JACKSONVILLE, Fla.—Sometimes in the NFL, you have to take a step backward to take a step forward and Jaguars offensive tackle Josh Wells believes that will be the case for him this season.
The 6-foot-6, 310-pound lineman made the Jaguars roster after going undrafted in 2014. As a rookie, Wells played in 12 games as a backup.
Despite getting valuable experience in his first NFL season, Wells failed to take the next step last year. The lack of success had nothing to do with skill and everything to do with a fluke injury that caused him to miss all of last season.
Wells dislocated his thumb, which forced him to undergo surgery. The procedure forced the Jaguars to place him on injured reserve, ending his season.
Prior to the injury, Wells was in the midst of battling for the swing tackle job with Sam Young, who eventually won the spot by default. Young went on to play in all 16 games (three starts), while Wells sat on the sidelines.
While Wells was missing his chance for heavy snaps on the field, he was studying and getting stronger at EverBank Field. A fixture at the facility while injured, Wells looked to get better in areas he could control while inactive.
"Even though I got hurt last year, I still feel like I got better as far as lifting and learning more about different defenses and being technical and taking a step back,” Wells said.
Now entering his third season, Wells is looking to make up for the time he lost last season. He believes that the off-the-field work he put in last season will help him take a huge step forward when he enters the rigors of training camp.
“It was what I was dealt and I’ve got to make the best of it," Wells said. "I feel like I have but I’ve got to keep going and just get better every day. That’s the goal.”
Adding to Wells' strength and knowledge of the playbook is his willingness to play multiple roles. With Kelvin Beachum, Mackenzy Bernadeau and a few others added to the mix on the offensive line, Wells may have to establish his versatility to stick around in a prominent role.
“I feel like whatever they ask me to do, I’m going to strive to be great at,” Wells said. “Right now, it’s [right tackle], I’m trying to be the best I can at right while still [taking] mental reps and individual work at [left tackle].”
Wells is now entering his second season under offensive line coach Doug Marrone. He says the former Syracuse and Buffalo Bills head coach has had a strong influence on him.
“I feel like it’s been great,” Wells said. “He’s a real technical guy. He likes to break things down to its purest form and he’s just been great for me, great for my development and I think everyone will attest to that. Every day he comes with some juice and it’s been great working with him so far.”
This summer, Wells needs to prove he can play several spots to remain under Marrone's tutelage into the regular season. After having an entire season to study the game in the film room and on the sidelines with a technical coach like Marrone, Wells may be in a better position than he was last season in training camp.
Follow Mike Kaye on Twitter at @Mike_E_Kaye.
