where they acquired quarterback Josh Dobbs from the Arizona Cardinals and sent left guard Ezra Cleveland to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

It was a really interesting time for the Vikings. Sitting at 4-4, the Vikings were in a tough spot after seeing Kirk Cousins go down with a ruptured Achilles tendon.

After an active trade deadline, Vikings general manger Kwesi Adofo-Mensah spoke to the media about a multitude of topics, including the trade deadline, Kirk Cousins, Jaren Hall and more.

You can watch the press conference in the video below or read the transcript following.

Jaguars’ projected 2024 NFL draft picks after trade deadline

The Jaguars still have plenty of draft capital to spare after sending a sixth-round pick to the Vikings for Ezra Cleveland.

The Jacksonville Jaguars gave up a sixth-round draft pick Tuesday to acquire offensive lineman Ezra Cleveland from the Minnesota Vikings. But even after losing the late-round pick, the Jaguars have plenty of 2024 NFL draft capital to spare.

With the draft just under six months away, here are the picks currently owned by the Jaguars:

There won’t be any more trades until the NFL’s 2024 league year begins on March 14, so the picks are mostly set for the time being. There are still the parameters of the Ridley trade that need to be finalized with the Jaguars’ fourth-round selection appearing unlikely to be the pick that gets sent to Atlanta.

Compensatory selections will be officially announced at some point during the NFL’s annual league meeting scheduled for March 24-27, 2024. While there’s no doubt that the loss of Taylor will net Jacksonville a third-round pick, there’s a chance that the loss of Key could land the Jaguars a fifth-rounder instead of a sixth-rounder.

The losses of tight end Chris Manhertz and wide receiver Marvin Jones Jr. are also eligible to count in the compensatory formula, but are unlikely to reach the threshold for a seventh-round selection.

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What does the Ezra Cleveland trade mean for Walker Little?

Walker Little has spent most of his NFL career as the odd man out. It looks like that could be the case once again.

Jacksonville Jaguars offensive lineman Walker Little has spent most of his NFL career as the odd man out. It looks like that could be the case once again.

On Tuesday, the Jaguars made a trade just before the NFL deadline to acquire veteran guard Ezra Cleveland from the Minnesota Vikings. While coach Doug Pederson described the addition as one that’ll give the Jaguars “really good depth,” it sure seems like a little more than that.

Cleveland, 25, developed into a consistent and reliable starting lineman during his time with the Vikings. And Jacksonville probably didn’t give up a draft pick for what could be a short-term rental just so Cleveland can watch from the sideline.

If Cleveland does end up starting at left guard (a consistent weak spot for the Jaguars for the last two years), that probably leaves no place for Little. That’s nothing new.

The 2021 second-round pick spent the majority of his first two seasons as a backup for offensive tackles Cam Robinson and Jawaan Taylor. The departure of Taylor in free agency opened up a place for Little to start at right tackle, but the Jaguars quickly filled that hole with 2023 first-round pick Anton Harrison.

With Ben Bartch and Tyler Shatley struggling at left guard early in the year, Little stepped into the role when Robinson returned from a four-game suspension. That lasted just 11 snaps before a knee injury sidelined Little and pushed Shatley back into the starting lineup.

Little should be healthy enough to return to the field after the bye week (he didn’t play in Week 8, despite being active), but there may not be a spot left for him to fill. And the wildest part is that Little may be the team’s best offensive lineman!

In five games and 179 pass blocking snaps this season, Little was credited with allowing only one sack. His 76.0 grade on Pro Football Focus so far this season is second best on the Jaguars offense behind only quarterback Trevor Lawrence’s 84.9.

Having too many good offensive linemen and not enough starting spots is a great problem to have, but Little’s inability to secure a consistent role is a peculiar byproduct.

Is Little the future starting left tackle with the Jaguars able to recoup $17.75 million in cap space by cutting Robinson after the season? It looked that way before the 2023 season started and could still be the case, but it no longer seems like a slam dunk move with Robinson playing some of the best football of his career.

Will Cleveland leave as a free agent and free up Little to take back starting left guard duties for good? Or would it make more sense to cut ties with Brandon Scherff and move Little to right guard?

Eventually, it feels prudent to get Little permanently involved in the Jaguars offense. The team’s Tuesday trade for Cleveland probably kicked that can down the road, though.

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Updated Vikings draft picks after trade deadline

The Vikings are primed to go into the offseason with 9 2024 NFL draft picks

The Minnesota Vikings made some noise at the trade deadline on Tuesday.

They acquired quarterback Josh Dobbs and a conditional seventh-round pick from the Arizona Cardinals for a sixth-round pick.

The Vikings weren’t done either as they sent left guard Ezra Cleveland to the Jacksonville Jaguars in exchange for a sixth-round pick.

What they chose not to do was make a big splash. They ended up keeping Danielle Hunter and not trading for a big name player like Chase Young, Montez Sweat or Jaylon Johnson.

The Vikings are in a weird position where they want to both try to win now but are staying realistic and gathering capital for next season.

With the draft pick movement, the Vikings currently have 10 picks in their possession, but one of them will be sent to the Philadelphia Eagles to complete the Jalen Reagor trade. Here is the up-to-date 2024 draft picks for the Vikings.

8 quotes from Kevin O’Connell’s trade deadline press conference

O’Connell had plenty to say about the Vikings moves at the trade deadline

The Minnesota Vikings had a very active trade deadline by acquiring quarterback Josh Dobbs from the Arizona Cardinals and trading left guard Ezra Cleveland to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

What they didn’t do was trade Danielle Hunter or acquire a big name at the trade deadline.

As things currently sit, the Vikings are 4-4 with a beeline for a wild card spot and a plausible chance to win the NFC North. That will come down to either fifth-round pick Jaren Hall or Dobbs leading the way.

After the trade deadline, head coach Kevin O’Connell spoke to the media about the direction of the team and where things stand with multiple players.