Doug Pederson Gives Explanation on Top Rookie's Healthy Scratch

Why did Maason Smith get put on the inactive list in Week 2 vs. the Cleveland Browns? Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson explained on Sunday.

(EDITOR'S NOTE: Resubmitted with alternate crop.) Jacksonville Jaguars defensive tackle Maason Smith (94) looks on during the second day of a mandatory minicamp Tuesday, June 11, 2024 at EverBank Stadium's Miller Electric Center in Jacksonville, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union] / Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK

One of the biggest surprises from the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 2 came before the first play was even run.

After Jaguars second-round pick Maason Smith played 29 (41%) of the snaps in Week 1, the top-50 pick was made a healthy scratch against the Cleveland Browns and joined the inactive list. Smith didn't show up on the injury report once during the week, making it a puzzling move.

Speaking with local media a day later, Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson said his decision to not play Smith had more to do with two other veterans in the room -- Jeremiah Ledbetter and Esezi Otomewo -- than it had to do with Smith.

"Yeah, you know, it's you got 53 players each week, and I get a chance to select the 48 and obviously I, you know, visit with the defensive staff, and it kind of goes too off of the prior week. So it's not necessarily what Mason did," Pederson said.

"I think guys like Big O and Jeremiah also had good weeks of preparation and practice and it's just an opportunity for Mason to learn and, and, you know, put himself in a position this week to try to be, to be elevated. So it was nothing that he didn't do. I just think it was a fact that that Jeremiah and Big O had opportunities to be up this week."

It was still a curious move for the Jaguars considering Ledbetter and Otomewo are two veterans with plenty of experience and Smith is a developing player who needs the reps.

It is even more curious when you consider the fact that general manager Trent Baalke openly said at the end of the 2023 season that the Jaguars need to improve their onboarding process with rookies and let them play early.

Whether Smith is active or inactive for Monday Night Football in Buffalo against the Bills in Week 3 will be telling about his current development and direction as a rookie.

With that said, the Jaguars have eight defensive tackles on their active roster, and there will not be enough snaps to go around for everybody in every given week.

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