JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) -Troubled receiver Matt Jones wants to make it as difficult as possible for the Jacksonville Jaguars to part ways with him.
Jones, who is facing a felony drug charge in Arkansas, had the offensive highlight of Jacksonville’s first preseason scrimmage Friday night. The former first-round pick slipped by Drayton Florence along the sideline and caught a 19-yard touchdown pass from David Garrard.
Jones got a wild cheer from most of the 12,000 in attendance, many of whom figured his days might be numbered after three far-from-impressive seasons and his arrest last month.
“Right now, I’m concentrating on football,” said Jones, who was arrested July 10 after police said he was inside a car cutting up cocaine with a credit card. “When we met, (coach Jack Del Rio) told me there’s a roster spot on this team and I can go out there and earn it. That’s all I’m trying to do.”
Del Rio raved about Jones earlier in the day, saying the former college quarterback was having his best camp in four years.
“The key is will he continue to do that and sustain that?” Del Rio said. “You see from the things that he’s doing that he can be pretty darn good if we can get him to fight through soreness, fatigue, all those types of things, and continue to play at a high level.”
Jones, plagued by injury in previous camps, said staying healthy was the main reason he’s been able to shine the last two weeks.
“I think that’s the thing,” he said. “When my body’s healthy, I think I can play with anybody and I think I can do a lot of good things and help this team win. It definitely feels good.”
Two other Jacksonville receivers haven’t been as fortunate.
Jerry Porter, who signed a six-year, $30 million contract in February, had surgery to repair a torn hamstring and will miss at least the entire preseason. Reggie Williams had arthroscopic surgery on his right knee Friday, and Del Rio said he will miss two or three weeks.
With both of them out of camp, Jones has gotten extra repetitions – and seems to be making the most of them.
Jones caught 101 passes for 1,392 yards and 13 touchdowns in his first three years. But he also was inactive for three games last season and did not play in another. Del Rio even criticized his demeanor and work ethic.
Jones finished with two receptions for 26 yards Friday. Ryan Hoag has a 10-yard TD reception, rookie Chauncey Washington had a 20-yard TD run and Josh Scobee kicked two field goals – including a 57-yarder – in the controlled scrimmage that saw little or no live contact.
The reason?
Del Rio is hoping to limit injuries. He expects to have a competitive team and really wants to get to September as healthy as possible.
The Jaguars have four players on the physically unable to perform list and already lost center Brad Meester for at least two months.
Meester had surgery Friday to repair a torn biceps, and Del Rio said he will miss at least eight weeks.
“We’re talking about having a shot at him by week four, week five, certainly for our bye week, which comes in week seven,” he said. “We’re going to get him for the last 10 games of our regular season and hopefully we earn our way beyond that.”
Jacksonville suffered one injury in the scrimmage. Fullback Anthony Cotrone, an undrafted rookie from Maine, hurt his left leg on the final drive and had to be helped off the field. He was carted to the locker room for tests.
“Hopefully, he’s going to be OK,” Del Rio said. “But it looked like he was pretty sore. That was the only negative on the night.”
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