Some might say the preseason hasn't knocked out very many key players, but keep in mind that's because so few of them are actually playing. Will be interesting to see how and if the league reacts to teams like the Rams making a mockery of the exhibitions by holding out virtually everyone who might actually play in Week 1. Anyhoo, the Jaguars might wish they'd taken a similar approach before losing Marqise Lee last night.
Lee was carted off the field with a knee injury during the exhibition. Jumping the gun here a little since nothing official has been reported, but we do have coach Doug Marrone saying flatly "It looks bad." It will be a surprise, it seems, if Lee doesn't miss significant time; maybe the season.
Jacksonville at least does seem well situated to replace their No. 1 wideout; we've been saying for a while that they seem to have one of the more overcrowded receiving corps. Donte Moncrief, Keelan Cole and Dede Westbrook look pretty firm now as the top 3, and though there's some guesswork involved, Moncrief seems best positioned to be the team's No. 1 going forward.
Cole was actually the team's most productive receiver a year ago, and he's got a lot of downfield ability, averaging 17.8 yards per catch last season. That's also a strength of Westbrook. The question is whether it's a strength of their quarterback. Blake Bortles hasn't had much success throwing to either player in the preseason. Cole has caught one 4-yard pass while starting the last two weeks; Westbrook caught a pair of short throws last week but was also the target on an interception.
Moncrief caught 3 passes for 62 yards, all of which came after Lee had been sidelined. We'd figured him for the best target on the kind of short throws Bortles is most comfortable with, and that's what things looked like last night. Looks like he'll be the one picking up a lot of the routes Lee was going to run.
There's some uncertainty, but if you're drafting tonight and trying to secure the likely No. 1 wideout in Jacksonville, give the edge to the former Colt.
--Andy Richardson