The Jaguars have officially designated wide receiver Dede Westbrook for return. The team now has 21 days to activate him to the 53-man roster or otherwise shut him down for the season.
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Westbrook was placed on IR with a core injury prior to the team’s Week 1 game. The hope from the get-go was that he would be able to return midway through the season and it appears that he is on schedule.
Per league rules, each team can designate to two players to return from IR each season. If an IR-DTR player is not placed on the roster within the three week window, the bullet is still used. So, if Westbrook is not activated to the 53-man roster within 21 days for some reason, the Jaguars will have only one IR-DTR opportunity remaining.
The Jaguars could use some extra oomph on offense – they’re even said to be interested in trading for Calvin Johnson, if he’s willing to play again – so they’ll be happy to have Westbrook in the mix.
Westbrook, an Oklahoma product, was selected with a fourth-round pick in this year’s draft. He had 80 grabs for 1,524 yards and 17 scores last year, catapulting him to fourth place in Heisman voting.