Jaguars Offensive Line Faces Tough Days of Injuries as sidelined out of season games but however…
It was the eighth day of the third training camp under Head Coach Doug Pederson, featuring a padded, live-contact practice at the Miller Electric Center. Each day throughout camp, members of Jaguars Media – senior writer John Oehser, senior correspondent Brian Sexton, senior reporter/editor J.P. Shadrick and team reporter Kainani Stevens – will share an observation.
The NFL is a violent, dangerous league – and fans, players and observers at the MEC Friday saw as much in real time. Tight end Patrick Murtagh, the team’s International Player Pathway representative this season, sustained a right ankle injury in a goal-line drill in the team’s first “live-hitting” practice of ’24 camp. Murtagh’s ankle twisted in a difficult-to-see angle, with fans groaning and kneeling players turning away moments later as a team physician twisted it back into place.
Murtagh rode a cart from the field with his ankle in an air cast. The injury was by far the toughest to witness at a Jaguars practice in recent memory and brought to mind for longtime Jaguars observers a severe and similar injury sustained by running back and Jacksonville native Leon Brown in the team’s 1995 expansion-season training camp. Scenes this difficult thankfully occur relatively rarely in the NFL, but they certainly serve as a reminder of the inherent risk of this game. Murtagh from all reports was one of the most likeable players in this locker room and had a chance to earn a role and playing time with this franchise at some point. Here’s hoping and wishing him the best.
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It felt like the offensive line had a pretty good day Friday. From short-yardage, where the Jaguars struggled last season, to the inside running game – and even in one-on-one pass-rush drills – the offensive line seemed to excel Friday. I base much of that on the enthusiasm and volume level of offensive line coach Phil Rauscher, who is always known to share an opinion – good or bad. He appeared pretty happy Friday. Walker Little had a few really nice reps at left tackle against defensive end Travon Walker, which isn’t easy, and center Mitch Morse – who had his hands full with nose tackle DaVon Hamilton the other day – was much more in control of the situation. Mix in some quality reps from guards Ezra Cleveland and Brandon Scherff, combined with the success on the goal line, it was very specifically a good day for an interior offensive line that wasn’t very good in 2023.
