National Football League

Jaguars' MJD cleared to practice

Published Jul. 23, 2013 1:00 a.m. ET

foxsports

Jaguars running back Maurice Jones-Drew has been cleared by team doctors to begin practice on Friday when the Jaguars hold their first training camp practice.

Jones-Drew had surgery last December to correct the Lisfranc injury that caused him to miss the final 10 games in 2012. He missed all of the team's offseason workouts and OTAs in the spring, but had vowed he would be ready for the start of training camp.

Jacksonville coach Gus Bradley, in declaring that the NFL's leading rusher in 2011 had been cleared, says the team will be smart with how they use him during camp and preseason games. They will ''bring him along slowly.''

Jones-Drew says he has lost some additional weight and that he is now working to get into football shape.