JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- They come from different backgrounds and different colleges. They’re different ages. Some are married and have children.

But each and every day, the Jacksonville Jaguars receivers take a moment to gather together to say a few words and a short prayer just before they step onto the practice field. It’s something the group started doing last week at the urging of veterans Arrelious Benn and Tandon Doss.

The goal is to cultivate a closeness in the group, build relationships, and foster an atmosphere of support. So far, Benn said, it’s working.

"First part of my career, I dealt with a lot of injuries and I sort of say [to the young receivers], ‘You can’t take things for granted,’" said Benn, a 2010 second-round draft pick now with his third team. "I told the guys we’re a receiver group by committee. Don’t worry about the depth chart or anything like that. We go out and execute together. Everything we do is in sync, so I just told the guys we’re going to go out five minutes earlier than everybody as a group and we’re going to give thanks to touch that field and we’re going to give thanks coming off of it every day.

"Every day, no matter what."

Benn certainly knows about not taking the ability to play football for granted. He caught 59 passes in 37 games with Tampa Bay before missing the last half of the 2012 season with shoulder and knee injuries. He was traded to Philadelphia in 2013 but missed the entire season with a torn ACL. He missed the 2014 season because of injuries as well.

Doss understands as well. He missed the 2014 season with an ankle injury after leading the NFL in punt return yardage in 2013 with Baltimore.

The Ravens receivers did something similar, and when Benn asked him about doing it in Jacksonville he was all for it.

"It’s coming together and saying a prayer and thanking the Lord for all the opportunities that we have," Doss said. "When you pray together it feels like it brings everybody close, building that bond."