Four Jaguars Players Missing on First Day of OTAs

Not every Jacksonville Jaguars player was seen on the first day of OTAs.

Josh Hines-Allen was the most prominent of the four players missing.

The veteran defensive end is entering his eighth NFL season, all of which have been with the Jags, and although he's yet to recapture the magic of 2023, when he had 17.5 sacks, his eight sacks last season were 2.5 more than anybody else on the roster.

Another player missing was Chris Rodriguez, a running back who signed with the Jags this offseason after three seasons with the Washington Commanders.

Coach Liam Coen later told reporters that Rodriguez is dealing with an injury, but wasn't specific, saying that an "injury report will come out at some point."

If the Jags don't add to their RB room externally, Rodriguez is likely to be part of an ensemble cast. Jacksonville's leading rusher from last season, Travis Etienne (1,107 yards), is now a New Orleans Saint, having signed a four-year, $48 million deal in March. Rodriguez is more experienced than Bhayshul Tuten (23 years old) and LeQuint Allen (21), although many feel Tuten, who rushed for 307 yards and five touchdowns on 83 carries as a rookie last year, has the best chance to break out.

It was Tuten who led the RBs during Day 1 of OTAs.

The third player was Cole Van Lanen, an offensive lineman entering his fifth season with the Jaguars and fifth overall. Van Lanen, whom the Jags acquired from the Green Bay Packers in exchange for a seventh-round pick during the preseason in 2022, has become a mainstay in Jacksonville's offensive line and signed a three-year, $32.5 million extension in January that could end up being worth $55.5 million.  

Van Lanen suffered an injury in Jacksonville's regular-season finale that some speculated was a torn ACL requiring surgery, although that hasn't been confirmed yet.

Cornerback Keith Taylor was the fourth player not seen. Taylor has played on four teams in five NFL seasons, signing with the Jags on Christmas Day this past December and re-signing in February.

It's worth noting that OTAs are voluntary, which likely explains why Hines-Allen and Taylor weren't seen.

Additionally, fellow cornerbacks Jourdan Lewis and Travis Hunter were "off to the side," meaning they weren't practicing, but were still around the team.

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