Nate

Hughes

Hughes dropped two easy touchdown passes in the team’s Week 2 loss to the Cardinals. The undrafted free agent came to the Jags in 2008 and had emerged as the No. 3 receiver thanks to injuries. Now he’ll hit the waiver wire. With Troy Williamson out for the season, Mike Sims-Walker is the clear No. 2 receiver in Jacksonville.

Hughes dropped the ball at the goal-line after getting drilled in the helmet, and Torry Holt promptly picked it up for a touchdown. With Mike Sims-Walker and Mike Thomas out, Hughes has been running as the Jaguars’ No. 3 receiver.

He could be back on the 53-man roster later on if injuries strike Mike Sims-Walker and company. Hughes began the season as Jacksonville’s surprise third receiver, but two ugly end-zone drops in Week 2 got him waived.

Hughes was cut in September after dropping two potential touchdown passes in a loss to the Cardinals. He’s getting a second chance with Jarett Dillard (broken ankle) out for the season.

Hughes will go to the offseason with Jacksonville and will be given a shot to make the 2009 ballclub. However, he wasn’t much of a receiver in college at Alcorn State. Hughes’ upside is as a fourth receiver/punt returner.

The Florida Times Union suggests Hughes had been in the mix for the Jags’ No. 2 receiver job, but that isn’t realistic. The drop-prone former undrafted free agent would’ve been lucky just to have cracked the final 53. Hughes tore the labrum in his shoulder and won’t be available this season.

Beat writer Dave Birkett suggests Hughes as a practice squad candidate after a respectable camp. He hurt himself with a lost fumble in the preseason finale.

It was about time the Jags washed their hands of Hughes, who was a nightmare in a Week 2 spot appearance two years ago with two dropped TDs, and missed all of 2010 with a torn labrum in his shoulder. He doesn’t have a future in the league.

The Lions are throwing names against the wall at fifth receiver, hoping one of Hughes, Derrick Williams, Maurice Stovall, or Rashied Davis will stick. Hughes is the longest shot of the bunch. Detroit also claimed OG Greg Niland off waivers from the Cardinals.

Fourth-rounder Mike Thomas, now practicing after missing training camp with a hamstring injury, is probably a lock. Tiquan Underwood is a prime practice squad candidate, so it could be Dillard vs. Nate Hughes for the final spot. The game has “slowed down” for Dillard the past couple of weeks, and he’s a better talent than Hughes.