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The NFL offseason is off and running, for better or for worse... worse if you’re one of many Illini fans who also happen to be Chicago Bears fans. That’s neither here nor there.
Yesterday brought some Dawuane Smoot news. He’s re-signing with the team that drafted him, the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Jihad Ward is a Jacksonville Jaguar
Who else joins Dawuane Smoot in Duuuval next season? The former Illini player and Baltimore Ravens defensive end, Jihad Ward. That’s right. The two former Illini teammates who played together along the defensive line at Illinois in 2014 and ‘15 now find themselves together again in the pros.
Former #Ravens DE Jihad Ward is signing with the #Jaguars, source said. His DL coach in Baltimore Joe Cullen is now the Jags DC.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 16, 2021
Ward leaving the Ravens is no surprise. He was a healthy scratch in a handful of games this season, despite putting up some pretty nice stats in limited time on the field:
Jihad Ward: three sacks in 169 pass-rush snaps in 2020 (1.8%)
— Jonas Shaffer (@jonas_shaffer) March 16, 2021
Matthew Judon: six sacks in 302 pass-rush snaps (2%)
Ward had a higher sack rate than Yannick Ngakoue, too, but was a healthy scratch in five games. He gets a fresh start in Jacksonville with familiar faces.
Like his teammate Smoot, the 6-foot-5, 287-pound defensive lineman can be used in multiple defensive schemes up front. The Jaguars are very much in rebuild mode with a new head coach and a new quarterback taking charge. Two former Illini (plus an Illini who happens to own the Jaguars in Shad Khan) will be part of that turnaround in 2021.
Justin Hardee is a New York Jet
One of the NFL’s best special teams players and a solid backup cornerback (who played wide receiver at Illinois) will be joining the New York Jets in 2021. The 3-year deal is well earned for a player who’s made a name for himself as the league’s best gunner in the punt game.
Justin Hardee has 33 career special teams tackles to only 5 missed tackles, a 6.6-to-1 ratio, more than double the 2020 NFL average (2.9-to-1)#Jets
— Michael Nania (@Michael_Nania) March 16, 2021
Any Jets fan will tell you that the special teams unit in New York was awful last year. Hardee brings instant leadership and credibility to a new coaching staff and struggling team looking to revamp a sense of toughness in that phase of the game.
Justin Hardee, Jihad Ward and Dawuane Smoot — we’ll be watching and supporting you guys throughout the NFL season! ILL!