Over the years we’ve heard coaches call injury-prone NFL players by many names, but Jacksonville Jaguars offensive coordinator Greg Olson wins the prize for “Most Creative Diss.”
Speaking with reporters on Monday, Olson called out receiver Marqise Lee, who has been missing practices and preseasons games of late with a hamstring injury.
“He’s to me like the albino tiger at the zoo,” Olson said, via The Florida Times-Union. “You get there and if you’re lucky enough to get him to come out of the cage and see him, it’s a good day. I’ve only seen him three times (in practice) since I’ve been here. Those three days he was very impressive, but he’s only been out three days. So, we’re hoping we can get him healthy and see him a little bit more.”
As Olson points out, Lee is an impressive player, when healthy.
Jacksonville drafted Lee early in Round 2 last season. He started in eight games for the Jaguars, catching 37 passes for 442 yards and a touchdown. He was a standout at the University of Southern California before that and was expected to become a reliable target for second-year quarterback Blake Bortles this season.
However, at this time Lee is quickly earning the dreaded “injury-prone” label. If he can get healthy and makes his way onto the field consistently this upcoming season, then the already impressive Jaguars offense, with Allen Robinson and Allen Hurns leading the way in the passing game, will give opposing defenses fits.
“We do believe he can be a big part of what we want to do going forward,” Olson said.
What neither Robinson nor Hurns can provide for Jacksonville, though, is a consistent vertical threat. Bortles throws a beautiful deep ball and needs Lee back on the field in order to take full advantage of this aspect of his game.