Jaguars look to be full-speed-ahead for 2020/21 season

As the sporting world looks to adjust to the new normal of the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, the Jacksonville Jaguars look to be full speed ahead. Coach Doug Marrone said no players have talked to him about opting out of the 2020-2021 season in his press conference at TIAA Bank Field on Thursday morning. The deadline to opt out for safety reasons due to COVID-19 is August 3rd.

The only player who has not reported to the Jaguars camp has been unsettled defensive end Yannick Ngakoue, which was to be expected after he refused to sign his franchise-tender before this summer’s deadline. 

Additionally, the team has now signed all of it’s 2020 draft class, with first round pick K’Lavon Chaisson the last to sign on July 20th. 

As far as players who cannot immediately report for camp, reserve offensive lineman Ryan Pope,starting right tackle Jawaan Taylor are on the reserve/COVID-19 list, most recently. There are four more players on the list, with two of them being from the draft class of 2020.

This means they either tested positive for COVID, or came into contact with a person who tested positive. After 14 days and two negative tests, both players should be able to follow NFL protocol and report back to the team’s offseason activities. 

One positive for Jacksonville this season, among all the uncertainty, will be kickoff times. Usually, Jacksonville forfeits two home games to play in London, but with international games off the table, the team can develop a better rhythm with less travel.

14 of the 16 kickoffs will be 1:00 eastern standard time. There will be one 4:05 kickoff in Los Angeles when the Jaguars take on the Chargers, and an 8:20 kickoff in Jacksonville for their Thursday night game against in state rivals, Miami. 

Jacksonville will kick off their regular season against the division rival Colts at home on September 13th.

Dustin Fletcher is the senior editor of the Flagler College Gargoyle and is the official source of Jacksonville Jaguars news for Flagler College. 

For more information:

Email: dfletcher895@flagler.edu

Twitter: @DFSports1007