Less than a week after signing Ross Blacklock to the practice squad, the Jacksonville Jaguars are elevating the defensive tackle to the active roster for Week 1, the team announced Saturday.
Blacklock, 25, was a Houston Texans second-round pick in 2020 and spent the 2022 season with the Minnesota Vikings after he was traded last August. The veteran lineman joined the Jaguars after he was waived by the Vikings in final cuts.
Jacksonville’s defensive line depth is a little thin with starting tackle DaVon Hamilton currently on the injured reserve. The team also ruled out rookie lineman Tyler Lacy on Friday due to a hip injury.
While Blacklock will provide some extra depth Sunday, the Jaguars will mostly lean on Roy Robertson-Harris, Folorunso Fatukasi, Adam Gotsis, and Jeremiah Ledbetter for the majority of the defensive line snaps against the Indianapolis Colts.
In 2020, the NFL changed the rules to allow teams the option to elevate up to two players from the practice squad to raise the roster maximum to 55 players. The Jaguars will be allowed to move Blacklock back down to the practice squad after Week 1 without exposing him to the waiver wire.
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