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          Former first-round pick Bjoern Werner among Jaguars' cuts

          • Michael DiRocco, ESPN Staff WriterAug 30, 2016, 02:31 PM
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              Michael DiRocco is an NFL reporter at ESPN. DiRocco covers the Jacksonville Jaguars. He previously covered the University of Florida for over a decade for ESPN.com and Florida Times-Union. DiRocco graduated from Jacksonville University and is a multiple APSE award winner. You can follow DiRocco on Twitter at @ESPNdirocco.
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          JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The Jacksonville Jaguars cut 11 players, placed two on injured reserve and put two others on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list on Monday and Tuesday, trimming their roster to the NFL-mandated 75 players. Here’s a closer look at the first cuts:

          Most significant move: The only mild surprise was S James Sample being put on injured reserve because of a shoulder injury for the second consecutive season. The team’s fourth-round draft pick in 2015 has played in only four games and has had two shoulder injuries and a fractured forearm. Sample was expected to compete with Johnathan Cyprien in camp to be the starting free safety but never built on his work during OTAs and got hurt in the first preseason game against the New York Jets.

          Werner gone: As expected, the Jaguars cut former Indianapolis first-round pick Bjoern Werner. The team signed him in May (two months after Indianapolis cut him), but he was unimpressive in camp and was surpassed by rookie sixth-round pick Tyrone Holmes. Werner was the 24th overall pick in 2013 and had just 6.5 sacks in 38 games with the Colts. He made just 16 starts in three seasons.

          WR battle: The release of wide receivers Shaq Evans and Jamal Robinson means five players will be battling to be the team’s fifth receiver: Bryan Walters, Arrelious Benn, Tony Washington, Shane Wynn and Rashad Lawrence. Walters is arguably the favorite, but Benn and Washington are pretty close. Benn had all but locked up a spot last year before suffering a broken collarbone in the second preseason game, an injury that landed him on injured reserve. Wynn is a sleeper. He’s only 5-foot-6, 166 pounds, but he’s quick and elusive with good hands. The Jaguars are intrigued by his skill set, but it will be hard for him to make it over Walters or Benn. He’s a practice-squad candidate, though.

          Jaguars' moves: LB Joplo Bartu, WR Shaq Evans, K Sam Ficken, CB Mike Hilton, RB Cameron Marshall, CB Demetrius McCray, P Ryan Quigley, WR Jamal Robinson, TE Nic Jacobs, DE Bjoern Werner, S Earl Wolf (waived/injured) were cut. S James Sample (shoulder) and OL Jeff Linkenbach (concussion) were placed on injured reserve. OL Luke Bowanko and DL Jonathan Woodard were placed on PUP.