Clay Harbor Returning at Perfect Time for Jacksonville Jaguars
By K.J. Momberg
@K_Momberg
Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
The Jacksonville Jaguars have been desperately searching for an adequate replacement for injured tight end Marcedes Lewis, but that should all change Sunday when they take on the San Diego Chargers.
With Lewis on the short-term injured reserve for at least another seven weeks with an ankle injury, the Jaguars will turn to backup Clay Harbor to start in his place. Harbor has been out with a calf injury since July, but is finally healthy and ready to make his season debut, and the timing of his return could not be more perfect.
Things may have reached a breaking point in the search for Lewis’ fill-in during last Sunday’s 44-17 loss to the Indianapolis Colts. The Jaguars went with a combination of recent waiver-wire addition Mickey Shuler and undrafted rookie Marcel Jensen at tight end, and the results were less than pretty to say the least. Shuler did not record a catch, and Jensen was clearly overmatched in his first career game.
In an effort to address the problem, the Jaguars made a couple of roster moves this week. Jensen was cut following Sunday’s game, and is now back on the practice squad. In his place, the Jaguars signed Nic Jacobs, another undrafted tight end, off the New Orleans Saints‘ practice squad. But can the Jaguars really depend on another undrafted rookie to step in and contribute?
The answer is clear: a healthy Harbor remains the team’s best option until Lewis is able to return.
Claimed off waivers from the Philadelphia Eagles before last season, Harbor is nowhere near the blocker that Lewis is, but he will provide a steady option in the passing game for rookie quarterback Blake Bortles. The 6-foot-3, 255-pound Harbor had 24 receptions for 292 yards and two touchdowns in his first season in Jacksonville.
The Jaguars still have plenty question marks offensively, but with the timing of Harbor’s return, finding a serviceable tight end is no longer one of them.
K.J. Momberg is the Jacksonville Jaguars writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @k_momberg or add him to your network on Google.
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