Christian Kirk avoided structural damage in injured knee

Christian Kirk’s injured knee should be just fine by the time training camp rolls around in the summer.

The knee of Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Christian Kirk should be just fine when training camp begins for the 2023 season.

Kirk, 26, suffered no structural damage in his knee when he went down in the fourth quarter of the Jaguars’ 27-20 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, according to Brent Martineau of Action Sports Jax.

Although the initial injury didn’t look good, as Kirk appeared to tweak his knee without any contact made with his leg, there was optimism about the prognosis after the receiver returned to the game in the final minutes. After the loss, Kirk told reporters that initially looks from trainers indicated there was no structural damage. That was confirmed Monday when

The former Arizona Cardinals receiver signed with the Jaguars on a massive four-year, $72 million deal in free agency and lived up to that price tag by catching 84 passes for 1,108 yards and eight touchdowns in his first season in Jacksonville.

Kirk caught another 15 passes for 130 yards with two touchdowns in the Jaguars’ two playoff games.

Trevor Lawrence, 4 other questionable Jaguars active vs. Chiefs

Not that there was a question, but Trevor Lawrence is among the questionable players who is active Saturday.

There was zero concern for the Jacksonville Jaguars that the toe injury that had quarterback Trevor Lawrence listed as questionable would lead to him being inactive Saturday against the Kansas City Chiefs. His availability wasn’t made official until 90 minutes before kickoff, though.

Lawrence wasn’t on the Jaguars’ list of inactives. Neither were return specialist Jamal Agnew, guard Brandon Scherff, or center Luke Fortner, each of whom were also listed as questionable.

Of the six Jaguars players who were listed as questionable on Friday, only wide receiver Kendric Pryor — an undrafted rookie who hasn’t played a snap this season — is inactive.

For the Chiefs, there wasn’t much mystery about the team’s injury situation heading into Saturday. The only player who received an injury designation Friday was wide receiver Mecole Hardman, who was ruled out.

There was some question about whether or not running Clyde Edwards-Helaire and/or tight end Jody Fortson would be moved to the active roster in time to play Saturday. Both players have been designated to return from the injured reserve, but neither will be available to the Chiefs against the Jaguars.

Chargers downgrade WR Mike Williams to out vs. Jaguars

The Chargers downgraded WR Mike Williams from questionable to out.

The Los Angeles Chargers will be without wide receiver Mike Williams on Saturday against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

On Friday, a day ahead of the Wild Card Weekend matchup, the Chargers downgraded Williams from questionable to out. The receiver suffered a back contusion in Week 18 when Los Angeles inexplicably played its starters for the majority of a game against the Denver Broncos, despite being locked into the fifth seed in the AFC before kickoff.

While the Chargers were initially optimistic about Williams’ chances of playing Saturday, his status came into question when he missed all three practices leading up to the playoff game.

Williams, 28, finished the 2022 regular season with 63 receptions, a team-leading 895 yards, and four touchdowns. One of those touchdowns came in Week 3 against the Jaguars, although it was his only reception of the game.

The Chargers were without five-time Pro Bowl receiver Keenan Allen in that game, but will have the veteran back in action Saturday for the rematch. With Williams out of action, second-year receiver Josh Palmer will likely be in the Chargers’ starting lineup.

Los Angeles finished the regular season with the third most passing yards in the NFL.

Jaguars list all 7 questionable players as active vs. Titans

All 7 Jaguars players who were listed as questionable are good to go tonight.

All seven players who were listed as questionable by the Jacksonville Jaguars for a Week 18 matchup against the Tennessee Titans are active for the team’s Saturday night showdown for the AFC South.

It’s not too surprising as all seven players — which included quarterback Trevor Lawrence and outside linebacker Travon Walker — were expected to play in the regular season finale.

The list of inactives instead included four rookies and Jeremiah Ledbetter, who was recently promoted from the practice squad.

It’s all hands on deck for the Titans as well, with cornerback Kristian Fulton and wide receiver Treylon Burks, both of whom were listed as questionable, active Saturday.

Lawrence has been questionable for five straight games since suffering a toe sprain against the Detroit Lions, but he hasn’t missed a game. Walker missed two games due to an ankle sprain before returning last week against the Houston Texans.

The winner of the Saturday night game at TIAA Bank Field will be the AFC South champions. The Jaguars have a small chance at the postseason if they lose.

Jaguars rule all 6 questionable players active vs. Texans

All six players that were listed as questionable by the Jaguars are good to go Sunday.

All six players who were listed as questionable in the Jacksonville Jaguars’ final injury report of Week 17 are active for a road game against the Houston Texans.

That includes 2022 No. 1 pick Travon Walker, who missed the last two weeks due to an ankle sprain. Quarterback Trevor Lawrence was also listed as questionable due to a toe sprain, but there wasn’t much doubt about his status Sunday.

Instead, it’s five relatively unsurprising names on the list of inactives.

Houston’s list of inactives also didn’t have any surprises. The team ruled out two players Friday — offensive lineman Jimmy Morrissey and tight end Tegan Quitoriano — and only running back Dare Ogunbowale as questionable.

Ogunbowale is good to go Sunday against the Jaguars.

Quarterback Kyle Allen started two games for the Texans earlier this season, but has been relegated back to the bottom of the depth chart as Houston has instead employed a two-quarterback set with Davis Mills and Jeff Driskel.

Titans place Ryan Tannehill, Bud Dupree, Zach Cunningham on IR

The Jaguars will play a depleted version of the Titans in the de facto AFC South championship game next week.

The Tennessee Titans will be severely depleted when they play the Jacksonville Jaguars in the de facto AFC South championship game next week.

On Thursday, the Titans placed quarterback Ryan Tannehill, pass rusher Bud Dupree, and linebacker Zach Cunningham on the injured reserve, likely ending the season for all three players and guaranteeing they won’t play in Week 18.

Tannehill recently underwent ankle surgery, but was reportedly hopeful to return in time to play against the Jaguars, although ESPN’s Adam Schefter said that plan never had much of a chance..

Both Dupree and Cunningham were injured in the Titans’ 19-14 loss to the Houston Texans on Sunday. After the pair of linebackers sat out all three practices this week, they were ruled out for Thursday night against the Dallas Cowboys.

It looked as though the Titans were keeping players out to rest up for a Week 18 game that will decide the AFC South champion, regardless of Week 17 results. In addition to ruling out Tannehill, Dupree, and Cunningham, Tennessee is also keeping Jeffery Simmons out against the Cowboys and is likely to keep running back Derrick Henry out too.

The Titans started third-round rookie quarterback Malik Willis in three games so far this season, but reportedly plan to roll with sixth-year veteran Joshua Dobbs on Thursday. Tennessee signed Dobbs off the Detroit Lions’ practice squad last week.

Travon Walker is ‘close’ to return, says Doug Pederson

The Jaguars expect to get the 2022 No. 1 overall pick back in the lineup soon.

The Jacksonville Jaguars have been without rookie outside linebacker Travon Walker for the last two weeks, but his return isn’t far away.

“He’s close,” Jaguars coach Doug Pederson told reporters on Wednesday. “Today will be a big day, as will each day this week as we get closer to game time.”

Walker, 22, was listed as questionable for a Week 15 game against the Dallas Cowboys before he was listed as inactive. Last week, the Jaguars ruled out Walker a day ahead of their Thursday night game against the New York Jets.

On Wednesday, Walker was listed as limited in practice.

The No. 1 pick in the 2022 NFL Draft has 3.5 sacks, one interception, one forced fumble, and eight quarterback hits in 13 games this season. While he hasn’t been a consistent pass rusher so far as a rookie, the Jaguars are now thinner than ever at the defensive end and outside linebacker positions after losing Dawuane Smoot to a torn Achilles tendon.

“K’Lavon [Chaisson] will get more time, obviously Josh [Allen], Arden [Key], get Travon back, optimistic of that,” Pederson said when asked about the void left by the Smoot injury. “We’ve got those four guys that can and are going to have to fill that role.”

The Jaguars defense in 15th in the NFL in points allowed and 26th in total yards allowed.

Jaguars place Cam Robinson, Dawuane Smoot on injured reserve

The Jaguars shut down OT Cam Robinson and DL Dawuane Smoot for the rest of the season.

The Jacksonville Jaguars moved offensive lineman Cam Robinson and defensive lineman Dawuane Smoot to the injured reserve Monday, officially ending both players’ season.

That’s unsurprising for Smoot, who announced Saturday that an MRI revealed a torn Achilles tendon. The veteran defensive lineman is tied for the Jaguars team lead in sacks with five and has 22.5 sacks in the last four years. Smoot is set to become a free agent in the offseason.

Robinson’s move to injured reserve is the more surprising of the two moves after the Jaguars kept him on the active roster last week. Robinson suffered a meniscus in Week 15 against the Dallas Cowboys and Jaguars coach Doug Pederson told reporters that the offensive tackle was “gonna miss time.”

The decision to keep Robinson on the active roster through Week 16 suggested the Jaguars were holding on to slim hopes that he’d return in the postseason. That door is now closed.

Robinson, 27, was twice franchise tagged by the Jaguars before signing a three-year, $54 million contract extension in April.

The Jaguars are now relying on second-year player Walker Little to handle left tackle duties.

Dawuane Smoot confirms he tore his Achilles vs. Jets

For the second time in as many years, a Jaguars player tore his Achilles in a game at MetLife Stadium.

Defensive lineman Dawuane Smoot tore his Achilles just as the Jacksonville Jaguars initially feared.

Smoot, 27, went down in the fourth quarter of the Jaguars’ 19-3 win against the New York Jets on Thursday night and immediately reached for his heel. After getting an MRI on Friday, Smoot confirmed the injury in an Instagram post on Saturday morning.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CmjrSqYOlYe/

Smoot, a third-round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, is the most tenured Jaguars player on the team’s defense. In six seasons with the team, Smoot has 22.5 career sacks and was at five sacks in 2022 before suffering his season-ending injury.

Last season, running back James Robinson suffered a torn Achilles at MetLife Stadium during a game against the Jets. He was eventually traded to New York in October of this year.

Smoot played out his rookie contract and signed a two-year, $10 million extension with the Jaguars in March 2021. He’s currently due to become a free agent in the offseason.

Ryan Tannehill ‘doing everything he can’ to play in Week 18

Titans QB Ryan Tannehill underwent surgery, but is reportedly hoping to return for Week 18 against the Jaguars.

Tennessee Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill underwent surgery this week on his injured ankle and is “doing everything he can” to return in Week 18 for the team’s season finale against the Jacksonville Jaguars, according to a report from Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.

Previous reports indicated that Tannehill was “very likely done for the season” due to the injury, but he is reportedly determined to avoid that.

Tennessee is currently in a free fall after four straight losses opened the door for the Jaguars in the AFC South. If the Titans lose to the Houston Texans on Saturday, Jacksonville will vault ahead and take over first place in the division. It’ll be up to rookie quarterback Malik Willis to lead the way and avoid that scenario for the Titans.

Regardless, the Titans and Jaguars will play for the division title in Week 18 so long as Tennessee doesn’t win its next two games and the Jaguars don’t also lose next weekend against Houston.

Tannehill has 13 passing touchdowns, two rushing touchdowns, and six interceptions this season. Willis made two starts earlier this year and has zero passing touchdowns with one interception.