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| Will MJD return to work this weekend. (Getty Images) |
Four days before the NFL season kicks off, Maurice Jones-Drew is the lone holdout left in the league. And even if the Jaguars don’t necessarily miss him, coach Mike Mularkey probably wouldn’t mind having last year’s rushing leader return to work.
And with his seemingly-softer approach to the idea of playing this season without a new contract, Jones-Drew also still hasn’t made his way to the practice field.
Supposedly, the rumor going around north Florida, via the Florida Times Union, is that Jones-Drew will report this weekend. Considering it’s 10 p.m. on Saturday, that means Jones-Drew would be showing up Sunday. Supposedly.
But Mularkey doesn’t know that to be true, because he still hasn’t talked to his star back.
“I have not heard from Maurice,’’ he said. “I’ve heard those same things just like you have, but nothing from the people that need to tell it’s firm.”
Then, Florida newspaper reporting institution Vito Stellino asked Murlakey how he’s heard such rumors.
“I get out,” Murlakey said. “Today I’m actually off to catch up with my wife to see what is going on in her life. I’ve heard things out on the street just like you guys do. It wasn’t on Twitter.”
If Jones-Drew starts missing game checks, he’d be forfeiting closing to $262,000 per week. For now, he’s racked up $1.2 million in fines from the organization (and is making Mularkey not spend time with his significant other!) though some have speculated that the Jaguars won’t make him pay that much for missing all of the team’s offseason workouts and training camp.
At this point, it seems set that the Jaguars will not give him any more money. The start of the season probably won’t affect that mindset. Now, Jones-Drew likely will have to realize that he’s lost this poker hand and will show up soon. Maybe on Sunday.
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