Jaguars release WR Kevin Austin Jr. to kick off Tuesday cuts
After trading former second-round pick Laviska Shenault and cutting Laquon Treadwell on Monday, the Jacksonville Jaguars further decimated their receiving depth by parting with Kevin Austin Jr. on Tuesday morning, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The undrafted free agent out of Notre Dame was a long shot to make the team’s final roster, but his size and speed made him an intriguing prospect throughout the training camp process.
Now down to just five receivers on their official depth chart, the Jaguars are set to lean on their top-end talents Christian Kirk, Marvin Jones Jr. and Zay Jones in the passing game this season. Undrafted rookie Tim Jones was one of the team’s brightest stars in the preseason and looks to play a key role in the team’s offense this season.
The departure of Austin Jr. could only be a temporary setback for the former Fighting Irishman, as his rookie status could mean that he’ll re-sign with Jacksonville on a practice squad deal in the hope of being elevated to the 53-man roster later in the season. His release is by no means an end to his NFL career, the only question now is where he’ll go to find more work this season.
The Jaguars’ offense is starting to take shape two days into cut week, and with the herd seeming to thin with every passing hour, roster spots are at a premium. With so few receiving options left under contract, Jacksonville is likely to assess their options at running back, quarterback, and at various spots on defense to continue their process of cutting down the roster.
This move puts the team at 69 players after they cut 10 on Monday and it is expected that they’ll make another five to nine more terminations as the day progresses. Fans will have to wait to see if they’ll decide to cut any further past the 53-man limit to sign any of the more established talents that will get their walking papers from other teams this week.
