After drafting a number of wide receivers over the past two years, the Jacksonville Jaguars had no room left for the 2013 fourth-round pick.
The Jacksonville Jaguars have decided to part ways with third-year wide receiver and punt returner Ace Sanders, according to a report from Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com.
After being selected in the fourth round of the 2013 draft out of South Carolina, Sanders appeared in 27 games over two seasons with Jacksonville. The 5-7, 176 pound Sanders did have some moments, catching 57 passes for 539 yards and returning 57 punts averaging 6.4 yards during his tenure with the Jaguars.
Unfortunately for Sanders, Jacksonville’s depth chart has become too crowded for him to get any real shot at playing time. The Jaguars went with the draft strategy of acquiring as many targets as possible for Blake Bortles in 2014, adding rookies Marqise Lee, Allen Robinson and Allen Hurns.
They also used 2015 a fifth-round pick on Florida State’s Rashad Greene, who has the talent to be one of the steals of the draft. The improved wide receiver corps was reflected by Sanders’ production last season, as 51 of his 57 career catches came in his rookie season. A four-game suspension for violating the league’s substance abuse policy likely did not help Sanders’ case.
While releasing Sanders likely won’t impact Jacksonville’s wide receiver depth chart, it does open up competition for punt return duties. Greene will be in the mix, as well as Tandon Doss, who missed all of 2014 with an ankle injury. Former Seahawks punt returner Bryan Walters is also on the roster now, although he wasn’t very effective in Seattle.
This likely isn’t the end of Sanders’ NFL career, as he will draw interest from teams looking for special team help. Sanders showed some promise during his rookie year, and was one of the most electrifying players in the country at South Carolina despite being small and not particularly fast.
Sanders will be remembered in Jacksonville for one cool play, as he threw a touchdown pass (via NFL.com) in the infamous 2013 Thursday Night Football battle between the 4-12 Jaguars and 2-14 Houston Texans.
Next: 30 best wide receivers in NFL history
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