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Jaguars Wednesday News: Three notable defensive players miss practice, Brown injured

Linebackers Paul Posluszny (abdominal) and Telvin Smith (ankle) and cornerback Aaron Colvin (illness) were held out of the first practice session of the week.
Jan 7, 2018; Jacksonville, FL, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars outside linebacker Telvin Smith (50) reacts during the during the third quarter against the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Wild Card playoff football game at EverBank Field. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

The Jaguars were without three notable defensive players at practice Wednesday as Jacksonville began preparation for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Linebackers Paul Posluszny (abdominal) and Telvin Smith (ankle) and cornerback Aaron Colvin (illness) were held out of the first practice session of the week.

Posluszny and Smith were both injured during the wild-card round win over the Buffalo Bills. Colvin was sick entering the Jaguars' first playoff game and was forced to leave in the middle of it.

Posluszny left the game against the Bills in the second quarter. He was replaced by rookie linebacker Blair Brown, who earned praise from Jaguars head coach Doug Marrone on Wednesday.

"I think every time he has gotten an opportunity you’re seeing him getting better," Marrone said regarding Brown.

"I said it the other day, he’s a player that is going to be a very good football player and the more experience that he gets, you see the reaction is getting quicker and quicker and coming up and making plays. He has been that way. In the beginning, he hasn’t had a lot of experience. Now he’s getting a lot of experience. We don’t have a problem putting him in there if we have to.”

Brown was seen on crutches after practice. He was wearing a walking boot.

The rookie linebacker said he suffered a lower leg injury during practice. He is still hopeful he can play Sunday.

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Tomlin discusses Alualu's impact

The Jaguars will be reunited with a former first-round pick on Sunday.

Steelers defensive lineman Tyson Alualu is set to face his former team for the second time this season. Alualu left Jacksonville during free agency this summer.

During his first season in Pittsburgh, the first-round pick produced a career-high four sacks. He has made an impact on his new team.

"I tell you what, he's been a blessing to us," Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said during a conference call with Jacksonville media.

"He's a veteran professional, he's provided quality play, and in some instances, he has been able to start for us. He gave us starter-quality work. Man, we like Tyson and [I'm] glad he's a part of us."

Alualu spent seven seasons in Jacksonville. He still has several friends in the Jaguars' locker room. Linebacker Telvin Smith is looking forward to seeing his former teammate.

"I am [excited]," Smith said Wednesday. "Tyson is a good guy."

More News and Notes

- Marrone on defensive end Dante Fowler's play as of late:

“He’s done a good job. He’s been working hard. Getting pressure in, doing things. Those guys free each other up and play extremely hard. Really, everyone defensively is doing a nice job.”

- Marrone on Steelers wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster:

“It started to go up a little bit when we were playing. An outstanding first year for him. He has a lot of good players around him. He makes other people around him better too. He’s really good run after the catch. He can make people miss. He was a good player coming out of college. You take a good player like him coming out of college and put him around a bunch of other good players and he has a chance to play and he has played extremely well. He’s one of many players that will be a challenge for us defensively to contain. I don’t know if it’s a team that you can stop. You have to make sure you can contain them.”

- Marrone on referee Brad Allen and his crew:

“We talk about the officials every week. We always address the officials of who we have every week. A little bit tougher in the format now with the mixed crew, but normally we talk to our players about what is called and show them examples and things of that nature. It’s my responsibility to make sure they understand what this crew calls quite a bit of or what they may not call or things of that nature. We analyze the crew every Thursday.”

Follow Mike Kaye on Twitter at @Mike_E_Kaye.

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