Agent Announces Veteran Defensive End Lerentee McCray Will Return to Jaguars
With the Jacksonville Jaguars needing to address their depth at defensive end, it appears as if the team is bringing back one of their own.
According to agent David Canter of DEC Management, veteran defensive end and key special teams player Lerentee McCray has re-signed with the Jaguars for the 2020 campaign.
Update: the Jaguars confirmed McCray's return on Friday.
“Lerentee has brought depth to our defensive line and has played at a high level on special teams since he joined us in 2017,” Jaguars HC Doug Marrone said. “We look forward to bringing him back as a veteran presence in our locker room in 2020.”
It makes sense why they would want the veteran defensive end to return. McCray, 30, has been the team's primary No. 3 defensive end over the last several seasons and perform a number of important responsibilities for the team's special teams units.
McCray has spent the last three seasons with Jacksonville after entering the NFL as an undrafted free agent with the Denver Broncos in 2013. McCray has also spent time with the Green Bay Packers and Buffalo Bills before joining the Jaguars on a one-year deal in 2017.
Since joining Jacksonville for their 10-6 season and appearance in the AFC Championship, McCray has been an important role player for the team. He has played only 182 defensive snaps with Jacksonville, with 161 of those coming in the last two seasons, but he has played a big role in special teams coordinator Joe DeCamillis ' units.
In the last three seasons, McCray has played 730 special teams snaps, including 55% of the special teams snaps in 2017, 63% in 2018, and 44% in 2019. He has never played fewer than 193 special teams snaps in a season with the Jaguars.
In 35 career games with the Jaguars, McCray has recorded 26 tackles, 2.5 sacks, two tackles for loss, and five quarterback hits. In 2019, McCray totaled only five tackles due to only playing in nine games as result of an injury.
While McCray's return doesn't mean much for the Jaguars' status with defensive end Yannick Ngakoue, it does bring back a key veteran who is respected in the locker room and a proven special teams mainstay.
