Tag: Josh Oliver

Jags TE Josh Oliver suffers broken foot, surgery scheduled for Tuesday

Jags coach Doug Marrone shared some bad news with the media as Josh Oliver broke his foot Sunday in a non-contact drill.

Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Josh Oliver suffered a broken foot Sunday according to head coach Doug Marrone who met with the media Monday morning. This unfortunate news comes a year after he missed a majority of his rookie season, too, suffering a hamstring injury in camp and a back injury in the regular season.

Per Marrone, Oliver’s injury was a non-contact one and it occurred while he was simply running during practice. Marrone also announced that he’ll have surgery on Tuesday, but didn’t offer a time table on his return or discuss the severity.

Oliver was a player Marrone mentioned last week, stating that he was eager to see the second-year tight end’s development after he came into camp with a new and improved physique. He was set to help the Jags at a position that was considered a huge need to start the offseason, however, another veteran will now have to step up.

With Oliver set to miss the beginning of the season, the Jags have five tight ends on the roster still. Leading the way will be Tyler Eifert, who has injury concerns of his own (has missed 53 regular season games). However, it’s worth noting he participated in every game for the Cincinnati Bengals last season, and hopefully, that’s the case in 2020.

The team recently got James O’Shaughnessy back from the Active/Reserve list this month, too, after he tore his ACL last season against the Carolina Panthers (Week 5). But again, when looking at the positives, he was a favorite target of Gardner Minshew when healthy.

Behind the two veterans, the Jags have rookie sixth-round pick Tyler Davis, undrafted rookie Ben Ellefson, and second-year player Charles Jones. Of the three, Davis should be the one who benefits from Oliver’s absence the most, but only time will tell how the Jags move forward at the position.

Listen to the latest from Jags Wire’s own James Johnson and Phil Smith on their podcast “Bleav in the Jags.” Subscribe via Apple Podcasts and check out our archived episodes via Bleav Podcasts.

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ESPN lists Gardner Minshew as a fantasy sleeper

ESPN fantasy football guru Eric Karabell likes the growth Gardner Minshew showed as a rookie an believes he’ll take another step in 2020.

While the Jacksonville Jaguars’ 2019 season was one most fans would rather forget about, rookie quarterback Gardner Minshew II provided a ray of hope for the 2020 season after aiding the team to all their wins. As a result, he’ll not only be one of the most anticipated players to watch by Jags fans, but one of the most anticipated to watch in the NFL.

There are some national pundits who also picked up on the rookies success last year and believe he has what it takes to make a bigger impact in 2020. ESPN Fantasy guru Eric Karabell is the latest to jump on the bandwagon as he listed Minshew amongst the top sleepers at the quarterback position.

Gardner Minshew, QB, Jacksonville Jaguars: Minshew is more than just a fine mustache. A surprising QB2 when active as a rookie, Minshew not only has plenty of tools to succeed and overcome pre-draft concerns as a passer, he emerged as an underrated thrower of the deep pass, and only four quarterbacks rushed for more yards last season. The Jaguars seemed a bit indifferent to building a contending team for 2020, and the quarterback competition is over with Nick Foles gone, so expect Minshew to throw and run to his heart’s content — and pile on enough fantasy points to matter.

Despite the Jags adding more on defense than offense this offseason, Minshew very well could step his game up. An X-factor that could help him do that is new offensive coordinator Jay Gruden, who had success with Andy Dalton and Kirk Cousins in the early parts of their careers.

The Jags also will have a stronger receivers corps, though the key will be health with the group. They drafted big-target receivers in Laviska Shenault Jr. and Collin Johnson, who were stars on the collegiate level. They also added veteran tight end Tyler Eifert, who played under Gruden in Cincinnati and brings familiarity to the offense.

The Jags will also get a draft pick they were super high on back from the 2019 class in Josh Oliver, who ended up missing a majority of the season with a hamstring issue and a back injury that placed him on injured reserve. One of Minshew’s favorite targets, James O’Shaughnessy, will also be back off IR after sustaining an ACL tear in 2019.

Add the aforementioned names in with pro bowler D.J. Chark and veteran Chris Conley, and yes, Minshew could be very productive in 2020. Again, it will just come down to his pass-catchers staying healthy and his offensive line playing better than they did in 2019.

TE Josh Oliver talks about his rookie season, says he’s been cleared to return from back injury

There was a great deal of buzz surrounding tight end Josh Oliver when the Jacksonville Jaguars selected him in the third-round last year, but he unfortunately didn’t get to make a significant impact. A hamstring injury from training camp set him …

There was a great deal of buzz surrounding tight end Josh Oliver when the Jacksonville Jaguars selected him in the third-round last year, but he unfortunately didn’t get to make a significant impact. A hamstring injury from training camp set him back to start the regular season off, and four games into his return, a back injury sent him to injured reserve.

In the end, Oliver exited his rookie campaign with just three catches for 15 yards throughout those four games. Despite that, however, he believes he learned a lot during his rookie campaign and feels that it will help him tremendously heading forward.

“Definitely,” Oliver said to Jaguars.com when asked if he learned any lessons in 2019. “Just those four games, I feel like I improved – getting used to the speed of the game. I think those games were crucial for me just to get out on the field. I never got to go through the preseason. I never got to go through any of the games, so actually having NFL reps under my belt – I think that’s a huge thing going forward into Year Two. I know what to expect in a game. I know what to expect when we’re traveling. I have a good feel for what’s going on. The next step is just going out there and playing.”

The experience Oliver feels he received in a short amount of time is certainly a good thing for the Jags because they will need him to take a significant step in 2020. Not only have the Jags lacked a true threat at tight end for all of Dave Caldwell’s tenure as general manager, but it was painfully clear that quarterback Gardner Minshew needed a big threat up the middle in 2019. While the team did add veteran Tyler Eifert, he’s missed 53 regular season games out of 112. Simply put, that means there is a strong chance Oliver will be counted on as a No. 1 or No. 2 tight end at some point in the upcoming season.

As for the status of his health, Oliver said he has been cleared for a while now and is 100 percent.

“At the end of the [2019] season, I was cleared 100 percent,” Oliver said. “It was awesome [to get cleared]. I was eager. As soon as New Year’s happened, I went back to Southern California and started training with the people I trained with before the draft – and I worked with physical therapy on maintenance and stuff.”

With a clean bill of health and a new coordinator who loves to utilize the tight end position in Jay Gruden, things are likely to improve for Oliver. When looking at the production his comrades from the 2019 class had like Minshew and Josh Allen, fans should be confident that Oliver could pan out, too.

Which second-year Jag will have the best 2020 season?

The Jacksonville Jaguars got a great deal of production out of their 2019 draft class, and there are several players from the unit who could be big-time contributors in 2020. Of course, first-round pick Josh Allen is set to be a starter with Yannick …

The Jacksonville Jaguars got a great deal of production out of their 2019 draft class, and there are several players from the unit who could be big-time contributors in 2020.

Of course, first-round pick Josh Allen is set to be a starter with Yannick Ngakoue looking to possibly hold out. Meanwhile, on offense, tackle Jawaan Taylor and Gardner Minshew II will be second-year starters, too. Third-round pick and tight end Josh Oliver will be returning from injured reserve and will have a chip on his shoulder, although he likely won’t start. 

Typically, most would want the quarterback (in this case Minshew) to be the obvious answer, but it isn’t that easy because Allen had a great rookie campaign. He was able to break the Jags’ rookie sack record with 10.5 sacks and go to the Pro Bowl. The astonishing part of that was the fact that he only started in four games and is still learning the game. As previously mentioned, his chances to start now look good and with more snaps could come more production. 

Minshew, on the other hand, started in 12 games. Like Allen, he has the potential to start in all 16 games if healthy, which means he’ll surpass his 2019 stats where he completed 60.6% of his passes (285-of-470) for 3,271 passing yards, 21 touchdowns, and six picks. Like Allen, those figures put him in the Jags’ book for the rookie record in passing yards and touchdown passes. 

Of the aforementioned names, Taylor may be the dark horse to have the best season, but for that to happen, it would probably mean Minshew didn’t fare well in 2020. Taylor struggled with penalties early in the season but got the issue cleaned up during the last quarter and showed great promise. He’ll be looking to continue that progress in 2020, and practicing against Allen frequently this offseason could help him to take that step. 

Who do you think will have the best second year of the aforementioned names? Let us know in the poll below.

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Jags depth chart prediction: Tight end

The Jags came into 2020 with a huge need at tight end but made the key addition of Tyler Eifert which could pay off if he’s healthy.

As promised, we’ll be continuing our depth chart predictions throughout the next few days with the quarterbacks and running backs out of the way. For today’s preview, we’ll be giving our predictions for the tight end position, a spot that was of huge need when the 2019 season ended.

TE1: Tyler Eifert

Despite his history with injuries (has miss 53 career games), Tyler Eifert is one of the Jags’ biggest free-agent pickups for 2020 and he’ll be the player who is the most familiar with the offensive scheme after spending time with Jay Gruden in Cincinnati. While it’s a gamble to bank on his availability, it’s one that could pay off big for Jacksonville as he’s proven he can be a respectable target when healthy.

Eifert will be coming off a season where he played in all 16 games in 2019 and garnered 43 catches for 436 yards and three touchdowns with the Bengals. That total would be easily the most the Jags have had from the tight end position in four seasons. That said, hopefully, he can provide Gardner Minshew II with a threat in the middle of the field, something he clearly lacked during his rookie season.

TE2: Josh Oliver

The second tight end spot behind Eifert will be up for grabs and Josh Oliver should be one of the two players fighting for it. The Jags invested a third-round pick into him last year and have made it clear they have high hopes for him as a receiver.

Oliver will be coming off a season where he didn’t practice all that much with a hamstring injury and he only saw the field for four games before being placed on injured reserve with a back injury. He was only able to register three receptions for 15 yards, so there is a lot for him to prove in 2020.

TE3: James O’Shaughnessy

James O’Shaughnessy will be battling for the TE2 spot as well after ending up on IR with Oliver with a torn ACL. When he was available, O’Shaughnessy was clearly one of Minshew’s favorite targets and the two linked up for two touchdowns.

If O’Shaughnessy is healthy by the time the Jags take the field for training camp, maybe the two can pick up where they left off. That would certainly bode well for O’Shaughnessy being the guy behind Eifert if so.

TE4: Charles Jones

Charles Jones signed with the Jags last offseason after the draft as an undrafted free agent. He eventually ended up on their practice squad in September and was promoted to the 53-man roster in November. He was active for four games and only registered a catch for five yards in their season finale against the Indianapolis Colts.

Much like Oliver, he has a lot to prove in 2020. However, due to not being a high draft selection, his chances aren’t nearly as high to stick around. Still, he has a little more experience than the rookies behind him and looks more like a practice squad candidate.

TE5: Tyler Davis

Sixth-round pick Tyler Davis was one of the Jags’ 12 draft selections this offseason. He spent a majority of his collegiate career at the University of Connecticut but transferred to Georgia Tech in 2019. While there, he accumulated 17 catches for 248 yards and a touchdown and was able to register 47 catches for 500 yards and seven touchdowns with the Huskies prior.

At 6-foot-4, 252-pounds, he’ll be an interesting project for the Jags and could climb the depth chart by flashing in the preseason. In all probability, he’ll have to spend 2020 on the practice squad but could be a player who is much more polished two years down the road.

TE6: Ben Ellefson

Ben Ellefson was one of the Jags’ many undrafted free-agent additions after the 2020 NFL Draft. He wasn’t quite as productive as Davis in terms of receiving yards while in college at North Dakota State, but will be coming off two seasons where he nearly registered 200 yards. However, he also was pretty good at finding the end-zone, accumulating 16 career touchdowns.

Like Davis, he’s a practice squad candidate and his best way to stick around will be showcasing his blocking ability and showing up on special teams.

If the Jags spend big anywhere in free agency, it needs to be at TE

The Jags have had unfortunate luck at TE but this year they need to try and find an answer in free agency.

Jacksonville Jaguars general manager Dave Caldwell has been on record for saying fixing his team this offseason could be a quick fix, however, there are several hurdles in the way that makes fans think otherwise. Whether that’s fixing the cap situation or paying Yannick Ngakoue, fans have their doubts about Caldwell’s ability to make things work but those are easy fixes that I could see being resolved.

However, there is another hurdle that could be an even bigger threat to Caldwell’s future in Jacksonville that many seem to be overlooking: the team’s history at tight end.

To put it simply, the Jags have lacked star power at the position for almost a decade and the last time they’ve gotten noteworthy production there was 2012 when Marcedes Lewis hauled in 52 passes for 540 yards and four touchdowns. Two years prior he put together the best season of his career (and was named a Pro Bowler), racking up 58 catches for 700 yards and 10 touchdowns.

For the Jags, that lack of production isn’t a good thing in an era where having sound play at tight end is pivotal. That’s exactly why I listed the position as the Jags’ second-biggest need this offseason, and clearly, they will need to address it with a solid option in the coming months.

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Jaguars X-factors on offense and defense vs. Chargers

Which Jags players can be the Jaguars’ X-factors on offense and defense vs. Chargers?

The Jacksonville Jaguars and Los Angeles Chargers face off Sunday in a battle of two desperately disappointing franchises. Both teams are on a losing streak that spans at least three games, with the Jaguars trying to avoid losing their fifth-straight game.

Gardner Minshew II is back as the starting quarterback for Jacksonville, which is just about the only thing keeping fans engaged in what has otherwise has been a very disappointing season.

With positive momentum nowhere to be seen in Northeast Florida and tough games against wild-card hopefuls in the Oakland Raiders and Indianapolis Colts, and a game against an unpredictable Atlanta Falcons team, the Jaguars might not win another game this year if they aren’t able to win Sunday.

Simply put, a win by Jacksonville Sunday will take a special effort from some of the best players, but who can provide an X-factor for the Jaguars in this game?

RB Ryquell Armstead

The Jacksonville Jaguars will be up against a talented passing defense as the Chargers are ranked fourth in passing yards allowed under former Jags head coach Gus Bradley. Much of that is because of edge rushers Melvin Ingram and Joey Bosa. They also have an elite corner in Casey Hayward. That said, when considering how the group plays defense under Bradley, the Jags will need to depend on a player who makes defenders miss and Ryquell Armstead is just that.

Of course, Leonard Fournette has flourished as a pass-catcher this season, but the Chargers are well aware of who he is. That’s exactly why the Jags should look to get Armstead, who is still relatively unknown, some opportunities in the passing game as he and rookie Gardner Minshew already have one touchdown connection.

DE Yannick Ngakoue

Normally we don’t go with starers in our X-factors post, but Ngakoue has an X-factor ability: causing turnovers. He’ll be up against a quarterback with eight turnovers in his last three games in Philip Rivers. In that span, Rivers has also fumbled the ball twice.

Ngakoue is likely headed to the franchise tag as the future of this Jaguars’ front office remains up in the air. However, that hasn’t let contract issues prevent him from producing this season.

The fourth-year defensive end has registered four sacks and two forced fumbles in his last five games, which is a remarkably impressive run of form. The Chargers’ offensive line isn’t brilliant and if the Maryland product can make his presence felt against his assignment, then it could be a very fruitful day for him.

Report: Jags sign Nick O’Leary after injuries at TE position

The Jags sustained another big injury at tight end and has signed former Florida State TE Nick O’Leary.

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With the Jacksonville Jaguars taking several hits at the tight end position, the team has decided to bring in some help. Per NFL insider Ian Rapoport, they signed former Florida State alum Nick O’Leary Monday.

O’Leary, 27, was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the sixth-round of the 2015 NFL Draft and was with the team until 2018. Afterward, he was with the Miami Dolphins from September of 2018 to October of this year. While with both organizations, he managed to accumulate 44 catches for 596 yards and three touchdowns.

The Jags entered Week 11’s game with just two tight ends active in Josh Oliver and Ben Koyack. However, Seth DeValve was amongst the team’s inactives after sustaining an oblique injury in practice. To make matters worse, Oliver sustained the back injury mentioned by Rapoport while hauling in his only reception of the day.

Heading forward, it appears the Jags may be in a bind at the tight end position because they’ve simply had bad luck there. Earlier in the season, the team placed both Geoff Swaim and James O’Shaughnessy on injured reserve, and if Oliver has to join them, the Jags will be left relying on whatever free agent they can find down the road.

Report: Josh Oliver suffered small back fractures vs. Colts

The Jags have taken a hit at a position they couldn’t afford to.

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The Jacksonville Jaguars rolled into Week 11’s game against the Indianapolis Colts thin at tight end due to Seth DeValve sustaining an oblique injury in practice a few days before. Unfortunately, they exited the game in even worse shape at the position as Josh Oliver, one of the team’s two healthy tight ends, exited the game with back fractures that could cause him to miss more time.

The injury seemingly occurred on his only catch of the day, which was a 5-yard reception from quarterback Nick Foles. He was brought down awkwardly by a Colts defender and immediately grabbed his back.

Despite his lack of receptions (three catches for 15 yards), Oliver’s injury is a huge blow for the staff for the simple fact that Doug Marrone is probably coaching for his job. Additionally, the hope was for Oliver to get more involved down the line at a position that the Jags need production from given how the scheme works.

Oliver had already missed the first seven weeks of the season recovering from a severe hamstring injury he suffered early in training camp. Now, it appears he has a strong chance to finish the season on injured reserve, though the Jags could keep him on the roster if they believe the injury isn’t severe.

 

3 Jaguars to watch on offense vs. Colts

With kickoff just a few hours away, here are three Jaguars to watch on offense vs Indianapolis.

Despite an embarrassing showing in London against the Houston Texans, the Jacksonville Jaguars have a chance to be the provisional number six seed with a win over the Colts. Yes, the Oakland Raiders would also have to lose to an 0-9 Cincinnati team, but there’s a chance.

Head Coach Doug Marrone made the decision to go with now-healthy veteran quarterback Nick Foles after the bye week. With him only seeing the field for two series this regular season, fans will be eager to see what he has to offer against the Colts.

With the game just under an hour away, here are three players on offense to keep your eye on vs Indianapolis:

1. QB Nick Foles

He’s the player everyone is talking about. However, some fans and media members were onboard to see Minshew Mania throughout the rest of the season. In my opinion though, Marrone has done the right thing by rolling with the veteran as Jacksonville tries to make a late charge to the post-season.

The buzz around the improved aerial attack coming out of training camp was palpable. It was such a shame to see all of that momentum wiped out in the opening game. Hopefully, Foles is able to put on a show Sunday afternoon and remind us why the Jaguars felt comfortable giving him the most expensive contract in team history through free agency.

2. TE Josh Oliver

The rookie tight end was sidelined for the start of the season, but since returning to action in Week 7, his snap count is increasing more over time.

For Jacksonville, the bye week couldn’t have come at a better time as they prepare to run the table with three more divisional games. The extra week allows Foles to come back into the fray, whilst also giving Oliver the opportunity to establish himself in the offense. His return has seen Seth DeValve’s snap count drop week by week and this game will likely be the first time Oliver is used as the primary tight end.

3. RB Ryquell Armstead

The Jaguars offense has worked better when coordinator John DeFlippo uses other backs to take some of the pressure off Leonard Fournette. Over the last three games, Armstead has gradually been getting more involved in the offense. The rookie was one of a handful of standout players in England, catching five passes for over 60 yards, including a 35-yard reception which was the longest play of the day for Jacksonville.

It will be interesting to see if Jacksonville utilize him more, as he has shown his potential when asked to catch out of the backfield. That’s something Fournette is getting a chance to showcase more but Armstead may be an even better receiving tailback.