Jaguars News and Notes: Both Quarterbacks to See First Team Reps

It appears the Jacksonville Jaguars are sticking to the game plan Frida night – having both Chad Henne and Blake Bortles playing with the first unit against the Detroit Lions.

Expect Chad Henne to play about a quarter and a half and Blake Bortles to play about a quarter. Coach Gus Bradley said he couldn’t commit to anything firmer than that. “I hate to say exact because it could be depending on reps like it was last week, but that’s the idea,” Bradley said Wednesday afternoon. Bortles is supposed to get time with the first-team offense against the Lions, but whether that means he’ll be working with the first-team offense the entire time he’s on the field has not been determined. This according to Michael DiRocco and ESPN.com.

Henne has been steady this preseason, accounting for the team’s only passing touchdown in the team’s loss at Chicago last week. It has been Bortles who has been the talk of the NFL preseason, looking sharp and ahead of the learning curve in offensive coordinator Jedd Fisch’s offense so far this preseason.

The team also announced that Jacques McClendon will start at center against the Lions. Which player comes in next is uncertain, Bradley said. It’s most likely going to be Mike Brewster, who has started the first two preseason games, but sixth-round pick Luke Bowanko is an option.

Bowanko returned to practice on Tuesday after suffering a sprained ankle in last Thursday’s loss to Chicago and took some reps at center on Wednesday. “We’ll find out how he handled today and that, depending on how well he did, will determine our rotation.”

Bowanko is drafted in a pick obtained from San Francisco for former starting quarterback, Blaine Gabbert.

Also, it has been announced that receiver Cecil Shorts and linebacker Dekoda Watson are scheduled to make their preseason debuts. Bradley said they will get the playing time starters normally would in the first preseason game: about 15 snaps. “We’ll see how the situations present themselves,” Bradley said. “The thing to look for with those guys [is] we’ll try to take them out if it’s extended drives.”

Shorts has been out of action with a calf injury. He is the team’s leading pass catcher from last season. He is expected to line up across from rookie Marquis Lee, who caught four balls and a touchdown in the first quarter of last week’s game against the Bears.

In other news…

According to Jaguars.com, signed first-year fullback Eric Kettani and waived/injured tight end Fendi Onobun(knee).

Kettani, 5-11, 240, was originally signed as a rookie free agent by New England in 2009 and had to leave training camp in July of 2009 for military commitments.  He was reinstated to the Patriots roster in September of 2011 and spent part of the season on the club’s practice squad.  Kettani spent the entire 2012 season on Washington’s practice squad and was with Kansas City for the 2014 offseason before he was waived on May 12.

A native of Kirtland, Ohio, Kettani was a four-year letterman at Navy where he rushed for 2,091 yards and 15 touchdowns on 395 carries.  He led the team with 982 rushing yards as a senior on 190 carries.  As a junior in 2007, he compiled 880 yards along with 10 touchdowns. Kettani was a three-year letterman at Lake Catholic High School in Ohio where was named the Cleveland Plain Dealer Defensive Player of the Year.