Mincey in focus

When the Jaguars visit the Patriots on Saturday night, defensive end Jeremy Mincey will return to face the team that drafted him. Mincey was a sixth-round draft choice of the Patriots in 2006. He was cut at the end of '06 training camp.

Mincey went on to sign with the 49ers practice squad Sept. 4, 2006, and spent almost the entire season there, until the Jaguars signed him to the active roster Dec. 14.

The former University of Florida product opened the 2007 season on the Jaguars practice squad, before being signed to the active roster Nov. 8. He played in the team's six final regular season games, and also had a sack in the Jaguars' wild-card victory over the Steelers.

The 6-foot-3, 260-pound Mincey was making a transition from defensive end to 3-4 outside linebacker with the Patriots. Rookie free agent Pierre Woods had outplayed him in training camp.

"I fell short of making the team and I think a big reason was that it was hard for me to learn the linebacker position," Mincey said of his time with the Patriots. "It was just coverages. I had the ability to be physical, which you had to be at that position, but it was hard to come back from defensive end, where I didn't see the whole picture. All I saw at end was rushing and stopping the run. I thought I’d get a little more time to develop but it just wasn't meant to be for me."

The Jaguars play a 4-3 and Mincey is strictly a defensive end.

"I'm more in my element now," he said.