Denard Robinson entered into the NFL thinking his career as a quarterback was over. The Jacksonville Jaguars drafted the former Michigan star as a hybrid style offensive player. He took reps as a wide receiver and kick returner during the NFL combine and his Pro Day, leaving many to believe his chances at playing his former position of quarterback in the NFL was slim to none. However, as Jacksonville kicks of OTAs, Robinson has been receiving reps as a quarterback, raising questions of the future of Blaine Gabbert.
It is still very unclear if Robinson was working specific plays at quarterback or if he was working more in the read-option format. At this point, he is a very raw prospect as a NFL quarterback. He has seen success at the position during college. Last season, he threw for 1,319 yards and nine touchdowns, but he proved to be highly mobile and can handle the read-option trend happening in the league. When asked about the role of Robinson, head coach Gus Bradley simply responded by saying he did not have to speak on that.
With Robinson working in with the first-team, what does that mean for Blaine Gabbert? It is assumed that the starting job is the third-year quarterback's job to lose. In two seasons with the Jaguars, Gabbert has thrown for 3,876 yards and 21 touchdowns, failing to lead the team to any kind of success. The Jaguars draft Luke Joeckel with the idea that he would keep Gabbert off the ground and safely throwing from inside the pocket.
The likely idea is that Robinson will work in with some kind of wild cat formation while also spending time at receiver. Bradley said his plan for Robinson was to give him 10 to 15 touches per game. While Gabbert is mainly a pocket passer, Robinson could add another level to offense and allow Jacksonville to really open their playbook.
The athlete did look very impressive at rookie minicamp, leaving coaches gushing over his explosiveness and all-around speed. Joeckel even gave Robinson his vote of approval, saying he demonstrates a high amount of leadership and respect. He certainly has the abilities to bring a lot to a football, just in what capacity remains to be seen.
