The NFL’s 2021 business year got off to a less promising start for former Auburn defense players, Dontavius Russell and Gabe Wright, on Wednesday.
They were launched by the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Under the command of the new coach Urban Meyer, after registering a record of 1-15 in the 2020 season, the Jaguars announced the hiring of 11 free agents, including another former Auburn highlight, safety Rudy Ford, and the acquisition of one player in a deal on Wednesday.
RUDY FORD ON THE MOVE AT NFL FREE AGENCY
Jacksonville also dismissed six players.
Neither Russell nor Wright played during the 2020 season.
The Jaguars put Russell on reserve due to injury on August 9, with a hip injury, and he missed the entire season.
After starting 49 games at Auburn, Russell joined Jacksonville as a seventh-round selection in the 2019 NFL Draft. Russell won a spot in the regular season squad at Jaguars and played three games as a rookie. During his 48 defensive plays in 2019, Russell made four tackles.
Russell had two seasons left in his four-year $ 2,603 million debutant contract, but he has already received the guaranteed part of that deal – his $ 83,184 signing bonus.
Wright signed a reserve / future contract with Jacksonville on January 4, after finishing the 2020 season on the Jaguars training team.
Wright entered the NFL as a Detroit Lions fourth-round pick in the 2015 draft. He played 15 NFL regular season games with Lions, Cleveland Browns, Miami Dolphins and Oakland Raiders, but has not played in the NFL for the past two seasons.
Last year, Wright played five games for the Houston Roughnecks before the XFL interrupted its spring season because of the coronavirus pandemic. He joined the Jacksonville training team on December 7.
Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for the Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @ AMarkG1.
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