Jaguars keep
Owens around

It's probably of little consolation to Chad Owens right now, but he'll make a pretty good amount of money for someone a year out of college if he remains on the Jacksonville Jaguars practice squad the rest of this season.

Of course, the $65,800 ($4,700 per week) is paltry by NFL standards. So was his salary, the NFL minimum $230,000 per year. Owens receives a pro-rated amount for his time spent on the 53-player roster. He also got a signing bonus of $78,000.

Owens, the rookie return specialist/receiver from Hawaii, was signed to the Jaguars practice squad yesterday after he cleared waivers. Jacksonville cut the sixth-round draft pick Monday after he fumbled two punts and mishandled a third in the team's 10-3 loss at Indianapolis on Sunday.

Owens will practice with the team three days a week.

"He'll spend the rest of the time working out getting ready for his next chance," said Leo Goeas, his agent.

Owens could be recalled to the active roster or claimed by another team.

No one knows when Owens will get another opportunity after his first-half meltdown Sunday. But it's a good sign for him that the Jaguars didn't merely cut him completely loose.

"He's on the shelf, so to speak. The team wants him to regain his confidence," Goeas said. "They haven't lost faith in him. It's up to him to put this behind him now."

Owens was unavailable for comment yesterday.

Owens was replaced as punt returner by fellow rookie Alvin Pearman (the brother of Andrew Pearman, who was a teammate of Owens at UH before leaving Hawaii because of homesickness last year).