Ace Sanders: Jacksonville Jaguars release WR/PR
By Luke Sims
Ace Sanders, the fourth round selection in 2013, has been released by the Jacksonville Jaguars today, July 17th.
Once touted as one of the most dynamic players on the Jaguars roster, Sanders struggled to perform in a sophomore campaign that saw him miss the first four games of the 2014 season due to suspension.
Sanders simply never materialized on the shifty mobility that made him such an impressive pick in 2013. His rookie season saw flashes of potential, especially at wide receiver, with Sanders gaining 484 yards on 51 receptions with one touchdown.
Never impressive in punt returns, Sanders struggled again in 2014 and, in light of his regression as a receiver, found himself without a spot on the team. Other Jaguars will now get a chance to fill his shoes in punt return duties.
#Jaguars have gone 66 straight games without a punt return TD -- Mike Thomas Dec. 10 at Indy.
— Ryan O'Halloran (@ryanohalloran) July 17, 2015
Hopefully guys like Tandon Doss and Bryan Walters can find some better openings and succeed where Sanders struggled.
Ace's release leaves punt return job open for competition between Tandon Doss, Bryan Walters, maybe others. #Jaguars
— Ryan O'Halloran (@ryanohalloran) July 17, 2015
Sanders’ failure to perform and subsequent release has shown that general manager Dave Caldwell isn’t afraid to part with his former draft picks. While he only has three drafts under his belt and two seasons of evaluation, Caldwell has proven he isn’t overly attached to a player he has chosen. That’s maturity as a general manager as far as I’m concerned.
Personally, I had high hopes for Sanders when he joined the Jaguars. I thought that with Sanders’ ability in space the Jags could have a receiver useful in many situations. Unfortunately, that never materialized.
The Jags now go forward with receivers Marqise Lee, Allen Hurns, and Allen Robinson, as the primary pass catchers in the offense. They all surpassed Sanders in their rookie seasons. While there is a bit of a drop-off after those three, Sanders’ shoes shouldn’t be too difficult to fill.
Next: 4 questions for WR Allen Hurns
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