Jacksonville Jaguars: 5 players who must get off to hot start in 2021

Jacksonville Jaguars player No. 3 – C.J. Henderson

Here’s another second-year player that needs to show out in 2021. Although cornerback C.J. Henderson struggled in a couple of games in 2020, he also showed flashes and was trending in the right direction before he was placed on the Injured/Reserve list with a groin injury. The sophomore is set to pick up where he left off in his rookie campaign but it’s surely been a bumpy road. Here’s a quick recap of everything he went through in the offseason.

Henderson underwent labrum surgery earlier this year. He was placed on the COVID-19/Reserve list in late July and missed several days of training camp. Then, a report about him possibly being available via trade surfaced. All these events could’ve taken a toll on the cornerback but the team stood by him. Assistant head coach Charlie Strong endorsed Henderson and said that he made them a better team. Furthermore, he said that they would do anything they could to help him succeed.

Once Henderson was able to partake in training camp, he quickly made up for the time he lost. He made his way back to the starting lineup and played well in the preseason. He appeared in 81 defensive snaps, allowing just 35 yards on nine targets and posting a Pro Football Focus coverage grade of 76.4. The ninth overall pick in 2020 will most likely start opposite Shaquill Griffin in Week 1. The fact that the Jaguars traded Sidney Jones to the Seattle Seahawks puts more pressure on Henderson to play at a high level.