JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — On Wednesday, the Jacksonville Jaguars had the opportunity to face an opponent other than themselves as they hosted a joint practice with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
One of the notable storylines involved a player who did not practice: Arik Armstead. He was removed from the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list but has been in the Jaguars facility since he was signed.
"I've been able to accomplish a lot over the past few months. As soon as I signed, I came out for OTAs, and it's been great getting adjusted here in Jacksonville and meeting my teammates. My family is here now, and we're getting settled in. From a football perspective, just being in the meetings, being around the guys, learning the scheme, helping everybody out, and continuing my process of getting back on the field, rehabbing and all that—it's been amazing being here so far," said Jaguars defensive end Arik Armstead.
Armstead wants to contribute to the Jaguars' success as soon as possible, but he is not rushing the process.
"My goal is always to be there to help my team win games. So, definitely, Week 1 is the goal for me. But I'm going to continue to take it day by day and stick to the plan they have for me. I'm feeling good, everything is trending very positively, so that's amazing. Like I said, I want to help my team win games. I definitely want to be out there as much as possible, but I'm going to continue to stick with the plan they have for me," said Armstead.
The Jaguars will play against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Aug. 17 at 7:30 p.m.