In a week of season-ending injuries for 2013 NFL training camps, the Jacksonville Jaguars got some good news about the state of quarterback Blaine Gabbert.
The third-year quarterback out of Missouri went down in obvious pain grabbing his ankle on Monday during practice. Gabbert was on the ground for a few minutes before having to be carried away on a cart.
It did not look good at the time, but team doctors say that it’s just a sprain and that a full recovery is expected soon. The carting off was more of a precautionary measure than anything.
Gabbert might not be back at practice this week, but a return by next week at the latest is expected.
No stranger to playing in pain though, Gabbert had a toe injury during his rookie campaign. Then in 2012, he tore his labrum in his left shoulder which he played through. His 2012 season was eventually cut short by a right forearm injury which caused him to miss the last six weeks of the regular season.
In Gabbert’s abscense, Chad Henne stepped in and lead the Jaguars to a 1-5 record down the stretch… 50% of the Jaguars’ wins in 2012.
The Jaguars are going to need some significant improvement on offense and it’s not just the passing attack even though Jacksonville ranked 21st in the league last season. As bad as that sounds, it was even worse on the ground as the Jaguars’ QBs got zero help from the running game in 2012 – Jacksonville averaged just 85 ypg rushing (30th – 2012).
Good news for new head coach Gus Bradley who comes over from Seattle… there appears to be a lot of room for improvement!