Jacksonville Jaguars: Recapping the Latest Buzz Heading into Training Camp

The Jacksonville Jaguars are just over three weeks away from training camp. That may seem like a long time, but in the grand scale of the offseason, it's a minuscule wait and will be worth the agony that comes with it.

Training camp will be the final battleground for some players and one of the last for others. It's one of the most important and last chances for players to prove that they deserve to be on the roster for the 2015 season.

It's going to be an open event too, so that should mean more news and action for Jaguars fans and outside media. Be sure to come back to Bleacher Report for updates and opinions about training camp.

Overall, training camp is nothing but a positive for the Jaguars. It's been a successful offseason thus far for Jacksonville, and the final sessions on the practice field will help further the team and narrow the roster to the top 53.

Sen'Derrick Marks Is Making His Comeback

Phelan M. Ebenhack/Associated Press

Arguably the best overall player on the defense, Sen'Derrick Marks' recovery is going to be vital to the Jaguars' defensive line success in 2015. Tearing his ACL in the last game of the season in 2014 had his 2015 availability, at least for the beginning of the season, in question.

But that's being answered by Marks himself. He recently posted two videos on his Twitter (here and here) showing him knocking down targets and demonstrating solid movement for someone who had an ACL tear just over six months ago.

With today's technology and medical advancement, recoveries are quicker and more successful than ever, and Marks is Exhibit A. He's going to be needed for Week 1 of the season, and it definitely appears he's on pace.

It's fair to wonder if the injury will bring down Marks' overall play, but it's great to see that he isn't worried about that. He's recovering at a quick pace and will look to prove why he was voted the 76th-best player in the NFL.

Blake Bortles and His Arm Are Poised for Continued Success in Training Camp

John Raoux/Associated Press

In recent comments with Tom Pelissero of USA Today, general manager Dave Caldwell was sure to remind people that quarterback Blake Bortles was injured for a strong part of the 2014 season. He used the term "dead arm" to explain Bortles' situation and went into detail of his struggle:

"

People don't realize that as you look later in the season, he was on injury report...You've just got to do what you've got to do to survive. It wasn't anything that was ingrained in him (mechanically). He knew he was doing it. But in order to drive the ball 15 yards, there were some things that he needed to do to get the velocity on the ball.

"

While it was known that Bortles was dealing with injury issues, as most rookies tend to do, it may have meant more to his actual throwing motion than people thought. It's good to see that it wasn't "ingrained," and that may be a big reason why Bortles looks better and different this offseason. 

It's apparent that he has been evolving his throwing motion and overall technical ability to have better success in 2015. His 17 interceptions in 2014 can be considered "growing pains" at this point, although the arm probably played a bigger factor in that.

Bortles has been the biggest story of the offseason, and his progress in training camp will be heavily monitored. If he can just continue progressing and showing the promise he showed in OTAs and minicamp, it should be business as usual for the sophomore quarterback.

Jaguars Opening 10 Practices to the Public

John Raoux/Associated Press

Minicamp was the first real open opportunity for fans and press to get a good look at the Jaguars in offseason form and get up close and personal with the players. There's more of that to come in August when the Jaguars open up 10 practices to the public.

These are prime opportunities to see some of the Jaguars' newest additions and established veterans play and see exactly how good the team is looking before the preseason gets underway. 

There's no such thing as an excessive amount of open practices, but it is surprising that the Jaguars have this many practices available to the public. It's a sign of respect to the fans and to build hype for the coming season, sure, but it's going to be something substantial.

So, if you're available to go, sign up at Jaguars.com and attend. There are few opportunities like this over the offseason for fans and media to see, and possibly meet, Jaguars players, so it would be best to make the most of this.

Aaron Colvin Feeling Comfortable and Optimistic About Jaguars Future

John Raoux/Associated Press

Aaron Colvin recently talked with NewsOn6.com, a local Oklahoma news station and website, and made some encouraging comments about his situation with the Jaguars. He seems well-accustomed to life in Florida and is positive about what's happening with the Jaguars. 

"I've been blessed. I mean you see me last year, my knee, I was going through it man,” Colvin said. “I got a chance to do some great things in the NFL. ... I feel like I'm a Florida boy now."

Besides the fact that Colvin is enjoying life on the East Coast and in north Florida, his entire demeanor is impressive. He's motivated but not bitter, and he's ready to show that he will continue being one of the Jaguars' brightest young players.

Colvin was one of Oklahoma's finest exports for the 2014 NFL draft before his infamous injury at the 2014 Senior Bowl. However, at this point, it looks like he has recovered and is as strong as, or even stronger than, before.

It's no easy feat to come back from something like that, and training camp will be another proving ground for him to show off his talent. He's poised for his first full season in the NFL, and training camp ought to be a proper taste of that.

Mark Brunell Is Understanding and Hopeful for Bortles in 2015

Doug McSchooler/Associated Press

Mark Brunell, who is a member of the "Pride of the Jaguars" and the best quarterback the franchise has ever seen (sorry Ricky Stanzi), commented a couple of weeks ago in a Jaguars.com interview about Bortles' learning a new offense under new offensive coordinator Greg Olson.

“It’s not an ideal situation...You look at the best quarterbacks in our game right now: Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers. They’ve been in one system...It’s not something you can’t overcome, but learning a new offense in the offseason can be tough mentally and it takes a lot of time. Every new offense that I experienced and had to learn, it took me a year to get comfortable in.”

Besides vouching for Bortles, Brunell makes a solid point here. Bortles came into ex-offensive coordinator Jedd Fisch's offense, did his best to learn it and struggled. With the switch to Olson, we have to expect that Bortles will continue to struggle in some ways.

However, Olson's offense worked well with rookie quarterback Derek Carr in Oakland last season, and Olson has been most likely been working in the same way with Bortles this offseason to prepare him for a season of new challenges.

It won't be easy, but Bortles can have confidence in an improved throwing motion, a viable OC and a better group of pass-catchers, most notably tight end Julius Thomas. It may not be "ideal" like Brunell said, but it's certainly an improvement. 

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.