Winners and Losers of Jacksonville Jaguars' Offseason So Far
The Jacksonville Jaguars have been pumping out nothing but positive news over the past few weeks, and it seems like OTAs are going as well as possible. Competition is evident, and despite some mediocre performances, even the bottom-half performers haven't been awful.
So, keeping in mind that the team's overall performance has been great, there are still some players who are performing below that raised average. Whether the under-performance has been determined by the inability to stand out or even by a head coach Gus Bradley comment, each individual performance hasn't been perfect.
However, there's not much to complain about for Jaguars fans. OTAs are going as smoothly as one could hope, save for injuries to rookie safety James Sample and rookie defensive end Dante Fowler Jr.
Raising expectations is the first step to reaching the next level, and that's due to the excellent competition growing around the team. If the Jaguars continue on this path and some of these "losers" (although they're hardly that) work out their kinks, the Jaguars will be a tough opponent for any NFL team.
Loser No. 1: Storm Johnson
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Running back Storm Johnson was one of the more exciting offensive players last season, despite not seeing a lot of playing time. Many expected Johnson to push for more playing time in OTAs, despite the addition of rookie back T.J. Yeldon.
While Johnson got off to a solid start, he's been one of the few players in recent memory to draw a non-positive direct comment from Bradley. The Jaguars head coach is known for his positivity, and anything less than a compliment is almost alarming.
According to the Florida Times-Union, Bradley had this to say about Johnson's performance: “Storm had been doing really well, and then he plateaued a little bit,” Bradley said. “We need to get him going.”
It's surprising to hear that Johnson "plateaued" in practice. He's shown significant promise throughout last season, and finding out that he's almost struggled at times was an unexpected occurrence.
That comment was made on June 4, but there has been no talk about Johnson since then. Whether or not he's gotten out of his rut is somewhat unknown, but going by the latest comment, Johnson has definitely stepped back in the race for RB spots.
Winner No. 1: Zane Beadles
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There has been a lot of praise for guard Zane Beadles' adjustments and improvement, including some from me. He's an established player, but he needed to have a big offseason to solidify a starting spot after a lackluster 2014.
He's done exactly that by changing a pretty crucial part of his game: his stance, according to Jaguars.com writer John Oesher. It's never easy to make adjustments to a veteran's game, but Beadles has obviously put in the work to improve this offseason.
The selection of rookie guard A.J. Cann in the 2015 NFL draft had many convinced that Cann would at least by a close competitor with Beadles. Instead, Beadles has garnered much more praise and has been one of the best aspects of OTAs.
Beadles experience is vital to this offense, and it's fair to say he's regained the ground he lost last season. He's now performing up to expectations, and it'll be exciting to see how his strong level of play this offseason will translate to the 2015 season.
Loser No. 2: Rashad Greene
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Fifth-round draft selection Rashad Greene was chosen to help the Jaguars fill their need for a true slot receiver. They have hybrid options such as Marqise Lee and Allen Hurns, but Greene is supposed to be the go-to slot option.
To ensure that, Greene really needed to come into OTAs and blow up the scene. Instead, other receivers have been more impressive, such as Allen Robinson, according to the Florida Times Union and Oesher, and Greene has been relatively silent, at least with the media.
Details of OTAs aren't allowed to be disclosed by anyone watching, but there has been little attention focused on Greene, and it's most likely due to a slow start in Jacksonville. There's no guarantee this is the case, but he certainly hasn't made a strong impression yet.
There's still plenty of time for Greene, and his skill set is one the Jaguars neeed, so he has the organization's patience. However, Greene hasn't created much hype, much to the fans' and my surprise.
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Winner No. 2: Allen Robinson
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Allen Robinson was arguably the most impressive offensive rookie last season, and his foot injury against the Dallas Cowboys was devastating. But he's finally recovered, and he's not wasting any time taking the No. 1 role.
Penn State alum Robinson struck hot immediately on return, but what's been more impressive is how he's consistently improved. Young receivers sometimes lack drive or consistency, but Robinson has proved he's not a typical youngster.
Oesher said this about Robinson:
"He was limited early in OTAs, and increased his work in team sessions this week. By week’s end he was getting significant repetitions – and more importantly for the Jaguars, very much taking on the look of a mature, veteran red-zone receiver.
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Robinson quickly coming back and getting to the point where he got to get meaningful reps by the end of this past week has me wondering one thing: Does this guy have a healing superpower?
Coming back from injury is tedious and can cause players to be nervous to really come back into the team, but Robinson has shown otherwise. If Oesher is right and Robinson is looking even more mature than last season, it could be an electrifying season for the former Nittany Lion.
Loser No. 3: A.J. Cann
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It's hard to say that Cann is a "loser" in the truest sense, but he's definitely not where some expected him to be. It's never easy being a rookie and coming into the NFL, and Cann seems to be learning that.
Cann's performance has been under speculation, due to the prevention of OTA details being disclosed by the Jaguars. However, Beadles has impressed and has earned praise, while all is quiet on Cann's front.
Cann didn't necessarily have a lot to lose in this race, especially since he was competing against a 2012 Pro Bowler. All the same, he's dropped to a minor threat for the starting position.
That may be the best for Cann in the long-term. Getting to learn and study under Beadles should be extremely beneficial for Cann, and that outcome is about as good as it can get for a player losing a positional battle.
Winner No. 3: Sergio Brown
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For safety Sergio Brown, it's been less of a win, but he's definitely in a much better position than he was a few weeks ago. James Sample's injury now leaves him solidified as the leading player for the free safety starting role.
Brown now has one less player to compete with; his remaining competition is Craig Loston, who is not nearly as talented as Brown or Sample for that matter.
However, while Brown has "won" so far, he's still got a battle ahead of him. According to Oehser, Sample could return in minicamp and be able to get back in the competition for the starting FS role.
What this means for Brown is that he must stand out in the coming weeks. He's capable, but if he doesn't make use of his new opportunity, his "win" could be worthless, especially with Sample and others gunning for his spot.
Loser No. 4: Davon House
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Davon House was a much-needed free-agent signing this past offseason, and his experience as a veteran and as a successful member of the Green Bay Packers could be vital to a relatively young secondary.
However, House has been somewhat quiet with his performances so far. According to the Florida Times-Union, House has done OK in his transition, but he hasn't been flawless. Bradley commented on his progress, “He’s doing good,” Bradley said. “Maybe a few different coaching techniques in how we do things and how we play different formations, but I think he’s picking it up pretty good.”
While House is doing "good," other corners have really progressed. Sophomore Aaron Colvin is blossoming and showing his full potential, and even Dwayne Gratz has been singled out by Bradley as showing improvement.
House can play a major role in this team, and he hasn't been bad by any means. But Colvin and Gratz are standing out, and if House wants to have a big impact, he needs to match their level in the coming weeks.
Winner No. 4: Austin Pasztor
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Former full-time tackle Austin Pasztor has been a consistent and valuable player for the Jaguars, but he hasn't broken the barrier of mediocrity often in his career. So, if he can't do it in a singular position, why not expand his role to guard as well?
According to Jaguars.com, Pasztor has surprised a lot of people by finding a way to maintain relevance after being outsourced by free-agent Jermey Parnell with a flexible move to guard. He won't play guard or tackle full time, but instead he'll become a Jaguars utility player.
The transition from tackle to guard is a popular one, and seeing it work for the Jaguars and Pasztor is a delight. Pasztor can now offer his talents at two positions throughout the game, guaranteeing he'll see the field a good bit this season.
It's never easy to lose a starting job, but transitioning to continue to play a major role in the team puts Pasztor in a new light. He's shown he wants to contribute, and that's most important to him, and hopefully that'll set an example for the rest of the team.
All stats were provided by ESPN.com unless otherwise stated.
Evan Reier is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report covering the Jacksonville Jaguars. Follow Evan on Twitter at @evanreier.
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