Illinois State legend James Robinson has been a revelation to the Jacksonville Jaguars’ offense since joining the team as an undrafted free agent in 2020. He made the Pro Football Writers Association All-Rookie team as a standout back as soon as he got his chance to make an impact on the field, and continued building momentum last season against all odds.
Unfortunately, Robinson suffered a severe Achilles injury against the Jets late last year and entered the preseason still in the process of recovering back to his old form. Regardless of his absence in Jaguars’ training camp and preseason losses, his role in the offense is expected to be significant as he will serve as the backup to former first-round running back Travis Etienne, who the entirety of Jacksonville’s 2021 season with a Lisfranc injury.
Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson addressed Robinson’s injury in a press conference on Tuesday, telling the media that though he hasn’t been cleared to play, he can now participate in some team activities at Jacksonville’s joint practices with the Atlanta Falcons this week.
“He’s not full clear,” Pederson explained of Robinson’s status, “But he’s cleared to practice. We plan to increase his reps. You’ll see an orange jersey on him. I spoke with [Falcons Head Coach] Arthur Smith earlier this morning about that, so they’ll be aware about him. [We will] just try to limit the amount of touches.”
Though it may be a stretch to say Robinson is likely to see many carries in Week 1 against the Commanders, Pederson’s comments on his progression through rehab are a good sign that things are on the right track. With some practices under his belt against stiff competition and an extra week to recover after the game in Atlanta on Saturday, Robinson could be back to in shape sooner than expected.
