The Jacksonville Jaguars haven't had a 1,000-yard wide receiver since Jimmy Smith's final season in 2005. In fact, Smith and Keenan McCardell are the only players in franchise history to accomplish the feat.
Cecil Shorts knows all too well, coming up 21 yards shy of 1,000 yards in his first season as a starter.
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"It bothers me. It doesn't sit well," Shorts said, via Jaguars.com. "I still feel like I have something to prove."
To be fair, Shorts didn't play in more than 50 percent of the snaps in any game until Week 7. He also missed two late-season contests with concussions. Despite the sporadic playing time and the subpar passing of Blaine Gabbert and Chad Henne, Shorts managed to finish 21st in yards among NFL wide receivers.
Showing a penchant for big plays due to his after-catch ability, Shorts' 1.47 yards per snap exceeded that of Andre Johnson, A.J. Green, Dez Bryant and Julio Jones. Gabbert and Henne combined for a 74.7 passer rating last season. On throws in Shorts' direction, that figure climbed to 94.5, good for 15th in the league according to Pro Football Focus.
With Justin Blackmon suspended four games, the Jaguars will lean even more heavily on Shorts this coming season. It's a good thing he's "raising his game steadily and looking smoother" for a second consecutive offseason. As long as he stays healthy, Shorts is a good bet to join Smith and McCardell in Jacksonville's exclusive club.
Follow Chris Wesseling on Twitter @ChrisWesseling.
