Maurice Jones-Drew injury: Jaguars RB returns to practice out of shape

Jones-Drew’s 2012 season was cut short by a Lisfranc injury and he hasn’t been able to even run on the injured foot. He didn’t take part in OTAs or minicamps and put on some weight in the process. Now that his foot is healed, Jones-Drew is focusing on strengthening his ankle and shedding the added weight in the process. Jones-Drew says that losing weight will be a priority.

From the team’s website:

Jones-Drew hasn’t showed up for OTAs and is overweight, but believes he can lose the weight in time for training camp, which begins in the last week of July.

Before any Jaguars fans get upset about his lack of attendance, the team told him he could continue to train down in Miami to bring himself back up to speed. In 2012, Jones-Drew was limited to 86 carries and 414 yards before having to shut it down.

The 28-year-old, entering his eighth season in the NFL, is going into a contract year. He’ll need to play well and stay healthy to erase any doubts teams may have when he is trying to find his next contract. In 2012, Jones-Drew compiled a career-low 414 yards and one touchdown.

Before his lost injury season, Jones-Drew had three straight Pro Bowl campaigns. From 2009-11, he totaled 4,321 yards and 28 touchdowns, averaging 4.5 yards per carry.

Next season marks the final year on a five-year contract for Jones-Drew in which he is scheduled to make $4.95 million. MJD held out most of 2012 training camp and preseason in hopes of signing a contract extension, but never reached a deal. After his injury, Jones-Drew will need to show he has not lost a step during the 2013 season in order to earn a new deal.

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Prior to going down, Jones-Drew had rushed for 414 yards and one touchdown on 86 carries. He had also caught 14 passes for 86 yards and one score.

Even though Jones-Drew has been able to increase his workload, Mularkey does think that he may not be able to run at the level that the Jaguars need him to run at:

Despite missing the past few weeks, Jones-Drew is still leads the team in rushing yards with 414, as well as in touchdowns with four. Having Jones-Drew in or out of the lineup has not made too much of a difference in Jacksonville’s win totals this year, but once the Jaguars do get him back on the field, they’ll at least become more competitive.

Despite missing the last two weeks and the majority of the game against Oakland, Jones-Drew remains the Jaguars’ leading rusher for the season with 414 rushing yards.

Jones-Drew carried the ball just two times on Sunday before leaving the game. If he is done for the year, it is a big blow to the Jaguars offense. Jones-Drew rushed for a career-high 1,606 yards in 2011. He has carried the ball 86 times for 414 yards and a touchdown this season.

This story originally appeared at Big Cat Country.