In order to make room on the roster for the addition of Dennis Gardeck, the Jacksonville Jaguars announced that they have released offensive lineman Cooper Hodges with a failed physical.
Hodges was a seventh-round pick for the Jaguars in 2023 out of Appalachian State. Last season, he appeared in three games at guard, totaling 63 snaps, according to PFF. Hodges also appeared in eight games on special teams.
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Hodges missed his rookie season in 2023 with a knee injury and was then placed on IR in November of the 2024 season with a lower leg injury.
Reshaping the offensive line unit has been a major priority for GM James Gladstone this offseason. Doing so included making six additions between free agency and the NFL draft.
As the Jaguars search for their best starting five configuration, it feels like Jacksonville is set up this summer to lean heavily into the versatility they have up front and create a lot of competition as they stress test different combinations.
“It’s rep-to-rep, honestly,” Coen said of the roster last week via the team site. “It’s rack-to-rack is really kind of what we talk about. Getting guys in with the ones in the first rack and then slide them in with the twos with the next rack, and try to give guys opportunities, knowing they’re not truly getting judged and graded on the competition right now.
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“We always want to compete in everything that we’re doing, but ultimately, it’s about trying to create that continuity at times within the system, within the offense and defense, and the calls.”
Along with the addition of Gardeck, the Jaguars also recently signed Dawuane Smoot to further bolster their defensive end depth behind Josh Hines-Allen, Travon Walker, and Emmanuel Ogbah.
This article originally appeared on Jaguars Wire: Jaguars waive OL Cooper Hodges to make room for Dennis Gardeck signing