Big John Watch: Henderson Continues to Sit Out, Del Rio Mum

John Henderson, out with what he calls a Grade 2 shoulder separation, rode a bike and sat in a cool zone while his teammates practiced on Tuesday, according to the (Jacksonville) Florida Times-Union.

Big news, huh? Hey, it’s June, not exactly the peak of football season. Take what you can get, I guess.

Jaguars coach Jack Del Rio didn’t have much to say.

“Nothing really to add,” he told the Times-Union on Tuesday. “I spoke enough on that subject last week.”

If you recall, Del Rio called out Henderson for not practicing and uttered the replayed phrase “[Vince] Lombardi is probably rolling over right now” on June 2nd.

At the time, Del Rio thought it was merely a bruise. A separated shoulder, especially with the specific medical jargon “Grade 2” description, sounds a little more serious.

Sports are about winners and losers. In this case, it appears that Henderson was victorious. While Del Rio hasn’t gone as far to recant his statements, he has stopped chiding Henderson publicly.

Add in the fact that these OTAs (organized team activities) are voluntary, as reported previously, and Henderson doesn’t deserve to be in hot water. He may have been right all along, really.

All Is Well In Jacksonville: Henderson, Del Rio On the Same Page

Two days after Jack Del Rio fumed at Pro Bowl defensive tackle John Henderson’s shoulder injury (or non-injury), coach and player reportedly met and made up Thursday.

The synopsis?

Henderson is not faking, according to an Associated Press report.

“I was a little upset, but we talked about it and everything is all right,” Henderson told the AP. “We talked like men. I let him know about the shoulder. He saw the X-rays. He was good on it. We’re both good and we’re getting back to work.”

“I’ve been very clear on what I expect and what I’m looking for and the accountability from there,” Del Rio said. “There’s no more to report on, there’s no more to talk about. Now it’s just time to get back to work.”

Henderson missed three days of OTA practices this week with a dislocated shoulder. He will be re-evaluated next week, according to the report, and wants the situation to fade away.

“Just like your daddy getting on you,” Henderson told the AP. “Let it be. It’s not anything to get blown out of the water. You have bigger and better things to do right now.”

Marlon McCree: Jaguars Fans Welcome you Back

Marlon McCree is a Jaguar once again.

McCree, a seventh-round draft pick by Jacksonville in 2001, was re-signed by the Jaguars on Tuesday. He will provide depth at safety behind Reggie Nelson and Sean Considine.

McCree is best suited as a free safety, but if he can show promise at strong safety, he may push Considine for the starting job.

He played in 31 games for the Jaguars from 2001-03. He was waived by the team early in the 2003 season and spent time with Houston (2003-04), Carolina (2005), San Diego (2006-07), and Denver (2008) before making his way back to Jacksonville.

McCree racked up 29 tackles in eight games while battling injuries for Denver last season. He made seven starts.

Del Rio Calls out John Henderson: “Lombardi is Probably Rolling over”

Jaguars coach Jack Del Rio called out Pro Bowl defensive tackle John Henderson following Tuesday’s practice for not playing through pain.

 

Henderson suffered a minor shoulder injury at the beginning of Monday’s practice and has been out of action since, according to a report by First Coast News, a Jacksonville TV station.

 

“John’s got a shoulder (injury) that back when I played and even prior to that, I don’t think anybody would’ve missed a snap for it,” said Del Rio. “I think it’s a minor bruise of sorts and I would think that [Vince] Lombardi is probably rolling over right now.”

 

Keep in mind, these practices are voluntary.

 

As the report stated, Del Rio does not often criticize his players so bluntly to the media. This is obviously out of character.

 

But coming off a 5-11 season, perhaps it’s about time Del Rio lit a fire under certain players.

 

Henderson declined to comment, according to an ESPN.com report.

 

Del Rio went on.

 

“Right now I trust the way some of the younger guys are working, some of the unknowns more than I trust what I am seeing there,” Del Rio told ESPN.com when asked what his biggest concern was with the team.

 

It’s not crystal clear as to if Del Rio is just talking about Henderson, or if he means the whole team.

 

Henderson and Rob Meier are the incumbent defensive tackles, but both had subpar seasons in 2008.

 

Young players like Derek Landri, Atiyyah Ellison and 2009 third-round pick Terrance Knighton are expected to receive playing time on, at least, a rotational basis.

 

A Safe Option? Jags Look to Sean Considine to Fill Lone Defensive Hole

The Jaguars have been wary to open their wallets this year after monumental missteps in free agency last season. Particularly on defense, the club made almost no changes, save for one position.

Jacksonville will have a new strong safety.

The spot has been somewhat turbulent since Donovin Darius suffered a broken leg to end his Jaguars career on Monday Night Football in November 2006.

Since, the team has started Gerald Sensabaugh, Sammy Knight and Brian Williams. Sensabaugh is now in Dallas, Knight is an aged 33 and teamless and Williams is returning to his natural position at cornerback.

Next in line?

Sean Considine.

The Jaguars signed the ex-Eagle to a modest two-year, $3 million contract on the first day of free agency.

Considine, 26, started 17 games in Philadelphia in 2006 and 2007 before being placed on injured reserve with a sprained shoulder in November 2007.

He lost his job to Quintin Mikell, an All-Pro in 2008, and never got it back. He was banished to special teams duty all of last season.

It would be nice if Considine had some competition, but the Jaguars decided not to address safety in the early rounds of the draft.

They do return fourth-year defensive back Calvin Lowry, but Lowry’s limited experience has mostly been at free safety.

With Reggie Nelson roaming in deep pass coverage, expect Considine to be heavily involved in run support. He developed a reputation as a physical player in Philadelphia, where he totaled 107 tackles as a part-time starter in 2006.

The “physical” tag on a defensive back can often belie the fact that he is slow.

Considine might not be the swiftest, but at least he can take on Michael Vick.

Brunell, Taylor, Thunder and Lightning: The Jaguars’ All-Time Team

One of the best bar stool debates in sports is the “All-Time Team.” If you could assemble a lineup of any players in a specific team’s history, which would you choose?

Would the Lakers center be Wilt, Kareem or Shaq? Would the Yankees center fielder be DiMaggio or Mantle?

Also, don’t forget the age-old question of the greatest running back in the illustrious history of the Houston Texans — Domanick Davis (or is it Williams?), Jonathan Wells or Steve Slaton? That’s a toughie.

Save that one until later. Here, the Jaguars, a franchise since the 1995 season, will be dissected.

QB – Mark Brunell –

Not much debate here. Brunell was the leader of the team during the Tom Coughlin era from 1995-2003 and holds pretty much every Jags career passing record.

On the bench: Byron Leftwich, David Garrard.

RB – Fred Taylor –

Again, an easy choice. In 11 seasons in teal, Taylor (pictured) rushed for 11,271 yards. The next closest, late-90s back James Stewart, had 2,951 yards.

On the bench: Maurice Jones-Drew, James Stewart

FB – Greg Jones –

The Jaguars have never had a Pro Bowl fullback, and their notable lead blocker list is very short. Jones and Daimon Shelton are the two that come to mind right away.

On the bench: Daimon Shelton

WRs – Keenan McCardell and Jimmy Smith –

Thunder and Lightning. Both relative unknowns before the Jags scooped them, McCardell and Smith became one of the best receiving duos in the NFL during the Jaguars’ heyday in the late 1990s.

On the bench: Reggie Williams, Matt Jones

TE – Kyle Brady –

Brady was a No. 9 overall pick by the Jets in 1995, but he didn’t hit his peak until his Jaguars stint. He caught at least 29 passes for Jacksonville each season from 1999-2003, including a 64-catch 2000 campaign.

On the bench: Pete Mitchell, Marcedes Lewis

OT – Tony Boselli, Leon Searcy –

Brunell was very thankful to have Boselli at left tackle and Searcy at right tackle his first few seasons. Boselli was a five-time Pro Bowler, and Searcy joined Boselli in Hawaii in 1999.

On the bench: Maurice Williams

G – Ben Coleman, Chris Naeole –

Coleman was a solid blocker during his 4 1/2 years with the club in the 1990s. Naeole came over from New Orleans in 2002 and has been just as reliable.

On the bench: Vince Manuwai

C – Brad Meester –

He actually started out at guard but won the job at center after John Wade left for Tampa Bay in 2003.

On the bench: Dave Widell

DE – Tony Brackens, Joel Smeenge –

Brackens is far and away the club’s career leader in sacks (55). Smeenge is second on the list with 34, but he also gets bonus points for his last name, which Jags fans loved reciting in unison after big plays.

On the bench: Paul Spicer

DT – Marcus Stroud, John Henderson –

These guys clogged the middle for the better part of a decade before Stroud was traded to Buffalo. Both received perennial Pro Bowl consideration.

On the bench: Gary Walker

LB – Kevin Hardy, Mike Peterson, Daryl Smith –

Hardy, an Illinois product, was the linchpin of the Jaguars defense in the early years. Peterson essentially replaced Hardy as the linebacking leader in 2003. Smith, a second-round pick in 2004, succeeded Peterson at middle linebacker last season.

On the bench: Akin Ayodele, Bryan Schwartz

CB – Rashean Mathis, Aaron Beasley –

Mathis, out of little Bethune-Cookman, has become the closest thing to a shut-down corner Jacksonville has seen. Beasley was always a fan favorite and a solid if not unspectacular player.

On the bench: Fernando Bryant, Brian Williams, Deon Figures

S – Donovin Darius, Deon Grant –

Darius was a hard-hitter on the field, yet completely opposite off of it as one of the great community Jaguars in team history. Grant came to Jacksonville with a great pedigree from the University of Tennessee and the Carolina Panthers and started 48 games in three seasons.

On the bench: Travis Davis

K – Mike Hollis –

Super reliable. Never missed more than two field goals in a season as the kicker from 1995-2002. Through Hollis’ first five seasons, only John Carney had a better accuracy in NFL history. 

On the bench: Josh Scobee

P – Bryan Barker –

Jacksonville’s punter from 1995-2000, he made a Pro Bowl in 1997.

On the bench: Chris Hanson

KR/PR – Reggie Barlow, Maurice Jones-Drew –

Barlow will always be remembered infamously for his fumbled punt in the team’s AFC Championship loss to Tennessee in 2000, his final game as a Jaguar. However, he is the most accomplished returner in team history and the only one with multiple punt returns for touchdowns. Jones-Drew had to make the all-time squad as a starter in some capacity, and he is deserving as a kick returner.

On the bench: Willie Jackson

Jaguars Cut WR D’Juan Woods, Add CB Tyron Brackenridge

The Jaguars made two minor moves Wednesday, but any fan of Oklahoma State should surely take note.

The club waived wide receiver D’Juan Woods (pictured), a former star at Oklahoma State, and signed third-year cornerback Tyron Brackenridge off waivers from the Jets.

The Jaguars originally signed Woods as an undrafted free agent in 2007. He spent most of the last two seasons on the practice squad, appearing in one game. He became expendable after the team signed Torry Holt and drafted three other wideouts.

Brackenridge, also an undrafted rookie in 2007, has a little more NFL experience than Woods. He played in 14 games with Kansas City over the last two seasons before signing with the Jets in February.

Jacksonville already has Rashean Mathis, Brian Williams, Scott Starks and third-round pick Derek Cox at cornerback, so Brackenridge may be limited to special teams work if he makes the team out of training camp.

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