The Jacksonville Jaguars have not given up on wide receiver Justin Blackmon, at least not publicly. The talented but troubled wide-out is suspended by the NFL for substance abuse and may not be reinstated after his current suspension is completed.
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The Jaguars are not speaking about the situation and Blackmon himself isn’t speaking either.
“Me, I know how it is when you have outside issues. I can be the first one to tell you it’s not good handling it by yourself,” Mercedes Lewis said, via the Florida Union-Times, when asked about Blackmon.
“Sometimes, you need your teammates to lean on, your coaches and friends. I hope Justin is doing OK and trying to get some guidance. You never know what’s going on unless you’re that person. We can sit here and make as many predictions as we want. We’ll never know until, hopefully, he gets back, whenever that may be.”
The Florida Times-Union has also been trying to find out where the former number one wide receiver has run off to.
They have contacted his mother, players, and friends, and no one is giving up any information on Blackmon. That could be construed as a good thing. Blackmon has never been one for the limelight and has repeatedly said he was the anti-diva.
His off-field issues however have kept him in the public eye and not in a good way. Two sources, however, have said they believe he is in the Oklahoma City area.
The suspension, handed down during the 2013 season, came on the heels of his first violation that cost him the first four games of the 2013 regular season. Blackmon returned to the field once the suspension was lifted but was suspended again a short time later for violating the leagues substance abuse policy again.
It was his second infraction in a six month period and cost him the remaining eight games of the season.
Blackmon is eligible to apply for reinstatement prior to the start of the 2014 season. He cannot however participate in any team related activities while he is under suspension or visit the facility.
There has been no talk of when or even if Blackmon will apply but it’s believed at some point he will. The Jaguars have a need for the very talented receiver but questions about his ability to stay out of off-field trouble is concerning.
Rumors have circulated over the last few months that the Jaguars could attempt to trade the wideout when he is reinstated or that they may release him outright.