Pederson Explains What Stood Out to Jaguars About Pryor and Hasty

Why were JaMycal Hasty and Kendric Pryor priorities for the Jaguars? Doug Pederson elaborated on each of their skillsets and what they bring to the team on Thursday.

The Jacksonville Jaguars left the first day of the 53-man roster period light at running back and wide receiver, carrying eight combined players between the two spots. 

The Jaguars alleviated this on Wednesday, though, adding a new player to each room in Kendric Pryor and JaMycal Hasty. The Jaguars had top priority on all waiver claims and Pryor, the undrafted rookie who shined with the Bengals this preseason, and Hasty, the former San Francisco 49ers' running back, were near the top of the Jaguars' list. 

But what drew the Jaguars to each player? There is, of course, the special teams ability. Hasty has already logged 177 special teams snaps in two seasons with the 49ers.

“It plays a huge role. I think Coach and I have expressed that through the whole process – whether that is free agency or the draft," Jaguars general manager Trent Baalke said on Tuesday before the waiver wire claims were picked up. 

"The backup players on this football team and in this organization have to excel on special teams. It is going to be a prerequisite as we move forward in every decision that we make.”

"Listen, you get to this point in the season at the end of camp, and you look at, for us, too, you’ve got to look at your 48, that’s your gameday guys, then you’ve got to look at your 53, and eventually your practice squad," Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson said on Thursday. 

"We felt pretty comfortable with the 48, then we wanted to make some decisions to add some talent, specifically special teams, and we’ve talked about this, Trent and I alluded to this the other day that your back third or back few guys of your roster are core special teams players, and the guys that we’ve brought in are all that and can play special teams."

But aside from each having talent on special teams, there is also the talent they bring to the offensive depth chart as the Jaguars continue to look for young weapons in Doug Pederson's offense. 

Hasty signed with San Francisco as a rookie free agent in 2020. He has appeared 19 games in two seasons and rushed for 216 rushing yards on 55 carries and two touchdowns. He also caught 30 passes for 190 yards. 

He now gives the Jaguars a young but experienced running back to add to a room Pederson and Baalke are already high on; a room that consists of third-year back James Robinson, second-year running back Travis Etienne and rookie fifth-rounder Snoop Conner.

He also gives the Jaguars a running back with third-down ability who has already proven he can take carries in a zone-based scheme. While the Jaguars' and 49ers' running games are obviously different, they have some similar principles. 

"It does. There’s familiarity with him and within the scheme, and he’s been a third down guy for them, too, a third down back for them," Pederson said about Hasty.  "He’s been good in protection, what you’ve seen this year and in years past, a special teams type player. We’re excited to get him in here, again, he’s got game experience, a veteran player. It just adds to that room.”

"The confidence in our running back room is high, tremendously high. We’re excited where James is at, where Travis at, now you’ve got Hasty and Snoop in there, so the room is a good room, a lot of confidence in that room."

Then there is Pryor. Pryor shined for the Bengals this preseason, catching 13 passes for 182 yards (14.0 yards per catch) and one touchdown, consistently making plays at each level of the field.

Pryor caught 99 passes for 1,265 yards (12.8 yards per catch) and seven touchdowns while also rushing 40 times for 409 yards and five touchdowns during his career at Wisconsin, eventually signing with the Bengals as an undrafted free agent before joining the Jaguars this week.

Pryor's offensive skill set impressed the Jaguars enough to the point where Pederson outright said he is the lone waiver wire addition who wasn't acquired as a special teams player.

"Pryor is probably the one that doesn’t have as much [special] teams value, but he was a guy that, we still needed a receiver spot available and felt real comfortable with him, and excited for him and his opportunity to be with us along with the other guys," Pederson said. 

"I think, too, his versatility. Obviously he can play inside, but he’s an outside receiver for what he showed, just a kid that’s a hard worker. Even when you talk to some of their coaches, he’s a guy that they’ve really invested a lot of time in and a smart guy who will be able to pick up our system well and quickly, obviously as we get ready for the start of week one.”