Tag: Gregory Junior

22 Jaguars players set to become free agents in March, ranked

Which impending free agents should the Jaguars focus on bringing back?

The Jacksonville Jaguars spent much of the 2023 offseason retaining their own free agents.

While Jawaan Taylor, Arden Key, Marvin Jones Jr, and Chris Manhertz were among those who left the team, the Jaguars made sure to keep several players, including Andrew Wingard, Dawuane Smoot, Adam Gotsis, and Tre Herndon.

After a disappointing 2023 season, there aren’t as many tough calls to make regarding the more than 20 players set to become free agents in 2024.

Free agency will begin on March 13, but the first decision for the Jaguars will come about a week before that when the franchise tag deadline hits on March 5.

With about two months to sort out their plans, here are the 22 players the Jaguars currently have set to leave the team as free agents:

Jaguars vs. Buccaneers inactives: WR Zay Jones ruled out

The Jaguars will be down another receiver Sunday against the Buccaneers.

The Jacksonville Jaguars will be without wide receiver Zay Jones on Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Ninety minutes ahead of kickoff in the Week 16 matchup, the Jaguars released their list of inactives for the game, which included Jones and four other players.

Jones out of action isn’t much of a surprise after he pulled up with a hamstring injury in Week 15. On Friday, Jaguars coach Doug Pederson said it’d be a long shot for the veteran receiver to play in Tampa Bay.

“Probably not, he is trending well, he’s working off to the side with our trainers and medical staff,” Pederson said. “With a hamstring, it’s a touchy situation and I don’t want to risk anything further as we continue our season, so probably not.”

The more surprising inactive is Gregory Junior, who appears to be a healthy scratch and seems to be getting replaced in the lineup by rookie defensive back Antonio Johnson.

Back in the lineup for the Jaguars are defensive backs Tyson Campbell and Andre Cisco, as well as rookie tight end Brenton Strange.

For the Buccaneers, there will be no significant players missing from the lineup:

The question was whether the calf injury that kept Antoine Winfield Jr. out of practice Friday would keep him out Sunday. While the defensive back was questionable, he’ll be on the field against the Jaguars.

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Doug Pederson provides updates on 8 Jaguars injured vs. Bengals

Jaguars coach Doug Pederson had a lot of injury updates to provide after a rough night against the Bengals.

The Jacksonville Jaguars’ injury luck ran out Monday night.

After entering a Week 13 game against the Cincinnati Bengals with only one player out due to injury (tight end Brenton Strange), the Jaguars suddenly have a lengthy list of players dealing with issues.

None is more important than quarterback Trevor Lawrence, who appeared to suffer a serious ankle injury late in the game. While it initially looked to be a devastating issue, Jaguars coach Doug Pederson gave a relatively positive update on the third-year quarterback Tuesday.

Pederson’s update on wide receiver Christian Kirk wasn’t as positive, though.

Here’s everything Pederson said about the players who were banged up, some seriously and some not so bad, on Monday night against the Bengals:

Jaguars activate CB Gregory Junior from IR, waive RB JaMycal Hasty

Gregory Junior was added to the Jaguars’ active roster Saturday and JaMycal Hasty was waived to make room.

The Jacksonville Jaguars activated cornerback Gregory Junior from the injured reserve Saturday and waived running back JaMycal Hasty to make room.

Junior, 24, made a strong push for starting slot cornerback duties in August with a stellar training camp and preseason. While the role still went to Tre Herndon III, Junior looked to be solid depth for the Jacksonville secondary.

However, he played just two special teams snaps in Week 1 before landing on injured reserve with a hamstring injury. In October, the Jaguars opened the 21-day window for Junior to begin practicing before a return from the I.R.

The depth of the Jacksonville secondary was tested in October with Tyson Campbell missing two games, Andre Cisco sitting out one, and Junior on I.R. Now the team is set to have all three back in the lineup when the second half of the season begins this weekend.

Hasty, 27, was claimed off waivers by the Jaguars after he was cut by the 49ers in final cuts last season. He spent much of his first year in Jacksonville at No. 2 on the depth chart and finished the 2022 season with 194 rushing yards, 126 receiving yards, and three touchdowns.

But he was pushed to No. 4 after the Jaguars added Tank Bigsby and D’Ernest Johnson in the offseason. Hasty appeared in only three games so far this season and didn’t record a touch.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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5 Jaguars bubble players who have earned a roster spot

These five Jaguars players were on the bubble at the beginning of camp, but secured their place on the 53-man roster with a strong August.

The Jacksonville Jaguars didn’t have a ton of roster turnover during the 2023 offseason. The team kept 21 of its 22 starters, allowing only offensive tackle Jawaan Taylor to leave in free agency.

Even backups like C.J. Beathard, JaMycal Hasty, Adam Gotsis, and others were brought back. That left very little room for newcomers and other bubble players to earn spots on one of the NFL’s deeper rosters.

These five Jaguars players entered August seemingly in a fight for a place on the team’s 53-man roster. But with cutdown day coming Tuesday they now have little to worry about after securing their spots in camp and preseason:

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.

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Jaguars 2023 roster review: CB Gregory Junior

Gregory Junior was the first of two cornerbacks drafted by the Jaguars in 2022, but he spent most of his rookie year on the practice squad.

The brunt of the offseason is in the books and training camp is still off on the horizon. Join us in the NFL’s dead zone with a player-by-player review of the Jaguars roster ahead of the 2023 season.

Gregory Junior was the first of two cornerbacks drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2022. But it was the second, Montaric “Buster” Brown, who earned a spot on the 53-man roster at the end of preseason.

Instead, Junior spent most of his rookie year on the Jaguars’ practice squad. It wasn’t until December that Junior was moved to the active roster and on New Year’s Day, he got his first regular season snaps.

In his only appearance as a rookie, Junior played 18 defensive snaps and five snaps on special teams.

Heading into his second NFL season, Junior will look to make a more significant impact, but only if he can hold off a bevy of rookies looking to take his spot on the roster.

Contract (2023): $870,000 base salary, $870,000 cap hit.

Acquired: Jaguars drafted Junior with the No. 197 overall pick in the sixth round of the 2022 NFL draft.

PFF grades: 

  • 71.4 (2022)

Statistics:

  • Six tackles (2022)

Highlight:

Quote: “Greg, he’s a smart player. He’s got a high football IQ. And then you put that with his explosiveness, he’s a good player. And immediately, he was a special teams gem [for us]. And he will be at that [NFL] level, too.” – Ouachita Baptist head coach Todd Knight on Junior

Calvin Ridley (No. 0) Travis Etienne Jr. (No. 1) Rayshawn Jenkins (No. 2) C.J. Beathard (No. 3) Tank Bigsby (No. 4) Andre Cisco (No. 5)
Chris Claybrooks (No. 6) Zay Jones (No. 7) Logan Cooke (No. 9) Parker Washington (No. 11) James McCourt (No. 12) Christian Kirk (No. 13)
Kendric Pryor (No. 14) Tim Jones (No. 15) Trevor Lawrence (No. 16) Evan Engram (No. 17) Nathan Rourke (No. 18) Sammis Reyes (No. 19)
Daniel Thomas (No. 20) Latavious Brini (No. 21) JaMycal Hasty (No. 22) Foyesade Oluokun (No. 23) Snoop Conner (No. 24) D’Ernest Johnson (No. 25)
Antonio Johnson (No. 26) Divaad Wilson (No. 27) Tevaughn Campbell (No. 29) Montaric Brown (No. 30) Darious Williams (No. 31) Tyson Campbell (No. 32)
Devin Lloyd (No. 33) Gregory Junior (No. 34) Ayo Oyelola (No. 35) Christian Braswell (No. 36) Tre Herndon (No. 37) Qadree Ollison (No. 38)
Jamal Agnew (No. 39) Erick Hallett (No. 40) Josh Allen (No. 41) Andrew Wingard (No. 42) Kaleb Hayes (No. 43) Derek Parish (No. 43)
Travon Walker (No. 44) K’Lavon Chaisson (No. 45) Ross Matiscik (No. 46) De’Shaan Dixon (No. 47) Chad Muma (No. 48) Leonard Taylor (No. 49)
Shaquille Quarterman (No. 50) Ventrell Miller (No. 51) DaVon Hamilton (No. 52) Willie Taylor III (No. 53) DJ Coleman (No. 54) Dequan Jackson (No. 55)
Yasir Abdullah (No. 56) Caleb Johnson (No. 57) Raymond Vohasek (No. 59) Darryl Williams (No. 60) Samuel Jackson (No. 62) Coy Cronk (No. 64)
Chandler Brewer (No. 67) Brandon Scherff (No. 68) Tyler Shatley (No. 69) Cole Van Lanen (No. 70) Walker Little (No. 72) Blake Hance (No. 73)
Cam Robinson (No. 74) Cooper Hodges (No. 75) Anton Harrison (No. 76) Josh Wells (No. 77) Ben Bartch (No. 78) Luke Fortner (No. 79)
Kevin Austin Jr. (No. 80) Seth Williams (No. 81) Elijah Cooks (No. 84) Brenton Strange (No. 85) Gerrit Prince (No. 86) Jaray Jenkins (No. 87)
Oliver Martin (No. 88) Luke Farrell (No. 89) Henry Mondeaux (No. 90) Jordan Smith (No. 92) Tyler Lacy (No. 93) Folorunso Fatukasi (No. 94)
Roy Robertson-Harris (No. 95) Adam Gotsis (No. 96) Nick Thurman (No. 97) Michael Dogbe (No. 98) Jeremiah Ledbetter (No. 99) Brandon McManus
Jacob Harris

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