Jacksonville Jaguars’ running back Chris Rodriguez took part in team drills during Sunday’s training camp practice for the first time.
In the first three practices, Rodriguez had only done individual work, ramping up following his return from a foot injury that sidelined him during OTAs and minicamp.
Without Rodriguez, Bhayshul Tuten has shouldered the first-team running back reps and took advantage of those opportunities. Rodriguez and Tuten were expected to compete for the RB1 role, but regardless of who owns that title, both backs are expected to play key roles this season.
The addition of Rodriguez this offseason in free agency added another physical presence to the Jacksonville backfield. His ability to make defenders miss can be a real differentiator for him.
Last season, Rodriguez ranked eighth among all running backs in average yards after contact. He would also rank 14th in rush yards over expected per attempt, according to Next Gen Stats.
As Liam Coen said earlier in the week, we won’t truly begin to see the impact that Rodriguez can have until the pads come on.
“What he brings to this team, I don’t think any of us are going to see throughout the entire training camp, honestly,” Coen said. “Until we play tackle football, it’s going to be very difficult for all of us here to gain a true appreciation for who he is and what he does. I’ve seen it, so I do appreciate his skill set and what he brings. But just as a pro, he’s a good dude. He doesn’t say a ton, but he’s tough. He’s one of those glass-eaters. He is. He’s going to run through a wall for his teammates, for his coaches, for this organization when the time comes.”
Rodriguez signed a two-year, $10 million deal this offseason to join the Jaguars.
This article originally appeared on Jaguars Wire: Practice status update for Jaguars’ RB Chris Rodriguez
Reporting by Paul Bretl, Jaguars Wire / Jaguars Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Paul Bretl, Jaguars Wire | USA TODAY Network
