Tag: Greg Junior

Jaguars open CB Gregory Junior’s 21-day window to return from IR

The Jaguars will get cornerback Gregory Junior back on the practice field this week.

Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Gregory Junior will be back on the practice field this week after the team designated him to return from the injured reserve.

The designation means Junior will have as many as 21 days to practice with the team without counting against the team’s 53-man active roster limit. At any point during the three-week period, the cornerback can be elevated to the active roster and become available to play.

Junior, 24, was a sixth-round pick in the 2022 NFL draft and spent the majority of his rookie season on the Jaguars’ practice squad. After impressing this year in training camp and preseason, Junior earned a spot on the team’s initial 53-man roster and made a strong push for Tre Herndon III’s slot cornerback role.

But Junior played just two snaps in the Jaguars’ Week 1 win against the Indianapolis Colts before landing on injured reserve with a hamstring injury.

The Jaguars could use the return of Junior after placing rookie cornerback Christian Braswell on injured reserve as well, and recently losing Tyson Campbell to a hamstring injury.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Jaguars place CB Gregory Junior on injured reserve

Gregory Junior played only two snaps in the Jaguars’ Week 1 opener before suffering a hamstring injury that landed him on injured reserve.

The Jacksonville Jaguars placed cornerback Gregory Junior on the injured reserve Saturday, ruling the second-year player out for at least four games.

Junior, 24, played only two snaps on special teams in the Jaguars’ 31-21 Week 1 win against the Indianapolis Colts before suffering a hamstring injury. After missing all three practices this week, Junior was ruled out by the team for a Week 2 home opener against the Kansas City Chiefs.

A sixth-round pick in the 2022 NFL draft, Junior spent the majority of his rookie season on the practice squad, appearing in only one regular season game. This year, he earned a spot on the 53-man roster with an impressive training camp and a standout preseason, which included a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, and an interception.

While the Jaguars named Tre Herndon III the starting nickel cornerback, Junior was well-positioned to play a significant role in the Jacksonville secondary.

That could still come to fruition, but not until at least October. Junior will be eligible to come off the injured reserve as early as a Week 6 game against the Colts.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Jaguars CB Gregory Junior has advice for practice squad players

Gregory Junior has advice for the 17 players who landed on the Jaguars’ practice squad.

Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Gregory Junior spent most of his rookie season on the practice squad. The 2022 sixth-round pick was promoted to the active roster in December, but saw time in only one game.

A year later, Junior looks primed to play a significant role in the Jacksonville defense. The second-year defensive back made a push for starting slot cornerback duties with an impressive camp and preseason, and should see time in dime packages.

Junior, 24, knows better than anyone what positives can come from a year of development. So what’s his advice to the 17 players who were added to the Jaguars’ practice squad this week?

“I’d just say, this is the time when you grind harder,” Junior told Jamal St. Cyr of News4Jax. “It’s going to be ups and downs. Days where you feel like you’re supposed to be out there playing, but this is the time when God tests you the most.

“You just got to keep God first, keep working, and just make sure you have fun because, trust me, there’s a lot more people who would die to be in your position right now. So you just got to enjoy it and have fun.”

Among the players on the Jaguars’ practice squad are sixth-round rookie Erick Hallett II, 2022 fifth-rounder Snoop Conner, and seventh-round rookie Derek Parish.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

5 Jaguars players to watch in preseason vs. Cowboys

Who are you most interested to keep an eye on during the Jaguars’ preseason opener?

On Jan. 21, the Jacksonville Jaguars walked off the field at Arrowhead Stadium and into the offseason after getting handed a 27-20 loss via the Kansas City Chiefs.

Nearly seven months later, the Jaguars will finally be suited up again and back under the lights for their first preseason game of 2023.

The defending AFC South champions will travel to face the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium on Saturday night and the stakes are pretty low for both teams. Jacksonville doesn’t have many position battles to sort out this August, and the Cowboys had a similarly quiet offseason.

Still, the Jaguars have several new rookies and a few young players trying to work their way into the mix. Here are five players to keep a close eye on Saturday against the Cowboys:

Greg Junior has ‘stepped up’ in training camp, says Doug Pederson

Doug Pederson likes what he’s seen from second-year cornerback Greg Junior in training camp.

When the Jacksonville Jaguars picked Greg Junior in the sixth round of the 2022 NFL draft, it was with the knowledge that transitioning to the NFL from Division II’s Ouachita Baptist could take some time.

Junior, 24, spent the majority of his rookie season on the practice squad and appeared in only one game. Now it looks like the cornerback could be ready to make more of an impact in his second season.

“Greg Junior has really stepped up a little bit, he’s kind of caught the attention,” Jaguars coach Doug Pederson said Saturday at training camp. “I think just seeing his maturity. I think you’re seeing a second year understanding the defense, the terminology. Those are the things I see with him and those second-year players having the understanding of even how we practice. That goes a long way.”

The improvement from Junior comes at a great time for him as Jacksonville has stocked up on young cornerbacks. Fellow 2022 draft pick Montaric “Buster” Brown is also entering his second season and the Jaguars added defensive backs Antonio Johnson, Erick Hallett II, and Christian Braswell in the final day of the 2023 NFL draft.

With little experience on the roster behind starters Tyson Campbell and Darious Williams, a new and improved version of Junior could quickly earn play time in his second season.

Junior finished his collegiate career with 128 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, and 17 passes defended. At his pro day, the 6’0, 203-pound cornerback was timed at 4.46 seconds in the 40-yard dash.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Lions 2022 NFL draft prospect watch: The NFLPA Collegiate Bowl

Here are a few of the more intriguing prospects to watch from the 10th annual NFLPA Collegiate Bowl, including several defensive backs and a big-armed QB

The 10th annual NFLPA Collegiate Bowl will be played on Saturday, Jan. 29, 2022, at the Rose Bowl Stadium and broadcast on NFL Network. This year’s game features former NFL coaches in Marvin Lewis and Jeff Fisher, who was just named the head coach of the USFL’s Michigan Panthers.

The Collegiate Bowl tends to have a few players drafted each year but it is more filled with players who earn spots as undrafted free agents and camp invites. Over 150 Collegiate Bowl alums played in the NFL in 2021 including Lions LB Derrick Barnes, QB Tim Boyle, S Brady Breeze and RB Craig Reynolds.

You can catch the game on the NFL Network at 6 p.m. ET on Saturday. Here are a few of the more intriguing prospects to watch