The Jaguars have had questions at kick returner and punt returner for what seems like an eternity. There was a glimmer of hope in 2015 when Rashad Greene burst on the scene and had an elite season as a punt returner, but injuries and inconsistent play lead to Greene being waived by the team last week.
Now, it appears that Marqise Lee will be responsible for all the kick return and punt return duties to start the season AND he'll be one of the team's two starting wide receivers - this according to the Jaguars recently released unofficial depth chart and Mike Kaye via Twitter. Teams in the NFL often avoid using one of their two starting receivers as a kick returner or punt returner, not only to keep them fresher on offense, but to avoid injury. But the Jaguars appear ready to put all that on Marqise Lee's shoulders. This is a risk, to say the least. Lee is coming off of a minor preseason injury and has a lengthy injury history. He played in each of the Jaguars 16 contests in 2016, but prior to that missed nine games in his first two seasons. Special teams is important, as evidenced by the Jaguars emphasis on signing core special teamers this offseason, but making sure the Jaguars offense is at it's best is of the utmost importance. Risking Marqise Lee getting injured as a KR or PR, in my estimation, is unwarranted. The Jaguars have ample options at PR with Dede Westbrook and Keelan Cole and they have a proven KR in Corey Grant on the roster . . . So, why take the risk? To be completely honest, I'm not sure. What do you think about Marqise Lee potentially starting at three different positions in 2017? Let us know in the comment section below. |
