Jaguars veteran refuses to be denied from minicamp
Some players are just wired a different way. Even though he and the other veterans who attended OTAs were given the week off, Jaguars' starting linebacker Foyesade Oluokun isn't going anywhere. "Well, he's not supposed to be (here)," Jaguars defensive coordinator Mike Caldwell told reporters on Tuesday. "That's the first thing that I told you guys […]
Some players are just wired a different way. Even though he and the other veterans who attended OTAs were given the week off, Jaguars' starting linebacker Foyesade Oluokun isn't going anywhere.
"Well, he's not supposed to be (here)," Jaguars defensive coordinator Mike Caldwell told reporters on Tuesday. "That's the first thing that I told you guys last year that his nickname we call him is James Brown, the hardest working man in show business."
Oluokun's first season in Jacksonville was a highly productive one as he started 17 games and led the NFL in combined tackles (184) and solo tackles (124). He also recorded 12 tackles for loss and nine QB hits.
The Jaguars defensive coordinator sees a lot of value in Foyesade's presence in the facility even if he knows his player was supposed to take some time off.
"It just shows the type of guy he is because coach Bob (Sutton), Coach Tony (Gilbert), they're able to reach the players," added Caldwell. "But when you have another player that understands and cares about his teammates enough to – on his downtime – to be here, and any question they have, that they might not be able to get to one of us and (instead) able to get to him that just shows the type of leader he is."
Oluokun's career is at an intriguing point. Although his production speaks for itself, several young players will be aiming at his job over the next couple of years as the Jaguars haven't shied away from drafting linebackers.
Devin Lloyd and Chad Muma are two of those players while rookie Ventrell Miller joins them this season. In fact, Lloyd and Muma are two other non-first-year guys who remained at mandatory minicamp. However, as opposed to Oluokun, they both stuck around by the coaches' decision.
"Both those guys are young players, they ended year one, and this is their next year," Caldwell said. "You really want them to get as many hours on the field as you can, see the things over and over again."
As for Oluokun, while Caldwell is happy to see him be a top-tier leader, he did add a word of warning to the veteran.
"Now I'd like to see him gone and getting away and getting refreshed […] And hopefully he doesn't put on cleats today."
Featured image via Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK
