Devine Ozigbo Among Three Jaguars to Not Practice Wednesday

Three different members of Jacksonville's offense didn't practice on Wednesday.

Three different players were held out of practice in the Jacksonville Jaguars' Wednesday practice that comes just four days before the season kicks off at home vs. the Colts, 

The players who did not practice including running back Devine Ozigbo (hamstring), tight end Tyler Davis (knee) and tight end Tyler Eifert (scheduled day off).

Here is today's @farahandfarah Injury Report ⤵ pic.twitter.com/cbAjowat45

— Jacksonville Jaguars (@Jaguars) September 9, 2020

Ozigbo and Davis each missing practice is worth tracking ahead of Sunday's game since the Jaguars are light at both tight end and running back. The team kept only three tight ends and three running backs each on its 53-man active roster, though fullback Bruce Miller could be accounted for in both groups technically speaking. 

After recording nine carries for 27 yards and three receptions for 23 yards as a rookie, all of which came in Week 17, Ozigbo has been one of the standouts of Jacksonville's training camp in 2020. He displayed terrific explosion, patience, agility, soft hands as a receiver out of the backfield and had some fantastic reps as a pass blocker. 

With Leonard Fournette released last Monday and Ryquell Armstead on the Reserve/COVID-19 list, the team can't afford for another running back to miss much time, especially one like Ozigbo who has earned a role in the offense.

"Devine [Ozigbo] had a really good preseason last year when you go back to watch him with the Saints [and that] is why we claimed him. Leonard [Fournette] was healthy for most of last year, that’s why he [Ozigbo] didn’t get a whole lot of action, and plus we had Rock [Ryquell Armstead]," general manager Dave Caldwell said on Saturday. 

If Ozigbo misses more time this week, it could lead to undrafted rookie running back James Robinson seeing an expanded role in the running game on Sunday. Robinson was recently listed as the team's No. 1 running back on the unofficial depth chart.

While Eifert missing the practice isn't a big deal since it was a scheduled day off, Davis is currently projected to be the No. 3 tight end in an offense that figures to be tight end-heavy. It remains to be seen if Davis will be available for Sunday's game vs. the Colts, but it would leave the Jaguars with just Eifert and James O'Shaughnessy in the event he misses time.

Luckily for the Jaguars, the team considers this year's tight end group to be among the best they have had in several years, even if there are only a few players at the position on the roster.

“Tyler Eifert, obviously he’s a veteran, he’s a pro, he’s a former Pro Bowler, but really [he’s a] savvy route runner [that] catches the ball excellent. He’s a good blocker," Caldwell said. "James [O'Shaughnessy] is a guy who’s been really surprising, not because he’s playing well, but because he’s coming off the ACL [injury]. He’s done such a tremendous job in rehab and has not had any setbacks and looks really good out there. James is a good blocker. He’s also a good pass catcher and good route runner. 

"And then Tyler [Davis]’s a little bit of both. Tyler’s still learning to run some routes but he’s a good blocker. He’s a big guy. He’s competitive. So, we feel good about, probably more so than in years past, the group as a whole than what we’ve had really since we lost [former Jaguars TE] Mercedes [Lewis].”