Former Minnesota Gophers cornerback and special-teams returner Jalen Myrick has returned to Minnesota for a two-day blitz called Vikings and Jaguars joint practices.
This time around, he’s not a Minnesota player—and certainly not a Gopher—rather, a Jacksonville Jaguar second-year cornerback.
Reports out of Jacksonville Jaguars training camp practices indicate Myrick’s in line to play an intermixed role that consists of special teams, backup right cornerback, and nickel cornerback. Jacksonville—like Minnesota—is looking for its staple at nickel cornerback, but enjoys quality depth everywhere.
Myrick is currently listed as the third right cornerback on the Jaguars official team website’s depth chart. He also worked in practice today on kickoff coverage and a variety of special-teams units.
Starting right cornerback—opposite left cornerback Jalen Ramsey—is longtime NFL starter A.J. Bouye. Myrick’s competition for Bouye’s immediate backup is fourth-year cornerback Tyler Patmon—who’s four years older, has played in 26 NFL games since 2014, but has started in zero of them.
The 5-foot-11, 200-pound Myrick—with a famous 4.28 40-yard dash time at the NFL Combine a year ago—has the repertoire to make standout special teams plays as he works on finding his fit regarding playing time in the defensive backfield.
Myrick has made multiple would-be game-changing plays in Jaguars training camp practices, like in the July 30th practice when he beat a protector around the edge on a Josh Lambo field goal attempt, blocked the kick, and returned it for what would have been a touchdown if it had been a live-game situation.
When not on special teams, Myrick has the likes of secondary stars like Ramsey and Bouye to learn from, but also support and add to as he attempts to carve out a role in one of the most talented secondaries in the league—on one of the most talented defenses in the league.
Plenty of room for growth on a deal that’s both flexible and mobile: Myrick makes $578,416 in 2018, $668,416 in 2019, and $758,418 in 2020.
Whatever player Myrick becomes under the tutelage of talented veterans is in the favor of Myrick but certainly Jacksonville, which has the second-year cornerback tethered to a cost-controlled deal through 2021, when he becomes a restricted free agent.
Joe Perovich is an on-air announcer and writer at KFAN, and can be reached on Twitter (@JoePerovich) or by email (JoePerovich@iheartmedia.com)