Ellingson cut by Jaguars, looking at future options

By: Jackson Wolek / Staff Writer

When Greg Ellingson got picked up by the Jacksonville Jaguars as an undrafted free agent, there was one thing he knew before even entering camp: that the league was a business. Now he has real life experience from it.

On Aug. 29, Ellingson, along with quarterback Todd Bouman and linebacker Gerris Wilkinson, was released from the Jaguars and for the time being is not signed with any team at all.

“I got a little taste of the business, part of it I suppose,” said Ellingson, a former FIU wide receiver. “I went there, I thought I was doing well and, unfortunately, I got cut. But from what I’ve heard, two out of three of the people in the NFL on active rosters right now have been cut at one point in time.”

There is still a chance that Ellingson can play this year because he can still technically sign with another team. The benefit he has now is that instead of just college highlights to show, he has some impressive NFL preseason  highlights as well.  His 24-hour period of being on waivers is over with, and it is up to any team to sign him as a free agent.

His confidence is up because there were three players on the Jaguars receiving team that got cut before him and are already on other teams doing well, including Nate Hughes, who had a 28-yard touchdown pass for the Detroit Lions this preseason.  John Matthews, who signed with the Dolphins and Tiquan Underwood of the Patriots were the others.

Ellingson had four receptions for 41 yards in his three games for the Jaguars against Buffalo, New England and Atlanta. He had no explanation as to why he didn’t make the 82-man roster, and he wasn’t given one either.

“I didn’t really get a whole lot of explanation as to why they did it, and I’m sure they are not going to disclose whether it was for a valid reason. But they said they’re still going to consider me for a practice squad and they will let me know this upcoming week,” Ellingson said.

Time is ticking for Ellingson as the season quickly approaches, but whether he makes it this year or not, it has still been a memorable experience thus far.

What he remembers most is the flyovers before the games from the fighter jets in Jacksonville and New England and the clutch catch he had against the Falcons in the last four minutes on a third and 14 that basically sealed the victory for them.

“If anything it makes me more hungry to be there because I know that I can play since I was there everyday making plays. So it just motivates me a little more to get back on a team whether it’s starting on practice squad and working my way back up or whatever I have to do,” Ellingson said on trying to come back to the NFL.