JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – For the first time in over month, wide receiver Allen Hurns was back at practice when the Jaguars took the field on Wednesday. Hurns had not practiced since injuring his ankle during the Jaguars Week 10 win over the Chargers.
“I have to stay in things mentally,” said Hurns following practice on Wednesday. “It’s not the games. Just going out there today I just have to stay focused mentally. Of course I’m still going to have pain. I’m not going to be 100-percent even weeks from now. I know probably in the off-season I’ll be 100-percent.”
The return of Hurns is good news for Jaguars receiving group that has been ravaged by injuries. With Allen Robison on IR and Marqise Lee also dealing with an ankle injury, the Jaguars top three wide receivers on the depth chart have all missed time with injuries.
In their absence the Jaguars have been forced to rely on two undrafted free agents and a fourth-round pick at receiver. However Keelan Cole, Jaydon Mickens and Dede Westbrook are coming off a win over the Texans in which they combined for 268 yards receiving and three touchdowns.
“I’ve just been telling them to control what they can,” said Hurns. “I see those guys have been in the playbook and are having a lot less mental errors. They’re just going out there playing and not worrying about what everybody else is doing. You can see early in the last game Keelan Cole had a drop and then he made every play after that. They’ve done a great job at tuning certain things out.”
If Hurns is able to return for Sunday’s game against the 49ers his quarterback Blake Bortles doesn’t feel it will take them very long to regain their chemistry.
“He’s incredible,” said Bortles. “From the first play he was out here he was making sure everybody was line up right. He made sure everybody knew what they were doing. Being out there with Keelan [Cole] and Dede [Westbrook] and the young guys, it was good to have him back. He’s always in the right spot. He’s helping guys out and makes my job easier.”