Category: Injury news

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.

Dawuane Smoot ‘is feared to have’ Achilles tear, per report

Dawuane Smoot is getting an MRI today, but the fear is that he tore his Achilles last night.

Jacksonville Jaguars defensive lineman and pass rusher Dawuane Smoot may be done for the year. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, Smoot “is feared to have” a torn Achilles and is getting an MRI on Friday to confirm the severity of the injury.

Smoot, 27, went down without contact in the final minutes of a win against the New York Jets and immediately grabbed at his heel. He was eventually helped off the field by trainers, but couldn’t put weight on his leg.

The Jaguars drafted Smoot in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft and he’s spent his entire six-year career with the franchise, making him the second longest tenured player on the team after Tyler Shatley.

This season, Smoot has five sacks, bringing his career total to 22.5. He’s currently set to become a free agent in the offseason.

Smoot has been a rotational player along the defensive line and his absence would likely mean more snaps for Arden Key. The depth at the position will also be helped when No. 1 overall pick Travon Walker returns from a high ankle sprain.

Brandon Scherff injury: Jaguars RG limps off with leg injury

The Jaguars say Brandon Scherff is questionable to return from an ankle injury.

The Jacksonville Jaguars took a first half lead against the New York Jets with a 16-play, 96-yard touchdown drive, but it looked like it could’ve been a costly one.

Jaguars right guard and offensive team captain Brandon Scherff was injured near the goal line on a run play. After staying down and holding his right ankle, Scherff eventually limped off the field after being attended to by trainers.

Scherff was replaced in the game by Blake Hance and the team scored a one-yard rushing touchdown on his first play in the game. The Jaguars later announced that Scherff was questionable to return. He returned on the next drive, but it remains to be seen how healthy his ankle is after the injury.

The Jaguars signed Scherff in the offseason to a three-year, $49.5 million contract. Prior to joining Jacksonville, Scherff spent the first seven seasons of his NFL career in Washington where he earned five trips to the Pro Bowl.

Jacksonville has avoided injuries along much of the roster, but has had issues along the offensive line. Starting left guard Ben Bartch was lost for the year earlier this season and left tackle Cam Robinson suffered a torn meniscus late in the team’s win over the Dallas Cowboys in Week 15.

All 5 of Jaguars’ questionable players are active vs. Jets

All 5 of the Jaguars players listed as questionable are active tonight.

All five players that the Jacksonville Jaguars listed as questionable for a Week 16 game against the New York Jets are slated to play in the Thursday Night Football contest.

An hour and a half before kickoff, both teams released their list of inactives for the game. The Jaguars’ list included starters Travon Walker, Cam Robinson, and Folorunso Fatukasi — each of whom were ruled out by the team Wednesday.

The Jaguars listed Trevor Lawrence, Andrew Wingard, Chad Muma, Brandon Scherff, and Jawaan Taylor as questionable, but there wasn’t much doubt about any of them playing Thursday.

New York’s list didn’t have many surprises either.

Lamarcus Joyner was one of three players listed as questionable by the Jets along with Quinnen Williams and Zonovan Knight.

With Knight active, the Jets scratched former Jaguars running back James Robinson, who was traded between the teams in October. Since the deal, Robinson has appeared in four games and tallied just 85 rushing yards.

Titans QB Ryan Tannehill ‘very likely done for the season,’ per report

It looks like it’ll be up to Titans rookie Malik Willis to hold off the Jaguars in the AFC South race.

It looks as though it’ll be up to Tennessee Titans rookie quarterback Malik Willis to hold off the Jacksonville Jaguars in the AFC South.

According to Titans reporter Paul Kuharsky, veteran starting quarterback Ryan Tannehill is “very likely done for the season” due to an ankle injury that may require surgery to repair.

The Titans are currently 7-7, one game ahead of the 6-8 Jaguars in the AFC South. So long as Jacksonville doesn’t fall two or three games back in the next two weeks, the Titans and Jaguars will play for the division crown in a Week 18 matchup at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville.

Willis, a third-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, started two games earlier in the season when Tannehill was out due to injury. While the Titans went 1-1 during that stretch, Willis struggled, completing only 42.3 percent of his passes with no touchdowns and one interception.

Tannehill has been Tennessee’s starter since 2019, compiling a 36-19 record in his four seasons with the team. This season, Tannehill has 13 touchdown passes with six interceptions.

Jaguars OT Cam Robinson likely done for year with meniscus injury

The Jaguars will turn to Walker Little with Cam Robinson likely done for the year.

Jacksonville Jaguars offensive tackle Cam Robinson is “probably lost for the year” after suffering a meniscus injury Sunday, according to coach Doug Pederson.

Robinson, 27, suffered the injury in the fourth quarter on a go-ahead touchdown play when Dallas Cowboys pass rusher Micah Parsons fell into the side of his right leg.

“I hate it for him, he’s played extremely well this season,” Pederson said Monday.

Robinson was a second-round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft and played last season on the franchise tag. The Jaguars retained him again with franchise tag in 2022 and then re-signed him to a three-year, $54 million deal in April.

In 14 games this season, Robinson was credited with allowing just four sacks in 913 offensive snaps, according to Pro Football Focus.

With Robinson out of action, the Jaguars will turn to Walker Little to fill his shoes at left tackle. The 2021 second-round pick made three starts last season as a rookie and competed with Jawaan Taylor in training camp and preseason for the starting right tackle role.

Jaguars list OLB Travon Walker as inactive vs. Cowboys

Travon Walker is out of action for the first time this season due to an ankle injury.

Jacksonville Jaguars outside linebacker Travon Walker will miss the first game of his young NFL career due to an ankle injury suffered last week against the Tennessee Titans.

Walker was listed as one of five inactives for the Jaguars’ Week 15 game against the Dallas Cowboys.

On Friday, the Jaguars listed six players — including quarterback Trevor Lawrence and offensive lineman Brandon Scherff — as questionable for Sunday. All but Walker are set to play, which means linebacker Chad Muma is back after sitting out Week 14.

Among the Cowboys’ six inactive players Sunday is wide receiver T.Y. Hilton, who signed with the team earlier this week and was considered a possibility to play against the Jaguars.

The Cowboys listed safety Jayron Kearse as questionable on Friday, but he is active and set to play against the Jaguars. Dallas also activated offensive tackle Tyron Smith on Saturday and are expected to have the left tackle in the starting lineup for the first time this season after he missed the first 14 weeks due to a hamstring injury.