Ultimate Jaguars Newsroom: NOTEBOOK: WR starting spots are open
excerpt:
After the team conducted its final organized team activity Thursday, Jaguars coach Jack Del Rio was asked where the two receivers who were drafted in the first round in 2004 and 2005 were currently standing.
"Well, they don't stand at the front of the line," Del Rio said.
Williams and Jones were drafted to be the team's receiving corps of the future, but now they'll go into training camp fighting for roster spots.
"It's wide open,'' Del Rio said. "I think [new receivers coach] Todd Monken has done a great job of being very blunt, open and honest about it. We're searching for somebody to emerge coming out of the OTAs. The guy who's really stepped up and really put himself into the picture is Charles Sharon. He's a guy who's earned his opportunity and look in camp."
Sharon was an undrafted free agent a year ago, which would normally put him at a disadvantage against former first-round draft picks.
Not now.
"Where a guy was drafted, how a guy was brought in here, doesn't really matter at this point," Del Rio said.
Although Williams and Jones practiced Thursday, they were injured much of the offseason and Del Rio made it obvious they have to stay healthy to win jobs.
"It's really difficult to improve as a football player if you're not taking reps," he said.