5 Jacksonville Jaguars to watch in their first preseason game

Jacksonville Jaguars player to watch No. 2 – CB CJ Henderson

This must have been a frustrating offseason for second-year cornerback C.J. Henderson. He underwent surgery early this year and was placed on the COVID-19/Reserve list at the end of July, which forced him to miss several training camp practices. To add insult to injury, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reported not long ago that NFL executives believed he could be available via trade.

It currently looks like the Jags aren’t going to move on from Henderson. Furthermore, he practiced for three consecutive days. Although the Florida product still needs to catch up. It was an encouraging sign and a step in the right direction. It’s uncertain how much time he will get in the preseason but whatever snaps he can get will be valuable and a step in the right direction.

Head coach Urban Meyer told the local media that things haven’t been easy for Henderson, via the Florida Times-Union.

"I see a guy that’s fighting through stuff right now, and the stuff is a lot. He had to get ready for training camp, [then] boom, COVID. Last year, obviously [his] rookie year started off strong, and then he fought with injuries, so there’s a lot to this."

Henderson struggled at times last season but he also showed promise. He had a string of solid performances before he was placed on the Injury/Reserve list. If he wants to make ground and eventually join the starting lineup, he will need to put his struggles behind. Having a solid preseason debut will help a lot.