The chances of Jaguars running back Maurice Jones-Drew being on the practice field for the first day of training camp Friday continue to diminish.
That may be bad news for the Jaguars and their fans, but that means an opportunity for backup Rashad Jennings to show what he can do after missing all of 2011 with a knee injury suffered in the preseason.
The 6-foot-1, 228-pound Jennings, 27, is entering his fourth year with the Jaguars after being selected in the seventh round of the 2009 draft out of Liberty. He saw limited action as a rookie in 2009 before stepping into the primary backup role behind Jones-Drew in 2010. He had 84 carries for 459 yards and four touchdowns that season, but was perhaps better known as a threat out of the backfield with 26 catches for 223 yards.
The Jaguars planned to use him as a situational back and to get him on the field with Jones-Drew at times in 2011 before his injury.
For now, he heads into training camp as the top back while Jacksonville waits on Jones-Drew. Jennings told the Florida Times-Union that his focus is on the field, not on waiting to see if or when Jones-Drew will come back.
“I wear a mouthpiece that’s considered a pacifier, and I wear that for a reason,” he said. “It’s because I put on my mouthpiece, and shut up and work … we’re chasing destiny right now. When you’re doing that, you don’t allow distraction.”
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