Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Mike Mularkey said Tuesday that Maurice Jones-Drew won't be handed the starting running back spot if/when he returns from his contract holdout, the Florida Times-Union reports.
Maurice Jones-Drew Must Earn Starting Spot After Holdout, Jaguars Say: Fantasy Implications
Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Mike Mularkey said Tuesday that Maurice Jones-Drew won’t automatically be given the starting spot if/when he ends his holdout. We break down the fantasy implications.
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“Even if he is in good condition, he won’t be in football condition,” Mularkey said. “As guys have found out, it’s hard to practice their condition 2 1/2 hours like we do out here.
“There’s no exercises and nothing you can do to simulate an NFL practice and an NFL game. We’ll just see where he is when he’s back both mentally and physically.”
Analysis: Jones-Drew isn't likely to forego the money he earns on gamedays, so expect him back at practice in due course. It is entirely possible that he is costing himself playing time, however. Rashad Jennings has been performing well as the de facto starting running back (12 carries, 56 yards in the preseason opener), as has Montell Owens as the No. 2 back. Jones-Drew is still the NFL's reigning rushing champ and that's worth a fair amount of good faith, but his holdout is giving his backups a chance to cut into his carries.
For more on Jones-Drew and the Jags, check out Big Cat Country and SB Nation Tampa Bay.
