Category: DaVon Hamilton

5 players who could break out for the Jags in 2021

Josh Allen wasn’t able to match his rookie season, but with a scheme more suited to his strengths, he should make a jump in 2021.

The Jacksonville Jaguars were one of the teams who went through the most drastic of changes this offseason after winning just one game last season. However, the positive part about their 2020 roster is that it was the youngest in the NFL, meaning there is a lot of upside and nowhere to go but up.

When looking at the Jags’ roster last season, there are several names from the 2020 roster who flashed, and some who didn’t, who could look even better in 2021 thanks to the new regime. Here’s a look at five of the most important ones who could drastically improve their performances from what fans witnessed a year ago:

Jags final Week 13 injury report: D.J. Chark set to return vs. Vikings

The Jacksonville Jaguars ruled five players out and three as questionable on their final injury report for Sunday’s game against the Minnesota Vikings. Of the players ruled out, two were starters on defense in nose tackle DaVon Hamilton (knee) and …

The Jacksonville Jaguars ruled five players out and three as questionable on their final injury report for Sunday’s game against the Minnesota Vikings. Of the players ruled out, two were starters on defense in nose tackle DaVon Hamilton (knee) and cornerback Sidney Jones IV (Achilles).

Hamilton, who injured his knee Sunday against the Cleveland Browns, was expected to be ruled out despite his injury not being as severe as it initially looked. He could be placed on injured reserve soon and it wouldn’t be shocking if it happened Saturday as the team could swap him out for nose tackle Abry Jones who is awaiting activation.

Jones, on the other hand, looked like he had a chance to play Sunday after being limited in practice Wednesday and Thursday. However, he was downgraded Friday and was listed as a non-participant. With him out, the Jags could start Tre Herndon and rookie Luq Barcoo on the perimeter as they did last week.

Linebackers Dakota Allen (hamstring) and Kamalei Correa (hamstring), and tight end Ben Ellefson were the other three players ruled out.

Starting right tackle Jawaan Taylor (knee) and starting safety Jarrod Wilson (shoulder) were two of the three ruled questionable alongside veteran receiver Chris Conley (hip). All three were limited Friday so a decision will be made on them Saturday when the team travels.

If Taylor can’t play, Will Richardson will get the nod at right tackle, while Andrew Wingard would likely be called on to start for Wilson. The Jags have options they could activate from their practice squad to make up for the loss of Conley like Terry Godwin and Josh Hammond.

The biggest takeaway from the final injury report was that receiver D.J. Chark Jr was left off of it. That means he’s set to return after missing Week 12’s game, which is a huge plus for veteran quarterback Mike Glennon.

Injury news: DT Davon Hamilton carted off late in Jags’ loss to Browns

The Jags had another worrisome injury to happen on defense as Davon Hamilton was carted off with a knee injury.

The Jacksonville Jaguars came into Week 12’s game against the Cleveland Browns with several injuries shaping the roster and it appears they have one more to worry about after Sunday’s loss. Rookie nose tackle DaVon Hamilton had to be carted off late in the game with a knee injury, which ruled out any possible return against the Browns.

Hamilton was having a promising rookie season for the Jags after taking over as their No. 1 nose tackle when Abry Jones went on injured reserve. He graded as the Jags’ top player Weeks 8-9 against the Los Angeles Chargers and Houston Texans, garnering an 86.6 and an 87.9 Pro Football Focus grade, respectively, in those weeks.

Only time will tell the severity of Hamilton’s situation and we won’t speculate, but Jags coach Doug Marrone stated that his injury didn’t look good from his perspective after the game. If he’s eventually deemed out for the season, it would be terrible news for the rookie who was putting together a great year despite just registering one tackle Sunday.

The Jags already came into Sunday’s game without several key defensive players, however, with them being eliminated from playoff contention there should be no rush to get anyone back. Another positive is the fact that several young players could get some late season opportunities as we saw with corners Josiah Scott and Luq Barcoo, both of whom have been inactive much (or all) of 2020.

Browns vs. Jags: 3 keys to a Jacksonville victory

The Jags are dealing with several injuries, but have a chance to beat the Browns if their interior defensive line holds up against the run.

The Jacksonville Jaguars (1-9) limped out of their Week 11 battle against the Pittsburgh Steelers and will now be tasked with defeating another AFC North team that is playing well in the Cleveland Browns (7-3). When considering the fact that Cleveland is dealing with personnel issues of their own, too, the game is one that could be close.

If the Jags are to win, they will need several things to go their way. Here are a few keys we think could help them upset Cleveland at TIAA Bank Field Sunday:

Play keep away and get the offense going through RB James Robinson

Both the Browns and Jags will be down several key members of their rosters due to either the league’s COVID-19 protocol or injuries. That’s especially the case on defense, which oddly enough means the Browns and Jags have a chance for a shoot out.

In Jacksonville’s case, it just wouldn’t be smart to shy away from running back James Robinson Sunday afternoon, because when they do, the results aren’t all that great. He’s been phenomenal for the team, routinely breaking undrafted rookie records, and has also been the most consistent weapon for the Jags.

Robinson will enter the game with 172 carries for 762 rushing yards and five touchdowns, which is good for the highest rushing total amongst rookies and is the third-highest in the NFL. That means Sunday needs to be a 20-plus carry day for him as the Jags will be starting a new quarterback in Mike Glennon while their wounded defense is expected to allow a lot of points.

Don’t forget about the tandem of Keelan Cole and Laviska Shenault Jr.

The Jags’ receiving corps was hit hard with injuries this week as D.J. Chark Jr. (ribs) and Chris Conley (hip) were ruled out. As a result, the Jags’ receiving corps will be a group that consists of Keelan Cole Sr., Laviska Shenault Jr., Trey Quinn, and Collin Johnson.

Due to being the most experienced member of the group, Cole is going to have to rise to the occasion and lead the way — something he’s thrived at during a contract year. That shouldn’t be all that hard to do with the Browns’ pass-rush situation as Myles Garrett and Porter Gustin both are on the Reserve/ COVID-19 list.

The Jags will also need Shenault, who is coming off a hamstring injury, to help in the short passing game. Chances are Glennon will need to get the ball out of his hands quickly due to being without Andre Norwell. Who better to go to for that than Shenault, who is a monster after the catch.

The Jags interior rotation needs a strong day

The Browns’ bread and butter on offense is their run game and they will come into Sunday’s game ranked third in the league in rushing. Nick Chubb is one of the best rushers in football and will come into the game with 96 attempts for 575 rushing yards and five touchdowns. Meanwhile, his partner in crime, Kareem Hunt, will come into the game with an even higher rushing total of 644 yards.

Simply put, this means the Jags have a chance if they can stop the run. It will fall on rookies DaVon Hamilton and Doug Costin, as well as Taven Bryan. However, the trio will have their hands full with an impressive interior offensive line as Joel Bitonio, J.C. Tretter, and Wyatt Teller have Pro Football Focus grades of 83.8, 79.1, and 95.6, respectfully. Simply put, that means fans would be hard-pressed to find a better group.

Hamilton and Costin certainly won’t be intimidated, though, as Hamilton looks like the Jags’ nose tackle of the future and Costin has a 71.9 PFF grade, good for 32nd at his position. If the pair can have a day much like we saw against the Houston Texans Week 9 and avoid wearing down in the fourth quarter, this game definitely could be a close one.

Jags designate LB Shaq Quarterman, DT Abry Jones to return from injured reserve

The Jags could have their most experienced defensive lineman back from injury soon in DT Abry Jones.

While they are dealing with several defensive injuries that occurred against the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Jacksonville Jaguars could be on their way to getting back two players who could make an impact. On Wednesday, the team announced that defensive tackle Abry Jones (ankle) and linebacker Shaq Quarterman (knee) were designated to return from injured reserve.

With the Jags limping into Sunday’s game against the Cleveland Browns and being without a few defensive coaches, any help is welcomed at this point. The Jags now have 21 days to activate both or either player to the active roster.

Jones, who is the Jaguars’ most experienced lineman, went on IR on Oct. 22 before the Jags’ game against the Los Angeles Chargers. He had started in the five games prior and accumulated eight total tackles, four of which were solo.

Quarterman went on IR on Nov. 7 before the Jags’ second game against the Houston Texans. He didn’t see the field for any snaps on defense but participated in 45% of the Jags’ special teams snaps up until Week 5.

First-round rookie Davon Hamilton took over as starter for Jones and the Jags might elect to keep it that way so the veteran can ease his way back into things. As for Quarterman, his return will more so help the special teams unit, though he could see snaps on defense if the Jags keep enduring injuries.

PFF: NT DaVon Hamilton leads Jags with highest grade for second consecutive week

Davon Hamilton has been solid for the Jags these last two weeks and it’s reflected in his PFF grade.

After garnering the Jags’ highest individual Pro Football Focus grade against the Los Angeles Chargers Week 7 (86.6), rookie nose tackle DaVon Hamilton  continued his dominance Week 9 and led the way once again. According to the databases analysis, the rookie accumulated a grade of 87.9 this week against the Houston Texans. As a result, he also made PFF’s top-5 rookies list for Week 9 by Mike Renner.

Hamilton’s dominance over the last two weeks only adds to the contributions the 2020 draft class has provided the Jags when looking at names like Laviska Shenault, James Robinson, and Daniel Thomas (on special teams). His performances also should give Jags fans optimism about the future as the defensive line was a big concern heading into the regular season.

Hamilton wasn’t alone in terms of his dominance in the trenches, however, as Doug Costin (who got to start over Taven Bryan) earned an 87.9 grade figure. That actually didn’t come as a shock when looking at how he aided the team with pressuring Deshaun Watson and disrupting the run game.

If Hamilton continues to stand out, the Jags will have yet another young appealing piece to build around from their struggling defense like Myles Jack and Josh Allen. Costin also has the opportunity to prove he can be a vital part of the Jags’ defense and make the line a stronger group than they initially looked to be during the first half of the season.

Listen: Jags Wire discusses defense heading into Week 2 with ESPN’s Turron Davenport

The Jags’ defense had some standout moments against the Colts Week 1. James Johnson chatted with Turron Davenport and previewed the unit.

The Jacksonville Jaguars’ defense may have allowed 445 total yards against the Indianapolis Colts Sunday, but there were moments where they came up big. Among those who made crucial plays were Abry Jones, Myles Jack, and rookie cornerback CJ Henderson, who was nominated for the Pepsi’s Zero Sugar Rookie of the Week Award.

Heading into Week 2 they will need an even better performance, however, and especially will need to slow the run game down with Derrick Henry lining up behind the quarterback. To discuss the state of the Jags’ defense heading into Week 2, I joined ESPN 102.5 The Game of Nashville for a chat with Titans beat writer Turron Davenport via the “Talking with TD Show.”

Some specific players we discussed at included Jack, Henderson, Jones, DaVon Hamilton, Josh Allen and K’Lavon Chaisson to name a few. To listen to the full clip, just hit play below.

Takeaways from Day 3 of Jags training camp: Gardner Minshew, WRs impress

The Jacksonville Jaguars took the field for what is being considered Day 3 of training camp Friday and it was an eventful one. The team finally moved into some offense vs. defense drills through 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 drills. Here are some takeaways …

The Jacksonville Jaguars took the field for what is being considered Day 3 of training camp Friday and it was an eventful one. The team finally moved into some offense vs. defense drills through 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 drills.

Here are some takeaways those who were able to attend the session came away with as the Jags inched closer to padded practices:

Gardner Minshew and his receivers start on a high note

First and foremost, it was a great day for Gardner Minshew II and his receivers. He particularly had a good day connecting with D.J. Chark and Laviska Shenault Jr. However, Minshew’s pass of the day went to Dede Westbrook, who split linebacker Joe Schobert and safety Jarrod Wilson with a post route.

On the very next play, Minshew hit Chark with a bomb down the sidelines.

CJ Henderson flashed why he was a top-10 pick

Sure, it’s early in the process and the offense and defense have only seen reps against each other once in training camp, but CJ Henderson looked to be on a mission. The former Gators cornerback who was the No. 9 overall pick from April’s draft was sticky in coverage and fluid in terms of movement, catching the attention of all media members in attendance.

After losing shutdown corner Jalen Ramsey and a solid veteran in A.J. Bouye, the Jags are going to need Henderson to hold his own coming out of the gate in the regular season. So far, all of the traits he was praised for on film are showing up and it will be interesting to see if his performance from Friday translates to when the pads go on Monday.

Other notes and tidbits

  • With running back Ryquell Armstead still on the Reserve/COVID-19 list, it’s opened up the opportunity for others to step up behind Leonard Fournette and Chris Thompson. First Coast News’ Mia O’Brien singled out Devine Ozigbo and undrafted rookie James Robinson for showcasing their speed and agility. Robinson specifically is a player we’ve banged the table for at Jags Wire as he was a prospect who had a draftable grade on him back in May.
  • Before practice, defensive coordinator Todd Wash met with the media. Among the notable players, he discussed were rookie defensive tackle DaVon Hamilton, Josh Allen, the linebacking corps as a whole, and more.

  • After practice, both Shenault and Wilson met with the media to discuss training camp so far. Wilson also discussed the severity of COVID-19 and shared an important message about wearing a mask.

 

4 takeaways from Jags’ roster after opt out deadline

The Jags didn’t have a lot of opt outs, however, the few that they had impacted the team’s experience.

The NFL’s deadline for players to opt out officially passed at 4 p.m. EST, which now means it’s time for teams to turn their attention towards the 2020 regular season. Like most teams, the Jags were impacted to a degree, losing three veterans in linebacker and defensive end Lerentee McCray, defensive tackle Al Woods, and cornerback Rashaan Melvin for the season.

At the same time, the Jags could’ve sustained a bigger blow from their group of opt outs, as teams like the New England Patriots almost hit 10 players. All of that said, there are still some takeaways that are worth mentioning when looking at the Jags’ current roster, and here are the four that stood out the most:

Barring any changes, the Jags potentially lost their 2 oldest defensive starters

With Woods and Melvin opting out, the Jags team as a whole got a little younger. Woods was the Jags’ oldest player at 33 years-of-age, while Melvin was tied as the second oldest at 30 years-of-age with D.J. Hayden and Mike Glennon.

Barring any major moves to get replacements, the Jags could enter the season with a very young starting defense with Abry Jones (29) being the oldest player (if he beats out DaVon Hamilton). The next oldest player would be Rodney Gunter, who turned 28 in January.

DaVon Hamilton has a better chance to start now with Woods out

As mentioned above, with Woods out of the picture Hamilton and Jones are probably going to be competing to start at defensive tackle. With Jones having 47 career starts and being the team’s longest-tenured veteran, and Hamilton currently on the Reserve/COVID-19 list, Jones looks to have the advantage.

However, when Hamilton returns, he shouldn’t be counted out. While at Ohio State, the 6-foot-4, 327-pounder showed off an ability to be stout against the run and penetrate offenses.

Tre Herndon has a clear path to pick up where he left off in 2019

It initially looked as though Melvin could enter a competition to start against Tre Herndon, who started in all but two games last season. The reason for that was A.J. Bouye dealing with injuries and, of course, the Jags shipping Jalen Ramsey to the Los Angeles Rams.

In the beginning, it was a little bit of an adjustment for the second-year player, but as the season went on he got better and ultimately finished 2019 with 55 tackles and three picks. Now, with Melvin opting out, the path to becoming a starter again is clearer for Herndon, unless an undrafted rookie like Luq Barcoo comes out of the woods.

The Jags’ undrafted CBs have an increased chance to make the roster

Continuing on Barcoo, it now feels like he has a good chance to make the team although it’s more likely as the fifth cornerback. He was a highly-sought-after undrafted free-agent with a draftable grade and the competition for him seemingly was stiff because the Jags gave him a record deal.

While Barcoo has a good chance to make the final 53-man roster, there will be some competitors he’ll have to fight off in fellow undrafted rookies Amari Henderson and Kobe Williams.

Henderson is a talented corner who is battle-tested coming from the Atlantic Coast Conference where he faced elite receiver prospects like Tee Higgins and Justyn Ross.

Meanwhile, Williams totaled some impressive coverage grades while at Arizona State. In fact, according to the Sun Devil’s official site, he was ranked 30th in terms of his overall cornerback grade in 2019 and had the 27th-highest grade in coverage (82.3).

 

Report: Jags come to terms with rookie DT DaVon Hamilton

The Jacksonville Jaguars now have a fourth of their 12-man draft class signed. Per ESPN’s Field Yates, the team came to terms with one more draft pick in third-round selection Davon Hamilton, who is now the highest selection to sign. The deal is a …

The Jacksonville Jaguars now have a fourth of their 12-man draft class signed. Per ESPN’s Field Yates, the team came to terms with one more draft pick in third-round selection Davon Hamilton, who is now the highest selection to sign.

The deal is a four-year one that will present him with the chance to earn $4.82 million. According to Over the Cap, his signing bonus (worth an estimated $1,056,836) will be prorated over the span of the four years on his deal, paying him roughly $266,559 annually in addition to his base salaries.
The Jags selected Hamilton with the No. 73 overall pick to help bolster their defensive line, which has been a theme for the Jags’ current regime. At 6-foot-4, 320-pounds, Hamilton could be the player who replaces Marcell Dareus in the starting lineup but will have to battle veteran Al Woods for the spot. Even if Hamilton can’t win the job as a rookie, he certainly has the opportunity to be a starter past 2020.
As a senior at Ohio State, Hamilton was able to garner third-team All-Big Ten honors after starting in 14 games and accumulating 28 tackles (10.5 of which were for loss), and six sacks. In addition to Woods, he’ll join others like Taven Bryan, Rodney Gunter, Abry Jones, and Dontavius Russell, all of whom make for a young but talented group.
Hamilton now joins fellow rookies Shaq Quarterman, receiver Collin Johnson, and tight end Tyler Davis as members from the Jags’ 2020 class to be under contract.