Keith

Toston

Toston was supposed to be just a camp body for the Jags to use during Maurice Jones-Drew’s holdout. But he has impressed in preseason action, rushing nine times for 100 yards with a touchdown through two games. Unfortunately, the hamstring strain will likely cost Toston any chance at a roster spot.

It’s a sign that the Jaguars aren’t expecting Maurice Jones-Drew’s holdout to end anytime soon. Toston played under Jaguars running backs coach Sylvester Croom with the Rams last season. He managed just 54 yards on 19 carries.

Toston impressed in preseason action with the Jaguars, rushing for 171 yards and a touchdown on 22 carries. A hamstring injury thwarted his efforts for a roster spot. He’ll provide depth behind Rashad Jennings and Jalen Parmele with Maurice Jones-Drew (foot) out “multiple games.”

The Jaguars keep playing the roster merry-go-round with Toston. He’ll be depth behind Rashad Jennings and Jalen Parmele Sunday.

Toston was Jacksonville’s primary source of offense early in the game before a big deficit forced Chad Henne into 41 pass attempts. A borderline NFL-caliber talent, Toston was the Jaguars’ fifth starting running back of the season, following in the footsteps of Maurice Jones-Drew, Rashad Jennings, Jalen Parmele, and Montell Owens. An exclusive rights free agent in the offseason, Toston will enter 2013 as property of the Jaguars, competing for a roster spot.

Richard Murphy will apparently be the No. 2 back. As previously passed along, Montell Owens is inactive after suffering a pre-game knee injury. Toston, a journeyman former undrafted free agent out of Oklahoma State, has not carried the football since the end of the 2010 season with the Rams.

This is the third time the Jags have signed Toston in the last two months. He’ll be mere depth behind Montell Owens and Richard Murphy.

Kenneth Darby is penciled in as Steven Jackson’s backup right now, with 2009 seventh-rounder Chris Ogbonnaya in the mix. The Rams failed to draft a running back, but added Oklahoma State’s Keith Toston and Idaho’s DeMaundray Wooldridge as undrafted free agents. S-Jax will likely be without a productive fantasy handcuff once again this season.

After sitting out in Week 14, he returned to practice on a limited basis Wednesday, but it’s possible he still won’t be ready to play this weekend. It would be good for Steven Jackson’s value if Darby sits out, because S-Jax played on third downs, something often reserved for Darby, against the Saints. Keith Toston will back up S-Jax again if Darby can’t go.

Toston, who beat out Chris Ogbonnaya for the third-string job, is a player to keep an eye on for handcuffing purposes. The Rams’ leader in preseason rushing, he’d likely share work with Kenneth Darby if S-Jax went down.