Jaguars head coach Doug Marrone fielded questions from the media on Tuesday following the dual suspensions of cornerback Jalen Ramsey and defensive end Dante Fowler. The press conference also served as the final conversation with Marrone before the team's trip to Minnesota for joint practices with the Vikings.
Here are five takeaways from the press conference:
1. Marrone isn't going to discuss why the Jaguars suspended Fowler without suspending fellow defensive end Yannick Ngakoue.
“I’m not going to comment on that. I’m OK. I know that everybody has to ask it. Again, those decisions are internal and they are team violations and those are private.”
Kaye's Take: Marrone was tight-lipped about the suspensions in general but the biggest question from Sunday's situation remains unanswered. The Jaguars will probably never clarify why Ngakoue remained active as of Tuesday. The Pro Bowl defensive end did not throw a punch in the media's view during his confrontation with Fowler and was not involved in the practice skirmish between Fowler and Ramsey and tight end James O'Shaughnessy on Sunday.
2. Marrone feels good about his defensive line depth, despite ruling out Fowler and Dawuane Smoot (ankle) for joint practices with the Vikings.
“I feel good. We had 16 defensive linemen on the roster and like you mentioned, we are down two, [Fowler and Smoot], so we still have 14. We have ample bodies and people that can play.”
Kaye's Take: The Jaguars are also expected to be without defensive tackle Eli Ankou (knee) in Minnesota, according to Marrone. With Fowler and Smoot out of action, veteran special teams player Lerentee McCray will back up Ngakoue at the weakside end position. McCray had a phenomenal preseason debut, forcing regular pressure on the New Orleans Saints' quarterbacks during the second half of the exhibition opener. Fellow linemen Carroll Phillips and Darius Jackson should also benefit from Smoot and Fowler's absence.
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3. Marrone believes Myles Jack fits the new way of playing the middle linebacker position.
"When you say athleticism, it is really at any position, it is going to add value to it. I think that position is starting to change meaning, over the course of the last couple of years, meaning that when you look at most of these teams now … I can remember when I first came in the league coaching that you would have middle linebackers that are like 260 pounds out there. Now, what is being asked of them and with the game progressing the way it is … In other words, with open field, opened formations and matchups being such a bad thing, I think that all the linebackers need that type of athleticism to be successful. I think that is why he is a great player for us.”
Kaye's Take: Jack is known for his speed at linebacker. The former college running back knows how to work in space and only weighs 244 pounds, making him among the quickest linebackers in the league. Jack has played well during his time at middle linebacker in training camp. Minnesota's offense will be a good test for the third-year player.
4. Marrone weighs joint practice evaluations heavily when breaking down the roster during final cuts.
“Not of equal value [to preseason], but very close. I think if you look at it, you have the practices that you have here as a team versus each other and that is weighted. Then you have the preseason games and I think that is a performance … You have to be ready to go out there and get the results that you need, so I rate that a little bit higher. I think when you go into a controlled environment against another opponent, you are looking at matchups and where your players are. That is probably a little bit more weighted only because it is a limited amount of reps in a two-day period.”
Kaye's Take: Marrone wants to test the toughness of his players outside of the preseason. The Jaguars' offense will be facing one of the best defenses in the league. Jacksonville's defense will face a veteran quarterback with a plethora of weapons. It's hard to find better tests for the Jaguars than the Vikings at this point.
5. These joint practices could make-or-break a player's shot at a 53-man roster.
“I think it is extremely important. Any time you get an opportunity to go out on the field, you have to make the most out of it and try to make something happen that shows up so the coaches say, ‘Hey, listen, we have to take a look at this.’ I think it is important now in the way they practice and their practice reps. I don’t disagree. You said normally they might get a little bit less in these next two weeks, but they have to show something because they are still going to play the majority of that last game and that is a chance for them to show. Like I have always told the players everywhere I have been, when you go out there and let’s say you are at the bottom [of the roster], which I hope no one thinks they are at the bottom from a standpoint of their mentality … But when you go out there, you are not only trying to impress the coaches or our organization. There are 31 other teams that are looking at these films. No different than us are looking at the other films that are going on. It’s an opportunity to show or put your resume out there that if for some reason we feel we have ‘X’ amount of players at this position and we have to let you go, you have an opportunity to get picked up by your performance and how you play.”
Kaye's Take: The bottom of the Jaguars' roster is in "audition" mode at this point. Some of the young players on the Jaguars' roster could impress the Vikings' staff, potentially landing a job in Minnesota if they're cut by Jacksonville. The goal is to make the Jaguars' roster, but with some positions - including wide receiver, defensive line and safety - being super deep in Jacksonville, players need to show their best stuff in front of other teams. A big output during joint practices could secure a spot in Jacksonville or Minnesota or somewhere else.
Follow Mike Kaye on Twitter: @Mike_E_Kaye.