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JACKSONVILLE , Fla. (AP) — Tom Coughlin and Doug Marrone are getting soft. Or maybe just smart.After running what many believed to be the NFL’s toughest training camp the last two years, Coughlin and Marrone are pretty much taking it easy on the Jacksonville Jaguars.Earlier starts. Extended breaks. Fewer workouts in full pads. Free time. Shorter days at the facility.It’s a complete about-face for two old-school coaches who seem to take pleasure in grinding guys into the ground before the season.Coughlin, the team’s top executive, and Marrone, the head coach, teamed up in 2017 and started pounding players into shape. The Jaguars were in full pads for 14 consecutive days to open camp in 2017 and 11 in a row last year. All of them took place outside, in Florida’s sweltering summer heat and humidity.Players openly complained and were mostly ignored.But following a 5-11 season in which the Jaguars ended up with nearly 30 players, including several offensive starters, on injured reserve and were without running back Leonard Fournette for half the year, Coughlin and Marrone decided to take a different approach.“Doug is showing love,” two-time Pro Bowl cornerback Jalen Ramsey said. “The body feels better. The energy is better. Everyone is a little bit happier out here.”The kinder, gentler Jags are on the field nearly two hours earlier than they were in 2018, avoiding the hottest part of the day as well as afternoon thunderstorms. They get 90 minutes after practice for lunch and to visit with family and friends.They have recovery time built into the schedule, too, allowing players to get cryotherapy, cupping, dry needling or other therapeutic care after lunch.They also leave the facility in the afternoon and hold meetings at a nearby hotel, providing players with a brief break to travel between venues and allowing them to go straight to their rooms once the nightly sessions end.“It’s way different,” veteran defensive end Calais Campbell said. “I think the team is maturing and he’s allowing us to be pros and to kind of do what we need to do to get ready. We’re still working really hard, getting a lot of good quality reps out there, competing.”The practice pace has been slowed, too , but likely will pick up next week when the Jaguars spend two days working opposite the Ravens in Baltimore.Marrone said the decision to lighten the load started when owner Shad Khan asked how he planned to reduce the number of injuries in January. Marrone started digging into research and talking to experts. He learned that an unusually high number of soft-tissue injuries occur during the first 10 days of camp, while players are still getting acclimated to the heat and tempo.“It’s my responsibility to make sure that we do the right things for the players, so with the information that I have, that’s why we’re doing what we’re doing,” Marrone said. “Now, in the same sentence, how do we get everything in that we need to get in to be a good football team? We’re still getting the same amount of work in. I just like to say that we’re working smarter.”No one can blame Jacksonville for trying something new following last year’s debacle.Campbell and guard Andrew Norwell were among the key starters banged up during 2018 camp. Center Brandon Linder sprained a knee in the exhibition opener, and the injuries really started to mount from there. Receiver Marqise Lee tore several knee ligaments in the preseason finale. Fournette went down in the regular-season opener. Left tackle Cam Robinson and cornerback D.J. Hayden got hurt in Week 2.Running back Corey Grant, tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins, offensive tackle Josh Wells and tight end Niles Paul joined Lee and Robinson on injured reserve in early October.The Jaguars lost nine of 10 games following a 3-1 start, ruining a year that began amid Super Bowl aspirations.“Last season kind of woke a lot of guys up,” Fournette said.Coughlin and Marrone included. They were raised to believe you “set the tone” in camp, Marrone said. But players typically stay in better shape year-round, reducing the need for an ultra-physical — and risky — preseason.“Have to be smarter than that,” Marrone said. The Jacksonville Jaguars were thoroughly embarrassed by the upstart Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, losing 30-14. But in addition to the loss on the field, the Jaguars took another hit as running back Corey Grant is likely to miss the remainder of the season with a Lisfranc (foot) injury. Grant, while not an every down player, is an important player in an already thin running back group. With starter Leonard Fournette dealing with a hamstring injury that has kept him out for the majority of the season, things look bleak there. Jacksonville was extremely lucky on the injury front in 2017, but that has not been the case in 2018. Grant is the third key player the Jaguars have lost for the season (joining wide receiver Marqise Lee and left tackle Cam Robinson). In addition to the players out for the season, several other players such as the aforementioned Fournette , D.J. Hayden, A.J. Cann, Brandon Linder, Calais Campbell and Austin Seferian-Jenkins have been dealing with with injuries in varying degrees throughout the season. T.J. Yeldon, who has been dealing with an ankle injury of his own, has actually played quite well as the lead back, but it is down to him and Brandon Wilds on the active roster. With Fournette expected to miss at least one more week (and probably more), it would be wise for the Jaguars to take a look at a few free agents. Last week, the Jaguars worked out former New York Giants running back Orleans Darkwa and former Cleveland Browns running back Matt Dayes. No deals came out of those two workouts, but if the Jaguars liked what they saw, they may feel compelled to sign one of the tailbacks. Here are a few more running backs available, according to Spotrac: Mike Gillislee: Arguably the best option on the free agent market right now, Gillislee has totaled 1,291 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns, while averaging 4.7 yards per carry in his career. He has also caught 17 balls for 103 yards and an additional score. Gillislee has spent time with the Miami Dolphins, Buffalo Bills, New England Patriots and, most recently, the New Orleans Saints who cut him this weekend to activate Mark Ingram. Gillislee could be a good addition in the backfield, but the Patriots are reportedly interested in re-signing him. Shane VereenMore of a pass-catching threat, Vereen may be a guy who can play a similar role to Grant, but with less speed. In 79 career games , Vereen has nearly 1,500 rushing yards. He has never surpassed 400 yards in a season, but he has scored eight career touchdowns on the ground and averages 4.2 yards per attempt. He does damage in the passing game, however, nabbing 221 career catches for 1,865 yards and 11 touchdowns. Vereen has four different seasons where he has at least 44 receptions, including a career high 59 catches in 2015. Jamaal Charles The Chiefs’ all-time leading rusher is easily the most productive free agent available. Charles has totaled 7,556 rushing yards (5.3 YPC) and 44 touchdowns, while also catching more than 300 passes for 2586 and 20 more scores. But he turns 32-years-old in December and isn’t the player he once was. Charles played for the Denver Broncos in 2017, amassing 419 total yards and one score in 14 games. Charles thinks he can still play, and was frustrated with his usage in Denver. In reality, he is likely a washed-up running back who wouldn’t offer the Jaguars a whole lot (but the Jaguars are going to give him a chance)Terrance West At 27-yards-old, West may still have some good football left. West averages just 3.9 yards per carry in his career, though, and isn’t a huge threat in the passing game. He did have 34 receptions in 2016, but hasn’t caught more than 11 balls in any other season. Running the ball, West had a career high 774 yards in 2015 with the Baltimore Ravens and has totaled 1,816 career yards and found the end zone 11 times. He isn’t going to be a bell cow back by any means, but may be worth a look for depth purposes. Eddie Lacy Lacy is a free agent for a reason. Lacy has garnered3,614 rushing yards and 23 touchdowns on the ground. He also has 107 career catches for 947 yards and six additional scores. But his numbers are top heavy. After starting his career with back-to-back 1,100-yard seasons, he hasn’t rushed for more than 758 yards since then , and has not eclipsed more than 360 yards in a season since 2015. Now at 28-years-old, and as a guy who’s physical shape has been in question at times, I doubt he’s the answer for Jacksonville’s backfield. Other options include Danny Woodhead, Lance Dunbar, Andre Ellington, Branden Oliver, and C.J. Spiller, amongst others.It’s not a very inspiring group, and the Jaguars need to figure out which players fit best into the offensive scheme, but the Jaguars need help in the backfield. Jacksonville can also look to practice squad players on other teams. A trade is another possibility, but doesn’t seem likely. We’ll keep our eyes peeled to see how this situation shakes out. Follow along for updates. Would you like to see any of these players in a Jaguars uniform, or is there a player I missed? Discuss in the comments section. Updates, 10/9: The Jaguars have reportedly signed rookie running back David Williams off of the Denver Broncos’ practice squad. It would be surprising if this the only move Jacksonville makes, but we’ll see what happens. Jacksonville is expected to work out the aforementioned veteran running back Jamaal Charles on Tuesday.Former Kansas City Chiefs running back Charcandrick West is also reportedly working out for the Jaguars. The Jaguars will indeed sign Charles to a one-year deal, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Updates, 10/11:The Jaguars made another move at the running back position on Thursday, signing Bo Scarbrough to the practice squad. Scarbrough was waived from the Dallas Cowboys’ practice squad on Tuesday.
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