For months, Urban Meyer has emphasized "speed" as a need at every position for the Jaguars.
He's now added it big time at the wide receiver position.
With first-priority on the waiver wire for the first time in franchise history, the Jaguars claimed Chargers' wide receiver Tyron Johnson Wednesday morning, per the NFL's release. Johnson caught 20 passes for 398 yards (19.9 yards per catch) and three touchdowns in 12 games in 2020. He also runs a 4.36 40-yard dash.
The Jaguars only kept five wide receivers on their 53-man roster: DJ Chark, Laviska Shenault, Marvin Jones Jr., Tavon Austin and return specialist Jamal Agnew. They waived/released the following receivers: sixth-rounder Jalen Camp, Jeff Cotton Jr., Collin Johnson, Josh Hammond, Devin Smith, Tevin Jones, Phillip Dorsett, Pharoh Cooper and Laquon Treadwell.
Collin Johnson, a fifth-round selection by the Jaguars in 2020, was among the three now-former Jaguars to be claimed on Wednesday; he's headed to the New York Giants. Tight end Ben Ellefson was claimed by the Minnesota Vikings -- a homecoming for the North Dakota State graduate -- and linebacker Quincy Williams is headed to the New York Jets. Williams, a Jaguars' third-round selection in 2019, will reunite with his brother, former No. 3 overall pick Quinnen Williams in New York.
Players that go unclaimed can then be signed to the Jaguars' practice squad. In speaking to head coach Urban Meyer Tuesday afternoon, it sounded like that is the plan for many of the players who were released.
"16 of [the 27 cuts] are going to come back tomorrow at one o’clock, and we’re still working through that as we speak," Meyer told reporters. "That was a little bit more easier to deal with than just, 'see you later!' So we have a good chunk of guys we plan on, if they don’t get claimed, coming back.”
Johnson, Ellefson, and Williams won't be among them, but several others will.
