The Jacksonville Jaguars announced their initial 53-man roster last weekend, which saw a major trend towards young players with lots of potential for the future. However, that does not mean veteran experience isn't valued in Jacksonville anymore.
In a recent press conference, head coach Liam Coen pointed to Jahlani Tavai and Ameer Abdullah as examples of veteran newcomers who made the roster, despite facing competition from younger players at their positions.
"It's typically challenging to make those teams in some of those instances, and so credit those guys," he said of Abdullah and Tavai. "They're the right type of ones, right? Mentally, pros do it the right way. Ameer Abdullah is one of the first guys in our building every single day. The way that
he prepares his body, the way that he prepares for practice. Jahlani, the way that he goes about his business. He's a great teammate. Everybody loves him. He does all the little things the right way, will help us on special teams as well."
Abdullah faced a crowded running back room, with three players — Bhayshul Tuten, Chris Rodriguez, and LeQuint Allen — all but assured to have roster spots when Abdullah signed with the Jaguars in May. Abdullah had to not only convince Jacksonville staff to roster four running backs, but to keep him over Deejay Dallas and undrafted rookie J'Mari Taylor. Judging by Coen's words, it was Abdullah's experience and dedication that ultimately made the difference.
Tavai, meanwhile, had an even more unlikely path to the active roster. He arrived in Jacksonville just weeks before cutdown day, and made the roster over younger players, like Jack Kiser, Jalen McLeod, Yasir Abdullah, and preseason standout Amari Burney.
Both players will be able to lend their experience to the younger players on Jacksonville's roster.
"Yeah, it's rare. But I think that when you find the right type of guys and you start there, that's always going to help the cause," Coen said. "Because they've seen a lot of ball, have played a lot of ball. There's a lot that they can pour into some of the other guys."
This article originally appeared on Jaguars Wire: How Ameer Abdullah, Jahlani Tavai made quick impacts on Jaguars roster
