JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Rookie running back T.J. Yeldon is among the players the Jacksonville Jaguars are holding out of Friday night's preseason opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers because of injuries.
Yeldon has a sprained left hand, which he suffered during the Jaguars' scrimmage last Saturday. Defensive end Jared Odrick (knee), defensive tackle Roy Miller (knee), cornerback Peyton Thompson (hamstring), receiver Marqise Lee (hamstring) and receiver Neal Sterling (hamstring) also won't play. The Jaguars announced on Aug. 6 that Lee would miss several weeks.
Defensive tackle Sen'Derrick Marks (knee) and safety James Sample (arm) are on the PUP list. Defensive end Chris Clemons (undisclosed) is on the active/non-football injury list.
Jaguars coach Gus Bradley said Thursday that Yeldon, who has been in a noncontact red vest all week, is doing well and the decision to hold him out relates more to pass protection than carrying the football.
Other tidbits from Bradley's news conference:
Luke Bowanko will start at center but will rotate with Stefen Wisniewski. The two have been battling to be the starter throughout camp.
There is no hard limit about how much the first-team offense and defense will be on the field but Bradley said that starters usually play a quarter to a quarter-and-a-half.
Tandon Doss and Bryan Walters will be the first two in the rotation at punt returner.
