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Jonathan Woodard has been cleared by the Jacksonville Jaguars to participate in offseason activities. Woodard was a seventh-round pick by the Jaguars in the 2016 NFL Draft.
#Jaguars second-year defensive end Jonathan Woodard (Achilles) has been fully cleared to participate in the offseason program.
— Mike Kaye (@mike_e_kaye) May 18, 2017
Woodard going on injured reserve last year was a good scenario for both the player and the Jaguars. Woodard wasn't likely going to make the 53-man roster, but if the team tried to put him on the practice squad he could have been good enough to get signed by another team. With the move to injured reserve, the Jaguars got a year to "stash" him away and a full offseason to evaluate him.
He wasn't a well-known player coming into the 2016 NFL Draft, but Woodard was expected to compete for a spot in a rotational pass rushing role last year and will do so again this year — and the Jaguars need all the help they can get in figuring out how to fix what was a disappointing pass rush last year.