Liam Coen: Jaguars have ‘balanced’ practice during OTA No. 7
Jacksonville Jaguars HC Liam Coen said the team had a cleaner practice during OTA No. 7.
The Jacksonville Jaguars have waived former sixth-round pick guard Cooper Hodges with a failed physical designation. Hodges sustained back-to-back devastating knee injuries since being drafted in 2023.
The Baker County native was thought to be an eventual successor to veteran right guard Brandon Scherff, however, his career in Jacksonville was limited to just 63 snaps. Teams will have 24 hours to claim Hodges. If he’s not claimed, Hodges will become a free agent.
The team made the move official Wednesday evening, signing former Arizona Cardinals outside linebacker Dennis Gardeck. Jacksonville reunited with defensive end Dawuane Smoot on Tuesday.
Gardeck, 30, signed with Arizona as an undrafted free agent out of Sioux Falls following the 2018 NFL Draft. Gardeck played in 96 games for the Cardinals, starting 17. He’s totaled 17 sacks, 256 tackles, 23 tackles for loss and 35 quarterback hits throughout his career.
Gardeck totaled a career-high seven sacks with just 94 defensive snaps played in 2020. He nearly reached that mark in 2023 with six sacks. He totaled three sacks last season in just seven games before sustaining a torn ACL, forcing him to miss the rest of the season.
Demetrius Harvey is the Jacksonville Jaguars reporter for the Florida Times-Union. You can follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @Demetrius82 or on Bluesky @ Demetrius.
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