Justin Blackmon isn't long for Jacksonville.
After team execs hinted the indefinitely suspended wide receiver wouldn't return in 2014, they followed up their words with action. On Tuesday, the Jaguarsgot rid of Blackmon's locker, per The Associated Press, the surest sign yet Blackmon isn't in the Jaguars' plans going forward.
The recipient of Blackmon's locker? Undrafted free-agent QB Stephen Morris, though The Florida-Times Union earlier erroneously reported that Blake Bortles received the locker.
Jaguars owner Shad Khan said it's hard to express his disappointment in Blackmon.Â
"I think it's an absolute tragedy. ... I think he's such a talented guy," Khan said, via ESPN.com. "The best years (are) ahead of him but after a while, it's out of your control."
The Jaguars had high hopes for Blackmon when they drafted him with the No. 5 overall pick in 2012, but he has to be deemed a bust at this point. However, it's not due to his talent: Blackmon is a dynamic player capable of stretching defenses.
The problem is that he hasn't been able to stay on the gridiron. He played in all 16 games his rookie season but suited up in just four contests last year after a pair of suspensions. He averaged an impressive 100 receiving yards per game over that four-game stretch.
Blackmon was banned from the first four games by the NFL for a violation of the substance-abuse policy. He followed that up with an indefinite suspension for the same violation.
He's eligible to return this season, but he first has to be reinstated by the league. It's unclear if and when that will happen, and the Jaguars might not care either way at this point.
*The "Around The League Podcast" wrapped up the draft by picking our winners and losers. *
