Jacksonville Jaguars not happy over Maurice Jones-Drew’s skip but wary of pressing panic button
Jacksonville Jaguars’ new coaches are not happy with running back, Maurice Jones-Drew, skipping the team’s workout activities but are wary of pressing the panic button given the player has a strong reputation of remaining fit and into shape during the offseason.
Jones-Drew is on a holdout in protest of his demand for a new contract from the team, which apparently has not even inched towards reaching a possible solution.
While the Jaguars are out on the field learning the rule book and doing some workout related activities under supervision of new head coach, Mike Mularkey, Jones-Drew’s absence is deeply noted and felt.
Offensive coordinator, Bob Bratkowski, is particularly not pleased over the RB’s choice of skipping the team’s workout to press his deal demand.
Bratkowski told a local newspaper:
"It's not helping him by not being here, he'll have a lot of learning to catch up on. But yet, he's a gifted and talented player, and I'm sure he can get caught up. It's certainly not helping him. Whether it's hurting him or not, that remains to be seen."
Skipping the workout activities is not very uncommon for Jones-Drew as he has done this many times in the past. This time the cause is a different one though.
This, however, does not reflect on his ignorance towards the requirement of remaining fit, and to stay in shape he does individual workout in his home town in California.
He has always been a surprise as far as his fitness and remaining into shape is concerned.
He missed the team’s training last season but turned out on the field well into shape. He went on to record the league-best 1,606 ground yards in the season.
Apparently, Jaguars coaches, especially Mularkey, are aware of the player’s reputation and have declined to press the panic button, so far.
According to Mularkey:
"Since I haven't been around him to see how he responds to the terminology and the coaching I don't know. I'm assuming he'll be all right. If he knows the basics he'll at least not come in here stone cold."
While there is no information if and when Jaguars are going to sort out the deal issue, returning to the squad remains to be the matter well into hands of the player.
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