Category: Injury news

Doug Pederson updates injuries for two Jaguars starters ahead of MNF

Doug Pederson updates injuries for two Jaguars starters ahead of MNF

Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson shared injury updates for starting tight end Evan Engram and safety/nickel cornerback Darnell Savage Jr. ahead of Jacksonville’s first practice of Week 3 before traveling to Buffalo for Monday Night Football.

Engram, who suffered a hamstring injury in the hours before kickoff in Week 2 against Cleveland, was considered “week-to-week” by Pederson on Monday. While the head coach tweaked Engram’s status to “day-by-day” Thursday, he indicated the tight end is not quite ready for a return to action.

“Evan, right now, he’s a little bit further away,” Pederson said. “So, you know, we’ll have to take it kind of day-by-day right now with him.”

Engram caught one pass for four yards in Jacksonville’s season-opener against Miami in Week 1. Starting in his place versus Cleveland was second-year Jaguars tight end Brenton Strange, who caught a career-high three passes for 65 yards on Sunday.

Pederson complimented Strange’s performance Thursday, suggesting it served as a confidence booster for the 23-year-old.

“I think it was big for Brenton. You know, that’s the type of player we know that he is, that he’s capable of being,” Pederson said. “He did some really good things, played well. Played physical too in the run game, which was good to see and he’s done that since he’s been here.

“So it just adds more to his confidence, obviously, and [he] just continues to I think grow with the offense and gets more opportunities.”

Savage also missed Jacksonville’s Week 2 matchup with Cleveland, after suffering a quadriceps injury in last Thursday’s practice that led the Jaguars to rule him out Friday.

Pederson suggested Savage will return to practice in some fashion on Thursday after not participating late last week.

“Sav, we’re going to work back into practice a little bit today and sort of get him progressed,” Pederson said. “So hopefully he is available [for Week 3].”

Without Savage available against the Browns, Andre Cisco and Antonio Johnson started the game at safety while the Jaguars’ defense operated in a 4-3 base to begin the contest.

Additionally, Jacksonville elevated cornerback Christian Braswell from its practice squad after deeming Savage out of Week 2. Braswell did not appear defensively against Cleveland, although he logged five special teams snaps.

Savage, who signed a three-year, $21.8 million free-agent contract with the Jaguars in March, tallied two defended passes in his Jacksonville debut against Miami.

Jaguars vs. Browns: Week 2 inactives

Jaguars vs. Browns: Week 2 inactives

Cleveland will be without four offensive starters against Jacksonville at “TrEverBank” Stadium in Week 2, including three key contributors listed on the Browns’ inactive list Sunday morning.

The Jaguars, meanwhile, will be without only one starter, although Jacksonville surprisingly won’t dress one of its top NFL draft picks from this past April.

Find Jacksonville’s and Cleveland’s inactive lists below.

Jacksonville Jaguars

  • S Darnell Savage Jr.
  • OL Javon Foster
  • OL Cole Van Lanen
  • DL Maason Smith
  • DL Jordan Jefferson
  • DL Tyler Lacy

Analysis: The Jaguars ruled safety Darnell Savage Jr. out of Week 2 with a quadriceps injury on Friday, their only starter who won’t play against the Browns.

Jacksonville’s second-round draft pick, defensive lineman Maason Smith, is a surprise inactive as he did not appear on the Jaguars’ injury report this week. Smith logged 29 snaps against Miami in Week 1.

Defensive tackle Tyler Lacy, who entered the weekend questionable with a toe injury, will not play. Linebacker Caleb Johnson (back), also considered questionable Friday, will be available.

Offensive lineman Cole Van Lanen and Jacksonville’s fourth-round draft picks, offensive tackle Javon Foster and defensive tackle Jordan Jefferson, are inactive for a second consecutive week.

Note: This analysis originally included defensive tackle Esezi Otomewo among Jacksonville’s inactive players. He is active for Sunday’s game. Jaguars Wire apologizes for this error. 

Cleveland Browns

  • TE David Njoku
  • OT Jedrick Wills Jr.
  • OT Jack Conklin
  • QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson (third QB)
  • CB Kahlef Hailassie
  • OG Javion Cohen
  • WR Jamari Thrash

Analysis: After the Browns ruled starting left tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. out against Jacksonville Friday, Cleveland’s offensive line was served another blow before kickoff Sunday as starting right tackle Jack Conklin also will not play.

The Browns also deemed tight end David Njoku out Wednesday, leaving Cleveland without a handful of key contributors against Jacksonville’s defense.

This pairs with star Cleveland running back Nick Chubb being on the physically unable-to-perform list and the Browns having seven players on its injured reserve.

Pederson: Another Jaguars starting DB ‘probably’ won’t play vs. Browns

Pederson: Another Jaguars starting DB ‘probably’ won’t play vs. Browns

Jaguars starting defensive back Darnell Savage Jr. is “probably” not going to play against the Browns in Week 2 as he deals with a quadriceps injury, Jacksonville head coach Doug Pederson revealed Friday.

Savage first appeared on Jacksonville’s injury report Thursday. Pederson mentioned Savage got hurt early in yesterday’s practice.

Savage, who signed a three-year, $21.8 million contract with the Jaguars in March, started his first game with Jacksonville in Week 1 and broke up two passes against Miami, playing nickel cornerback and safety.

Savage is not the only starting Jacksonville defensive back Jacksonville will likely be without in Week 2, if not beyond, as the Jaguars placed cornerback Tyson Campbell (hamstring) on their injured reserve Thursday. Campbell will miss at least four games.

Campbell recorded three tackles including one for loss against the Dolphins in Week 1. He signed a four-year, $76.5 million contract extension this July.

Pederson said he expects the Jaguars that accompany Savage on the Week 2 injury report — starting offensive tackle Cam Robinson (knee), defensive lineman Tyler Lacy (toe), linebacker Caleb Johnson (back) and safety Daniel Thomas (Achilles) — to suit up on Sunday.

Jaguars place CB Tyson Campbell on IR; make two corresponding moves

Jaguars place CB Tyson Campbell on IR; make two corresponding moves

Jacksonville placed starting cornerback Tyson Campbell on their injured reserve Thursday, allowing him to rest for at least four games as he recovers from a hamstring injury suffered against Miami in Week 1.

Campbell will be eligible for activation from the injured reserve in Week 6, before the Jaguars travel to London for two weeks, to face Chicago on Oct. 13 and New England Oct. 20.

In corresponding moves, Jacksonville signed practice squad cornerback Tre Flowers to its active roster, and filled Flowers’ practice squad vacancy by signing safety Andre Chachere.

Campbell went down after colliding with Miami’s Jaylen Waddle as the wide receiver broke outside on an extended corner route, leading the corner to exit the game. Campbell was flagged for pass interference as the pass from Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa fell incomplete.

Campbell finished with two tackles in the contest, including one for loss, a three-yard run stop against Miami running back Raheem Mostert in the third quarter.

Jacksonville signed Campbell to a four-year, $76.5 million contract extension this July, following his six-game absence last season due to multiple soft tissue injuries, to his hamstring and quadriceps.

Through 44 appearances with the Jaguars, Campbell has recorded 205 tackles including seven for loss, six interceptions, 30 defended passes and two fumble recoveries.

Backup Jaguars cornerbacks, Montaric Brown and rookie Jarrian Jones, should be expected to see an uptick in playing time with Campbell unavailable for the coming weeks. Brown logged 19 snaps against Miami in Week 1; Jones tallied 17.

The duo combined for four tackles against the Dolphins, with Brown making three.

Flowers signed with Jacksonville this offseason after spending the 2023 season with Atlanta, under former Falcons and current Jaguars defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen.

Flowers logged 59 defensive snaps with the Jaguars this preseason, posting six total tackles and two defended passes.

The 2018 fifth-round NFL draft pick by Seattle has compiled 283 tackles including four for loss, two sacks, four interceptions, 22 passes defended and five forced fumbles over 90 appearances, including 44 starts.

Chachere entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent with Houston in 2018. He jumped around practice squads with the Texans, Detroit, Arizona, Carolina and Indianapolis until joining Philadelphia in 2021 and filling core special teams roles for the Eagles for two seasons.

Chachere returned to the Cardinals as an active roster member in 2023, making five starts over 17 appearances.

In 40 games and six starts, Chachere has produced 50 tackles with one for loss and three defended passes.

Chachere is the second safety Jacksonville has added to its practice squad in recent days. The Jaguars picked up Zechariah McPhearson after Pittsburgh signed safety Terrell Edmunds away from the unit to its active roster earlier this week.

Browns rule star TE out vs. Jaguars

Browns rule star TE out vs. Jaguars

The Browns have ruled star tight end David Njoku out against the Jaguars in Week 2, Cleveland head coach Kevin Stefanski told reporters Wednesday.

Njoku is reportedly feared to have suffered a high-ankle sprain in Cleveland’s 33-17 loss to Dallas in Week 1, at the end of a 29-yard reception during the contest’s third quarter. He finished the game with four receptions for 44 yards.

“He’s out this week,” Stefanski said. “Beyond this week, I don’t really have — we’ll have to see how it goes.”

A first-round NFL draft selection by Cleveland in 2017, Njoku has ascended into the NFL’s upper echelon of receiving tight ends in recent seasons, hauling in 179 receptions over his last 47 games.

Njoku set single-season career bests with 81 catches for 882 yards and six touchdowns in 2023, over a career-high 16 starts. He is up to 291 receptions for 3,308 yards and 25 touchdowns through seven seasons and one game in the NFL.

Njoku logged six receptions for 91 yards and two touchdowns when Cleveland faced Jacksonville in Week 14 of last season, in Cleveland.

Njoku’s anticipated absence will leave the Browns without their top pass-catcher from a year ago when they face the Jaguars in Jacksonville this Sunday, one week following Cleveland’s dismal offensive showing against Dallas, when quarterback Deshaun Watson averaged 3.8 yards per passing attempt and tossed two interceptions to the Cowboys.

Jaguars CB Tyson Campbell ‘week to week’ with hamstring injury

Jaguars CB Tyson Campbell ‘week to week’ with hamstring injury

Jaguars cornerback Tyson Campbell “is going to miss some time” after suffering a hamstring injury in Jacksonville’s season-opening loss at Miami on Sunday, head coach Doug Pederson revealed Monday.

Asked if Campbell could return in time for Jacksonville’s London matchups with Chicago on Oct. 13 and New England on Oct. 20, Pederson refused to get into specifics other than acknowledging the Jaguars will monitor his status over the coming weeks.

“I’m not going to put him in a box that way. I’m not going to put any expectations on it,” Pederson said. “We’re just going to let him go week to week and see where he comes.”

Covering Dolphins pass-catcher Jaylen Waddle on an extended corner route, Campbell went down after colliding with Waddle as the receiver broke outside with a pass from quarterback Tua Tagovailoa incoming. It fell incomplete and Campbell was flagged for pass interference.

Campbell finished with two tackles in the game, including one for loss, a three-yard run stop against Miami running back Raheem Mostert in the third quarter.

Jacksonville signed Campbell to a four-year, $76.5 million contract extension this July, following his six-game absence last season due to multiple soft tissue injuries, to his hamstring and quadriceps.

Through 44 appearances with the Jaguars, Campbell has recorded 205 tackles including seven for loss, six interceptions, 30 defended passes and two fumble recoveries.

Jaguars vs. Dolphins: Week 1 inactive lists

Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Miami Dolphins: Week 1 inactive lists

The Jaguars and Dolphins have released their inactive lists ahead of their Week 1 showdown in Miami, with no surprises on either list following Friday’s injury reports and after Jacksonville ruled one player out Saturday.

Find each inactive list below.

Jacksonville won’t dress offensive linemen Cole Van Lanen and Javon Foster, defensive tackles Esezi Otomewo, Jeremiah Ledbetter and Jordan Jefferson, and safety Daniel Thomas.

The Jaguars kept 10 offensive linemen and seven defensive tackles on their debut 53-player roster for the season. The surplus allowed Jacksonville to keep five trench players inactive, including Foster and Jefferson, fourth-round 2024 NFL draft picks.

After being limited in practice throughout the week with an Achilles injury, safety Daniel Thomas was ruled out by the Jaguars on Saturday.

Jacksonville promoted safety Terrell Edmunds from the practice squad to fill in for Thomas, a core special teamer to pair with his backup safety duties. Edmunds will be active for Sunday’s matchup.

Running back Jaylen Wright, wide receiver Malik Washington, offensive lineman Andrew Meyer, linebackers Mohamed Kamara and Channing Tindall, and cornerback Ethan Bonner.

Bonner was considered a candidate for playing time for Week 1 if cornerback Jalen Ramsey, who has nursed a hamstring injury this week, was unable to play for Miami.

After not practicing Wednesday and Thursday, Ramsey was a limited participant Friday and received a questionable game designation. His status was updated hours after he signed a three-year, $72.3 million contract extension with the Dolphins.

Jaguars rule DB out vs. Dolphins, make practice squad promotion

Jaguars rule DB out vs. Dolphins, make practice squad promotion

Jacksonville downgraded safety Daniel Thomas from questionable to out of its Week 1 matchup at Miami, prompting the Jaguars to add safety Terrell Edmunds to the active roster via standard elevation from the practice squad.

Thomas had an Achilles issue and appeared on the injury report as limited all week.

While Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson expressed Thomas was coming along as the week progressed, he ultimately was not cleared in time for the Jaguars’ season opener.

“He’s progressed,” Pederson said Friday. “We had a plan for him to work himself back into practice. We’ve got another day today and then see where he’s at. But we’re optimistic and hopeful that he can play.”

The loss of Thomas is notable, as he has taken the field for approximately 60% of Jacksonville’s special teams snaps each of the last four seasons.

Thomas recorded seven tackles on special teams and appeared in 15 games in 2023.

Edmunds, a seven-year NFL veteran, was selected No. 28 overall by Pittsburgh in the 2018 NFL Draft.

After five seasons with the Steelers, Edmunds signed with Philadelphia last year. He appeared in seven games with the Eagles before being traded to the Titans in late October, finishing the 2023 campaign in Tennessee.

The 27-year-old safety signed with Jacksonville in May and was placed on the practice squad in late August.

Across his career, Edmunds has appeared in 94 games, starting 79, accumulating 446 tackles, 28 pass deflections, 17 tackles for loss and six interceptions.

Jaguars vs. Dolphins: WR Christian Kirk expected to be ‘full-go’

Jaguars vs. Dolphins: WR Christian Kirk expected to be ‘full-go’

The Jaguars anticipate a light first injury report of the 2024 campaign Wednesday.

Jacksonville head coach Doug Pederson said Monday that only backup safety and core special teamer Daniel Thomas was in recovery from injury as the club prepares for its season-opener at Miami on Sunday, and that the Jaguars are otherwise “pretty healthy at this stage.”

That includes starting Jaguars wide receiver Christian Kirk, Pederson shared Wednesday, who missed the second and third games of Jacksonville’s preseason with a minor calf injury.

“Christian’s doing well. Would expect him to be a full-go for the game,” Pederson said.

Kirk was sidelined for the final five games of Jacksonville’s 2023 season by a core muscle injury suffered in Week 13. He led the Jaguars with 787 receiving yards when he went down.

In two seasons and 29 starts since signing a four-year, $72 million free-agent deal with Jacksonville, Kirk has posted 141 receptions for 1,895 yards and 11 touchdowns. He set single-year career bests with 84 catches for 1,108 yards and eight touchdowns in 2022.

Kirk was a full participant in the Jaguars’ training camp until his injury, which occurred during Week 2 of the preseason, before joint practices and Jacksonville’s preseason matchup with Tampa Bay.

As for Thomas, Pederson suggested the Jaguars will continue to monitor his status in practice this week with a workload that will be adjusted daily.

“[Thomas] is someone that’s going to be more day-to-day. We’re going to get him out there, move him around today, see how he feels and try to ramp up his progress each day.”

Thomas, who signed a two-year contract extension with Jacksonville in March, has posted 61 tackles, one interception and two defended passes in 56 games since his 2020 fifth-round NFL draft selection by the Jaguars. He has been on the field for at least 57% of the club’s special teams snaps yearly.

Jaguars monitoring one player’s injury status entering Week 1

Jaguars monitoring one player’s injury status entering Week 1

The Jaguars are “pretty healthy at this stage,” per head coach Doug Pederson, with only safety Daniel Thomas under the injury microscope ahead of Jacksonville’s Week 1 matchup at Miami on Sunday.

Thomas suffered a foot injury during the preseason which ruled him out of Jacksonville exhibition matchups with Tampa Bay and Atlanta in August.

A fifth-round pick by Jacksonville in 2020, Thomas has appeared in 56 games and started four for the Jaguars over the last four seasons, recording 61 tackles, one interception and two defended passes and taking the field for at least 57% of the club’s special teams snaps yearly.

Thomas was one of four members of Jacksonville’s 53-player roster who did not play against the Falcons in the preseason finale, along with starters, wide receiver Christian Kirk (calf), defensive lineman Arik Armstead (knee) and linebacker Foyesade Oluokun (undisclosed).

In addition to Thomas’ injury, Jacksonville is currently without Andrew Wingard at safety as he enters the season on the injured reserve. Wingard, who continues to nurse a preseason knee injury, will be eligible for activation after Week 4.