If the Jaguars had one wish, it would be to get LB Myles Jack on the field as soon as possible. The Jacksonville Jaguars lost to Green Bay last Sunday in a game that saw Cornerback Jalen Ramsey on the field for all but three defensive snaps. The fact that Myles Jack, Ramsey’s fellow rookie, didn’t see a snap on defensive didn’t upset any NFL betting predictions.
Coach Gus Bradley’s mindset is easy to understand in this situation. He wants to give Jack enough time to adjust to his new position as weak side linebacker. There is no chance of the Jaguars thrusting him onto the field until they are sure that he is comfortable in the position.
At the very least, it is easy to see why Gus wouldn’t want to pit him against someone like Aaron Rodgers. There are a lot of great quarterbacks in the Jaguars immediate future. Gus is most likely to limit Jack to playing only special teams.
At the moment, the team is doing everything in its power to get Jack to a place where they can begin depending on him. The game with Green Bay was difficult, not only physically but mentally. There is no denying that Jack has made great strides so far. He understands football and his athletic prowess have positioned him to make quick and steady progress.
Right now, he just needs to understand the responsibilities he will be expected to undertake. The Sunday game proved that there is no place for complacency, not with the sorts of quarterbacks they will be facing in the coming weeks.
Jack has been learning from Paul Posluszny for most of the preseason as well as the training camp. Along with playing 12 snaps against the Packers, it is clear that the Jaguars want Jack to gain a clear understanding of the entire defense.
Jack will be the first to admit that he was a little behind at the start of the camp. The NFL’s graduation rule kept him out of all organized team activities. For now all Gus can do is hope that Jack will thrive as a weakside linebacker, a position he first filled in the final game against Atlanta in the preseason.
He is expected to keep working at that spot, not far from Telvin Smith who has had his own issues getting out of position in the past. Jack is decent enough when it comes to coverage.
The Jaguars could debut him in a defensive role the next time they find themselves in a nickel; of course, Gus will have to decide whether to pair Jack with Smith or Posluszny. Posluszny isn’t especially impressive when it comes to coverage, though he can get everyone lined up correctly.
The fact the Jaguars trust him to call the defense gives him an edge over Smith. The Jaguars will look to him when they face San Diego on Sunday. The Jaguars haven’t exactly performed as expected in previous games with San Diego.
After San Diego, the Jaguars must also face Baltimore (and Joe Flacco), then Indianapolis (and Andrew Luck). Whether or not Jack will play in these games will depend on his progress.
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