Update: A day after releasing him on roster cutdown day, the Jacksonville Jaguars signed Josh Pederson to their practice squad on Wednesday, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports.
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NFL football is a brutal business. Sometimes more than others.
One of those times was Tuesday, when NFL teams faced a deadline to cut their rosters down to 53 players. In Jacksonville, that meant head coach Doug Pederson cut his own son.
The Jaguars signed USFL tight end Josh Pederson in July to provide depth during training camp and the preseason. They declined to note upon signing him that he is, indeed, Doug’s son. They also declined to note that he’s Doug’s son on Tuesday, when they listed Josh’s name among others who saw their Jaguars dreams come to an end.
But he is Doug’s son. And now he’s looking for a new gig, thanks to his dad’s decision. Tough break.
Josh, 25, has never played an NFL snap. He played four years of tight end for Louisiana-Monroe and went undrafted in 2020. He joined the Houston Rattlers of the revamped USFL in the league’s second season this spring before getting a shot with his dad’s Jaguars in the summer.
Evan Engram, Luke Farrell, Brenton Strange and Leonard Tyrell all stood ahead of Pederson on the Jaguars’ depth chart. In three preseason games, Pederson recorded zero catches and one bad snap when called upon for emergency long-snapping duty on a punt.
It’s not like he stood out as a viable candidate to make the initial 53-man roster. But still. That’s a tough spot for both father and son.
At least Doug can’t be accused of nepotism.
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