NFL teams
Michael DiRocco, ESPN Staff Writer 5y

Injury status of Jags CB A.J. Bouye 'news' to coach Doug Marrone

NFL, Jacksonville Jaguars

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- It appears the Jaguars are going to be without one of their top defensive players for Sunday's game at Indianapolis -- but they also might be getting their top offensive player back.

Cornerback A.J. Bouye politely declined an interview request on Wednesday by saying he wasn't going to play against the Colts because of his calf injury. Bouye was hurt Oct. 21 against the Houston Texans at home and missed the Jaguars' game versus the Philadelphia Eagles in London the following week.

However, coach Doug Marrone said "that's news to me" when told of Bouye's comment before the Jaguars hit the practice field.

"I guess I'll have to talk to him about that," Marrone said. "That's not what the trainer told me. He did say that? OK, we will take care of that. That's not been told to me by the trainer. That's the truth."

Bouye is tied for the team lead with five pass breakups and has one interception. He led the Jaguars with 18 pass breakups and six interceptions last season, which earned him a spot in the Pro Bowl and on the All-Pro second team.

Marrone did get some good news on Wednesday, though, because running back Leonard Fournette practiced fully for the first time since he aggravated his right hamstring injury in Week 4. Marrone did not say whether that meant Fournette would play against Indianapolis, but it's clearly a good sign for the player around which the Jaguars built their offense.

Marrone said the team will not limit Fournette if he is able to play.

"We are full-boring everybody," Marrone said. "Once a guy is ready to play, that has to be our expectation. I think you get into trouble when you put a player on the field and he is not able to live up to the expectation that you have for him meaning that all of a sudden now if something happens, it's kind of like a built-in excuse. That's the way I've always viewed it. I have always told players [if someone says], 'I'm going to go out there, but I don't feel like whatever ...' What does that mean? If they say, 'I'm not 100 percent, I can't do what's expected of me.' Well, then, I can't put him on the field."

Fournette originally hurt his right hamstring late in the first half of the season opener at the New York Giants and missed the next two games. He returned against the New York Jets at home in Week 4 and ran 11 times for 30 yards and caught one pass for 5 yards before aggravating the injury.

^ Back to Top ^