JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Although the Jaguars selected running back Leonard Fournette in the first round it was Chris Ivory not the former LSU product that spent the majority of the off-season program working with the first team offense. Jaguars head coach Doug Marrone is an old school guy and doesn’t believe in anointing rookies before they earn it on the field.
The expectation is that Fournette will eventually become the starter but due to Marrone’s rededication to the run game, Ivory should be able to carve out a role. Last season Ivory never got on track. He missed five games due to various injuries. Even when he was on the field the production wasn’t what the Jaguars expected when they signed him to a 5-year $32-millon deal. In 2016 Ivory finished with more fumbles (five) than touchdowns (three).
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Position: Running Back
2016 Stats: 117 carries, 439 yards, 3 TDs
2017 Projection: If Fournette is the starting running back and T.J. Yeldon is the designated third-down back, where does that leave Ivory? That will be one the biggest questions entering training camp. Splitting carries is nothing new for Ivory, he was in this same position during his previous stops in New Orleans and with the New York Jets.
Having three healthy options at running back is a problem most NFL teams wouldn’t mind having. If Fournette ends up being the No. 1 option, Ivory could still see carries in short yardage and goal line situations.
Key stat: Jacksonville had the third-lowest scoring rushing offense in the league last year.
From the locker room:
Jaguars head coach Doug Marrone on why Ivory struggled last season:
“Chris last year I think was, I don’t think he was in great shape when he was here initially and I think he was injured. So I think those things come into play. So now I see someone that worked extremely hard in the off-season because rehabilitating the injury and being in really good shape. I’m seeing the Chris Ivory that I remember seeing when I used to play against him up in New York.”