Just three days after being escorted off a football field, Justin Blackmon can put on his uniform and start playing the sport again.
The Jacksonville Jaguars announced Monday that wide receiver Blackmon (groin) and rookie safety Johnathan Cyprien (hamstring) both were cleared for practice and placed on the active roster.
Blackmon started training camp on the active/physically unable to perform list after groin surgery during the offseason. The receiver also has been suspended the first four games of the season for violating the NFL's substance-abuse policy.
Blackmon reportedly has struggled at times with his maturity, which showed up again Friday night when he got into a yelling match with Miami Dolphins cornerback Nolan Carroll, then went back and forth with Jaguars teammate Jason Babin before Maurice Jones-Drew dragged Blackmon to the locker room. That dustup earned Blackmon some time in coach Gus Bradley's office after the game.
"We're handling it inside the building and trying to move on," Jones-Drew told The Associated Press over the weekend.
Blackmon has the bigger name, but Cyprien's status might be more important to the Jaguars. The team is counting on Cyprien to start right away and settle down a shaky-looking secondary. The rookie has the talent to be a difference-maker in the back end. And unlike Blackmon, he'll be available to play in September.
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