Justin Blackmon will not be suiting for the Jacksonville Jaguars for the 2014 season.
General manager Dave Caldwell made it official, then backed up his point through the draft and giving away Blackmon’s locker.
“I think we’ve covered that,” Caldwell said, via The Florida Times-Union. “We’ve moved on for this year.”
In a statement by Shad Khan Tuesday, the team owner called Blackmon’s situation an “absolute tragedy.” Blackmon was suspended by the NFL indefinitely last season after violating the league’s substance abuse policy twice.
Shad on Blackmon “absolute tragedy”
— Ryan O’Halloran (@ryanohalloran) May 13, 2014
The Jaguars drafted a pair of wide receivers — Marqise Lee of USC and Allen Robinson of Penn State — in the second round of the draft over this week, likely to take the place of the suspended Blackmon.
Jaguars general manager Dave Caldwell scooped up Lee at the start of the round, then traded away the team’s third- and fifth-round selections to the San Francisco 49ers to nab Robinson 22 picks later.
Two wide receivers selected in the top three picks is a sure sign Blackmon is not a part of the team’s long-term plans.
According to Jags coach Gus Bradley, the moves were made in anticipation that Blackmon would not be reinstated for the coming season.
“Well, we haven’t heard much, and it doesn’t sound like it’s going in the right direction,” Bradley said, via the team’s official website. “Just like Dave said, we can’t count on him.”
The icing on the cake came when the team cleaned out Blackmon’s locker only to give it away to undrafted free-agent quarterback Stephen Morris of Miami.
Jaguars make it closer to official by getting rid of suspended WR Justin Blackmon’s locker
— Mark Long (@APMarkLong) May 13, 2014
Earlier reports indicated it was the Jaguars’ first-round pick, quarterback Blake Bortles, who inherited the locker. Regardless, Blackmon’s locker is now occupied by another player, which doesn’t bode well for his future with the organization.
