It was a new routine that caused him to miss Jacksonville's offseason conditioning program.The All-Pro cornerback has no regrets Alex Burmistrov Jersey , though, about the time away from coaches and teammates."How do I put this the nicest way possible?" Ramsey said Tuesday after the first of a mandatory, three-day minicamp."I don't think any of my teammates had an issue because they know I was going to come back ready. But at the same time, if they did, I don't think I would
care 'cause once I get out here I know what I was doing was the right thing for
me."Ramsey worked out in Jacksonville before his first two NFL seasons and fell behind both times because of injuries."It was an offseason of getting back to the basics for me, kind of doing what got me to the position I'm in right now," he said. "It was also an offseason for
me that I kind of labeled as 'no-setback season,' just 'cause in the previous
two years I haven't even made it this far."He had surgery in May 2016 for a torn meniscus in his right knee. He had surgery last June for a sports hernia.Ramsey still managed to become the best player on a stout defense.The fifth overall pick in the 2016 draft emerged as one of the top defensive backs in the league last year, locking down No. 1 receivers on a weekly basis.
He was voted to the Pro Bowl in his second season and made the more exclusive
All-Pro team."I thought I was good in the past two years, and stay tuned," he said.Ramsey already has matchups circled months before the season, beginning with Odell Beckham Jr. of the New York Giants in the opener and continuing a few
weeks later against Kansas City's Tyreke Hill. The list also includes familiar
faces such as former teammate Allen Hurns, Houston's DeAndre Hopkins Bobby Orr Jersey , Philadelphia's Alshon Jeffery, Indianapolis' T.Y. Hilton and Pittsburgh's Antonio Brown."It's what I love, but I can't just love it," Ramsey said. "I've got to prepare for it, too, so that's what I've been doing this whole offseason. That's
what I'll continue to do."The Jaguars welcomed Ramsey back for minicamp, but coach Doug Marrone planned to work him in slowly."Jalen has worked extremely hard with training with his dad. He's anxious to go out there and say, 'I'm ready to go. Let's go,'" Marrone said. "I'm more
like, 'OK, listen, we're going to get you in there for a couple and take you
out. We just want to see where you are."The worst thing you can do as a coach is put someone out there that maybe is not ready. Not to say that Jalen is not ready, but we want to make sure that we
are doing the right thing for all of the players."Ramsey had 107 tackles Scottie Upshall Jersey , 31 pass breakups and six interceptions in his first two seasons. He's earned the respect of opponents as well as teammates,
which made his decision to skip Jacksonville's offseason program an easier
one."I know what I was doing is going to get me prepared as best as anything for the season," he said. "Once I put that out on the field, there won't be any
issues. I have a good relationship with all my teammates anyways, so if they did
they would hit me up. I did it respectful. ... I hit up people. I was like,
'Hey, yo, look, this is my plan for the offseason.'"And it's not that I felt like I owed anybody an explanation. It's just that's how we vibe. That's the locker room. ... I was like, 'Yo, I know y'all
fixin' to start it up. I'm not coming. I'm doing my thing. No worries.' They
said it right back: 'You good, bro.'"Josh Dobbs has never been cut from a team in his life, no matter the sport. The Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback
understands the streak is in jeopardy due to the indelicate politics that come
with putting together an NFL roster.
It's a reality Dobbs can live with if he has to. Then again Womens A.J. Green Jersey , after throwing for a touchdown and running for another in a 39-24 preseason victory over Carolina on Thursday night, Dobbs made
a compelling case to stick around ??be it in Pittsburgh or elsewhere in the
league."I don't really get too nervous," Dobbs said. "I don't really play that game. I know it's a stressful time. I'll just let it play itself out. That's all I can
do. I know it's not really in my hands. I feel like I've played well. Played
strong."Dobbs, fighting for one of the backup jobs behind Ben Roethlisberger, vaulted into the end zone for a 3-yard scoring run to cap Pittsburgh's first drive. He
added a 27-yard strike to Tevin Jones later in the opening quarter and finished
8 of 12 for 151 yards to cap an impressive training camp."I think it's night and day from this season to last season," said Dobbs, a fourth-round pick in 2017. "Just in total command and understanding of the
offense and then being able to go out and make plays on the field. Throughout
the preseason, I was able to make plays when I was given my opportunity. It
shows in my command, I think it shows in my play and in how the offense was able
to move up and down the field."It just might not be enough for Dobbs to stick around.Dobbs, veteran Landry Jones and rookie Mason Rudolph are all vying for a backup spot behind Ben Roethlisberger. Jones, who has played well while filling
in for Roethlisberger over the last three seasons, is likely safe. So too is
Rudolph, a third-round pick this spring who came on for Dobbs late in the first
half on Thursday and threw for a pair of touchdowns of his own.The Steelers (3-1) could keep all four quarterbacks when rosters are trimmed to 53 on Saturday Anthony Duclair Jersey , then perhaps deal one of the backups ??Dobbs being the best candidate ??to add depth elsewhere.While Dobbs stressed he loves Pittsburgh, he insisted he's not going to lose sleep trying to figure out the various scenarios."You have to focus on the task at hand, focus on the process and focus on what you can control and just keep hitting the wall," Dobbs said. "It will break
at some point."CAROLINA'S QUANDARYThe quarterback math isn't quite so complicated for the Panthers (3-1). Taylor Heincke and Garrett Gilbert have spent the last six weeks trying to gain
some separation in the fight to back up Cam Newton.Heincke started the finale and moved the ball, going 7 of 12 for 68 yards and a 6-yard touchdown to Mose Frazier. Gilbert came on in the second quarter and
was 4 of 7 for 23 yards. Rookie Kyle Allen played the entire second half,
completing 25 of 35 passes for 250 yards and a score."I think there are some good things," Rivera said. "It's tough when you are not playing with everybody, but we know that going in, it was going to be tough.
And we'll take a look at that and we will evaluate. We'll come to a conclusion
in the next couple days."SWITZER DEBUTSPittsburgh wide receiver Ryan Switzer capped a frantic 72-hour stretch by returning one punt for 9 yards and averaging 21.5 yards on two kickoff returns.
Switzer ??acquired from Oakland on Monday to bolster the Steelers' return game
??also saw a handful of snaps at receiver but was not targeted.INJURIESPanthers: RB Elijah Hood (lower body) was hurt on the opening kickoff and did not return.Steelers: S Malik Golden (knee) was carted off the field in the fourth quarter. Golden was also hurt in the 2017 preseason finale against Carolina. WR
Damoun Patterson (turf toe), LB Keith Kelsey (pectoral) and LB Olasunkanmi
Adeniyi (hamstring) also left with injuries.ANTHEMThere were no protests by players on either team during the national anthem.UP NEXTPanthers: Welcome Dallas to Bank of America Stadium for the season opener on Sept. 9.Steelers: Open at Cleveland for the second straight season when they visit the Browns on Sept. 9. http://www.officialusafootballs.com/atlanta-falcons
