Jaguars adjusting to life without Justin Blackmon

Wide receiver suspended first four games of the season

Justin Blackmon

JACKSONVILLE – Ace Sanders knows his team needs him to grow up fast.

"I've been getting a lot of reps as it is in practice and I really gotta buckle down and really learn all this stuff," Sanders said on Wednesday.

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The rookie wide receiver from South Carolina will have a bigger role this Sunday against the Chiefs as his teammate, Justin Blackmon, serves a four-game suspension for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy.

"I'm so used to seeing 14 out there, jumping around, having a good time," Sanders said. "Now, he's not there."

Thanks to a change in the NFL policy, players suspended for violating the substance abuse policy can

"He's not away from the team. He's here throughout the week so we do get to see and talk to him. Obviously he can't be around on Sundays. He can't practice with us. But we see him in the mornings. It's a difficult time but sometimes you need that to understand the actions you've chosen and that's with everybody. We've all made mistakes. And he understands that. It's time for him to get better and be ready come week 5."