Jaguars HC Doug Marrone Speaks on Quarterback Position During Early Stages of Camp
Big news came to the Jacksonville Jaguars and its quarterback position on Sunday when starting quarterback Gardner Minshew II was placed on the team's Reserve/COVID-19 list, but head coach Doug Marrone is still keeping his eyes forward.
Minshew was just the second starting quarterback in the NFL to be placed on the newly-created list, following Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford. A player is placed on the list if they have either tested positive for COVID-19 or have been quarantined after having been in close contact with someone infected.
Since clubs are not permitted to comment on a player’s medical status other than referring to roster status, Marrone didn't have a lot of light to shed for Minshew's status during his Monday virtual press conference with local media.
"We have to report if they have tested positive or if they are in contact, so those are the two things. And I know the quarterback question is going to come, but with the HIPAA rules and the laws and all that stuff going in, I really -- I'm not going to be able to comment on that," Marrone said. "And I apologize for that. It's not like an injury where I can say 'Well I think he will be back here, or I think he'll be back there,' so I really am not going to be able to, for the first time, really say anything about that. "
Marrone was later asked about Minshew's spirits while he is on the list, to which he said "I feel his spirits are great, and I think he will be available soon and, again, you can ask him more about that."
While Minshew is on the Reserve/COVID-19 list, the Jaguars have three other quarterbacks on the active roster: Josh Dobbs, Mike Glennon and sixth-round rookie Jake Luton.
Dobbs spent most of last season with the Jaguars after Jacksonville traded a fifth-round pick to the Pittsburgh Steelers for him in 2019 after Nick Foles went down with a clavicle injury in Week 1. Glennon is an eight-year veteran who was signed to the team in May, while Luton was drafted out of Oregon State with the No. 189 overall pick in April's NFL Draft.
"I'm comfortable with those guys," Marrone said Monday. "I mean, obviously, I watched Josh and how he improved last year. I thought he did a great job. I really did. I mean, you know, the first day they came in here, I didn't really know anything about him and then, you know, then all of a sudden you set in your mind and you say, 'Okay, I think you know a couple days goes goes by and you're like alright, I see where he's at and now let's see, you know, is he going to get better or worst?'
"I really don't believe you stay the same. I think you are either getting better or you're getting worse every day. You know, so, I saw a guy like Josh really attack the things that he wanted to work on."
While Dobbs offers the most upside at quarterback behind Minshew, Glennon gives the Jaguars the most experience. The only player in the team's quarterback room who has been in the NFL for more than three full seasons, Glennon has started 22 games with 29 total appearances in his journeyman career.
This is Marrone's first year coaching Glennon, but he did do extensive legwork on him when he was a draft prospect out of NC State in 2013. That was the same year the Buffalo Bills, who Marrone was the head coach of, took E.J. Manuel in the first round.
"Mike Glennon is a guy that we've done a lot of work on, prior to, you know, the draft when I was with Buffalo. So, you know, I went to visit him, you know, we did a lot of things," Marrone said. "So [I am] looking forward to seeing him on the field because I haven't been with him on the field and in this type of capacity as far as the NFL."
As for Luton, Marrone hasn't been able to see his latest rookie quarterback do much work on the field so at this point he still somewhat of an unknown. But Marrone does believe that he, along with Dobbs and Glennon, has the traits to be able to lead a team and offense.
"And then, you know, our young rookie guy, you know, we are watching him every day and, so far. I like what I see. But I like what I've seen with everyone," Marrone said.
"So I think it's gonna just be a matter of who can go out there. I think they all have good leadership ability. I think they all have good command."
