Ace In The Hole: Ace Sanders Returns To Jaguars Roster

Hopefully the Jaguars will have an ace on their roster when they face the Pittsburg Steelers on Sunday.

The Jaguars have announced that Ace Sanders has had his suspension lifted by the NFL and will resume play on Sunday after being out of action the first four weeks of the season.

Sanders, a second year player and fourth round draft pick last season out of South Carolina, violated the league’s Substance Abuse Policy. Sanders missed the majority of the preseason before the suspension to deal with the issue and other personal issues and was placed on the Physically Unable to Perform list by the team prior to his suspension.

Sanders was eligible and did play in the team’s final preseason game of the offseason.

“I’m very excited,” Sanders said as the Jaguars (0-4) prepared to play host to the Steelers (2-2) at Everbank Field Sunday at 1 p.m. “I just want to come in and get back into the flow of things. I really just want to see where that takes us as a team, as a teammate, and go from there.

“It’s nothing really too big that they put on me, just to come back and get in the swing of things.”

Sanders on Monday was cleared to participate in all team-related activities. He had been allowed to attend meetings and be around the team, but could not play or practice the past four weeks.

Sanders on Wednesday is expected to practice with the team for the first time since the final week of the preseason, when he practiced and played in the team’s final preseason game.

“He has been in meetings and in the playbook and asking questions the whole time,” Jaguars wide receiver Cecil Shorts III said. “So, he has been involved. … I feel like he’s more mature. I think this kind of opened his eyes a little and he learned from his mistakes. I’m excited to see him grow as a person off the field.”

With Shorts III expected to be out with a hamstring injury, and with wide receiver Marqise Lee on Wednesday being ruled out for Sunday also with a hamstring injury, the Jaguars have four healthy wide receivers other than Sanders: rookies Allen Hurns and Allen Robinson, Mike Brown and Tavarres King.

“Ace will have to find a way to be ready to go,” Jaguars offensive coordinator Jedd Fisch said. “He’ll play some plays and we’re excited to get him back, obviously.”

Hurns and Robinson likely will start, with Sanders potentially playing as the third receiver.

“There will be some natural rust, and not only that, you have to feel the game a little,” Fisch said. “We have to remember Ace only played 15 games last year. He was a rookie player. This is his first game back, so there’s going to be some rust. We have to see what we can do to get him going early.”

SHORTS TO MISS GAME

According to Fox News, Coach Gus Bradley all but ruled Shorts out Monday, a day after the fourth-year pro tweaked a muscle near his left hamstring in a 33-14 loss at San Diego.

Shorts missed the first two games of the season with a strained left hamstring. He started the last two, catching seven passes for 60 yards and a touchdown.

But now he's back on the sidelines. Although Shorts led the Jaguars (0-4) in receiving the last two seasons, he has missed 13 games in four seasons because of various injuries.