Tag: Andrew Wingard

Jaguars activate S Andrew Wingard from injured reserve

Jaguars activate S Andrew Wingard from injured reserve

The Jaguars activated safety Andrew Wingard from the injured reserve Saturday, allowing him to make his 2024 season debut when Jacksonville faces the Minnesota Vikings at home in Week 10.

Wingard returned to practice in Week 8 after landing on the injured reserve in August. He hurt his knee during training camp in July and missed Jacksonville’s entire preseason.

Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson on Wednesday expressed his expectation that Wingard would return to action this week.

“I expect him to play,” Pederson said. “This obviously is [the] last week of the three-week window, so he’s feeling good. We’ll get him out there today, tomorrow, Friday, and go. But I do. My expectation, and his expectation is to play.”

Wingard signed with Jacksonville as an undrafted free agent out of Wyoming in 2019 and has stuck with the team ever since, primarily in a core special teams role with frequent defensive playing time. He signed a three-year, $9.6 million contract extension with the Jaguars in 2023.

In 78 games including 26 starts, Wingard has logged 250 tackles including eight for loss, two sacks, five interceptions, nine defended passes and three forced fumbles.

Jacksonville vs. Minnesota is scheduled to kick off at 1:00 p.m. ET Sunday at EverBank Stadium.

Jaguars injury updates: Will Tank Bigsby, and Travis Etienne Jr. play vs. Eagles in Week 9?

The Jacksonville Jaguars are expected to have Tank Bigsby, Travis Etienne Jr., and Gabe Davis available for the Week 9 game at the Eagles

The Jaguars (2-6) are in Philadelphia for another Doug Pederson homecoming, and they’ll have critical reinforcements available on offense for the matchup against the Eagles (5-2) on Sunday.

Jacksonville running backs Tank Bigsby (ankle) and Travis Etienne Jr. (hamstring) are both likely to play today, barring a setback, Ian Rapoport reports.

Rookie wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. (chest) will be a game-time decision, while veteran passes catcher Gabe Davis (shoulder) is more of a long shot.

The Jaguars lost to the Green Bay Packers, 30-27, at EverBank Stadium this past Sunday. Jacksonville sustained many injuries, including a season-ending collarbone injury to veteran wide receiver and leader Christian Kirk.

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Jaguars have seven key starters or contributors listed as questionable vs. Eagles

Jaguars have seven key starters or contributors listed as questionable vs. Eagles

Doug Pederson is coming home, and his Jaguars (2-6) will have their hands full against the Philadelphia Eagles (5-2) on Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pa.

The Jaguars lost to the Green Bay Packers, 30-27, at EverBank Stadium this past Sunday. Jacksonville sustained many injuries, including a season-ending collarbone injury to veteran wide receiver and leader Christian Kirk.

Jacksonville just released their final injury report, and five players are listed as questionable, while three others were ruled out.

Left guard Ezra Cleveland missed practice the last two days, and the team’s two other top receivers in addition to Kirk – rookie Brian Thomas Jr. and veteran Gabe Davis – were limited in practice this week.

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What are the chances Jaguars’ Oluokun, Wingard play vs. Packers?

What are the chances Jaguars’ Oluokun, Wingard play vs. Packers?

Jacksonville head coach Doug Pederson called the chances of Jaguars linebacker Foyesade Oluokun and safety Andrew Wingard playing against the Green Bay Packers in Week 8 “good” on Wednesday.

Oluokun (foot) and Wingard (knee) are designated to return from the injured reserve and both had their 21-day practice windows opened on Tuesday.

Asked about each player’s odds of playing Sunday, Pederson expressed optimism but added that their statuses will be monitored in practice this week.

“Good. It just means that we’ve opened their window and they can practice now with the team and not on the side with the trainers,” Pederson said.

“So we’ll see each day how they do, how they get back out there and do more football movement. If it looks good, great. If not, we go another week and see next week.”

In addition to opening Oluokun and Wingard’s practice windows, the Jaguars released cornerback Tre Flowers on Tuesday.

Paired with defensive lineman Roy Robertson-Harris being traded to Seattle last week, Jacksonville’s active roster currently stands at 51 players, leaving room for Oluokon and Wingard to be activated before game day.

Oluokun led the Jaguars’ defense with 22 total tackles on the season before suffering his injury in Week 3 against Buffalo. Since signing with Jacksonville in 2022, he has recorded 379 tackles with 23 for loss and 5.5 sacks, one interception, 13 defended passes and three forced fumbles.

Wingard has posted 250 tackles including eight for loss, two sacks, five interceptions, nine defended passes and three forced fumbles in 78 appearances since signing with the Jaguars as an undrafted free agent in 2019. He hurt his knee during training camp in July.

Jaguars open practice windows for Oluokun, Wingard; release CB

Jaguars open practice windows for Oluokun, Wingard; release CB

The Jaguars made a trio of roster moves Tuesday, opening the 21-day injured reserve practice windows for linebacker Foyesade Oluokun and safety Andrew Wingard, and releasing cornerback Tre Flowers.

Oluokun was designated to return from the injured reserve on Tuesday. Wingard, who was placed on the reserve during the preseason, was designated to return in August.

Oluokun, Jacksonville’s starting middle linebacker, led the Jaguars in tackles with 22 on the season when he went down with a foot injury against Buffalo in Week 3, leading to his placement on the injured reserve.

Since signing with Jacksonville in 2022, Oluokun has collected 379 tackles with 23 for loss and 5.5 sacks, one interception, 13 defended passes and three forced fumbles.

Wingard suffered a knee injury during one of the Jaguars’ July training camp practices, leading him to miss Jacksonville’s three preseason games and the first seven weeks of the season.

An undrafted signee by Jacksonville in 2019, Wingard stuck with the club and has compiled 250 tackles including eight for loss, two sacks, five interceptions, nine defended passes and three forced fumbles in 78 appearances including 26 defensive starts.

Flowers began the season on Jacksonville’s practice squad but was signed to the active roster in Week 2 when starting cornerback Tyson Campbell was placed on the injured reserve.

Flowers appeared in four games and made three tackles. His release follows Campbell’s return from the reserve in Week 7.

The Jaguars’ active roster currently stands at 51 players.

Pederson: Jaguars S Andrew Wingard’s injury will extend into season

Pederson: Jaguars S Andrew Wingard’s injury will extend into season

Jaguars safety Andrew Wingard is likely to miss the first few weeks of the 2024 season while recovering from a knee injury suffered in training camp, Jacksonville head coach Doug Pederson revealed Monday.

Jacksonville reunited with veteran and former Jaguars starting safety Tashaun Gipson Sr. on Sunday, signing him to a one-year contract. Pederson suggested the move was related to Wingard’s status.

“I don’t want to put him in a box or label [Wingard]. But you know, it’ll definitely be some time,” Pederson said. “At least the first few games, possibly.”

Wingard joined the Jaguars as an undrafted free agent from Wyoming in 2019 and developed into a reliable special teamer and depth safety. He inked a three-year, $9.6 million contract extension with the club last year.

Over 78 appearances including 26 defensive starts with Jacksonville, Wingard has accumulated 250 tackles including eight for loss, two sacks, five interceptions, nine defended passes and three forced fumbles.

Gipson, who started 48 games for the Jaguars between 2016-18, is expected to fill a depth role in Jacksonville’s secondary while Wingard is out.

Pederson noted that Gipson will be sidelined on a timeline similar to Wingard’s if he makes Jacksonville’s 53-man roster. Gipson faces a six-game suspension to begin the 2024 season for violating the NFL’s performance-enhancing drug policy but is eligible to practice and play in the preseason.

“Well, I mean, when you think about Dewey’s situation and Tashaun’s situation, they’re very similar because they’ll probably miss about the same time. And I’m saying that to say, you know, obviously Tashaun making the 53 and things of that nature at the end of camp,” Pederson explained.

“But for us too, it’s a veteran player that we’re familiar with who gives us more depth, gives us an opportunity at safety that right now kind of fills a spot. We’ve got some young safeties that are playing well and Savage right now is not cleared for contact yet, as much. So, just gives you another veteran body and some competition and I’m looking forward to getting him out there.”

Gipson recorded 159 tackles including five for loss, six interceptions, 16 defended passes and one fumble recovery in three years with the Jaguars.

He has logged 684 tackles with 18 for loss, 2.5 sacks, 33 interceptions including three pick-sixes, 68 defended passes, one forced fumble and three fumble recoveries in his 12-season NFL career.

The Jaguars are holding their 14th open training camp practice Monday. They’ll return to the Miller Electric Center Wednesday and Thursday for their final open dates, when Jacksonville hosts Tampa Bay, its Week 2 preseason opponent, for joint practices.

Jaguars S Andrew Wingard ‘out a while’ after training camp injury

Jaguars S Andrew Wingard ‘out a while’ after training camp injury

Jaguars safety Andrew Wingard is expected to miss “some significant time” during Jacksonville’s 2024 training camp as he nurses a knee injury suffered on Day 6 of practices, head coach Doug Pederson shared Friday.

“Dewey [Wingard] has the knee right now and he’s going to be out a while. Don’t know the timeframe yet but he’ll miss some significant time here in camp,” Pederson said, expressing uncertainty about the safety’s availability for Week 1 of the regular season in early September.

“We’re going to talk some more about that as a medical staff, you know, and find out and just see what his timeframe is,” said Pederson.

An undrafted prospect from Wyoming, Wingard joined the Jaguars following the 2019 NFL draft and has since spent five seasons with the team. He earned a three-year, $9.6 million contract extension from the club in March 2023.

In 78 appearances including 26 defensive starts with Jacksonville, Wingard has accumulated 250 tackles including eight for loss, two sacks, five interceptions, nine defended passes and three forced fumbles.

A core Jaguars special teamer, Wingard has been on the field for at least 64% of Jacksonville’s special teams snaps in all but one season with the team, 2021, when he made 15 starts defensively.

Wingard was an early standout in Jacksonville’s training camp. He intercepted three passes from Trevor Lawrence between Days 2-3, including two picks in team drills, which Jaguars offensive coordinator Press Taylor described as “coaching opportunities” for the quarterback.

“I felt like one, [Lawrence] was probably late to a throw, left it inside, Dewey made a great play in the corner of the endzone,” Taylor described July 26.

“Another one was a naked [bootleg play-call], [Lawrence] thought there was going to be a pressure, he pulls up on a naked, which is not something we typically do. But he thought he saw something, he didn’t.” 

Without Wingard available, Jacksonville’s safety room currently consists of six healthy contributors: Andre Cisco, Darnell Savage, Antonio Johnson, Daniel Thomas, Terrell Edmunds and Josh Proctor.

Jaguars 2024 positional outlook: Safety

Jaguars spent 2023 ‘looking for that spark’ that never came

The Jaguars kept waiting to find a spark and a fire down the stretch, but never found it.

An 8-3 start to the 2023 season was flushed down the drain by the Jacksonville Jaguars. After a four-game losing streak in December put the team’s postseason hopes in jeopardy, those hopes officially went down in flames in a season finale loss to the Tennessee Titans.

In just about every way, 2023 was the polar opposite of the team’s storybook 2022 season. Jacksonville entered that year with low expectations after back-to-back last place finishes and stumbled its way to a 4-8 record through 13 weeks. But the season was saved by a five-game win streak that vaulted the Jaguars into the playoffs as an unlikely Cinderella story.

“Last year, it was like we had a spark,” Jaguars outside linebacker Josh Allen said Sunday after the team’s 28-20 loss. “We had a fire. We had a determination. We had a want. This year, we were looking for that spark. And we never got that lit. We have to figure out if we do have one, and if we don’t one, we need to find a way to win games.”

“It was easy last year when there was no expectation or you’re in last place. It’s easy,” safety Andrew Wingard said. “It’s super easy when you’ve got nothing to lose. I’ve been in that situation. It’s easy to not care and go play your best ball because you’re free.”

The result was a Jaguars team that collapsed in two primetime matchups against the Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Ravens with a chance to establish itself as an AFC powerhouse. Then it couldn’t right the ship when the losses started to stack up.

“The thing is, you can’t sit around and wait for a spark,” Jaguars coach Doug Pederson said. “You got to be the spark, right? That’s either me being it, or Josh [Allen] being it, or Trevor [Lawrence] being it or something when that other team catches fire. That’s all part of learning how to win, learning how to do things right repeatedly week in and week out.”

That was a lesson the Jaguars hoped they could learn on the fly, but couldn’t figure out in time to salvage a 2023 season that will be remembered as one of the team’s most frustrating years.

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Jaguars PFF grades: Best and worst performers vs. Steelers

Trevor Lawrence, Folorunso Fatukasi, and Andrew Wingard were the Jaguars’ best players Sunday, according to PFF.

The Jacksonville Jaguars rolled through another opponent, making it five straight wins with a 20-10 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 8.

The formula for the Jaguars was familiar. The team’s talented offense made a lot of impressive plays, but left way too many points on the field and cost itself chances with significant errors. The unheralded defense once again came to the rescue with an excellent showing.

Who was most to blame for the Jaguars’ underwhelming offensive showing? And who deserves the most credit for the defense’s shutdown performance?

Here are the players who received the highest and lowest marks in the grades from Pro Football Focus:

Studs and duds in the Jaguars’ 20-10 win vs. Steelers

Who stood out most in the Jaguars’ fifth straight win?

The Jacksonville Jaguars turned the ball over three times and failed to score a touchdown on three trips to the red zone, yet still managed to pick up a fifth straight win Sunday.

With a 20-10 win against the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Jaguars are rolling into a much-needed Week 9 bye with a 6-2 record, a hefty lead in the AFC South, and a share of first place in the AFC.

Not much is going wrong in Duval, but the Jaguars aren’t quite blowing out teams either. Against a Steelers team that went three-and-out on its first four possessions and turned the ball over on its last three, why was the game in contention so long?

The positives certainly outweigh the negatives for the Jaguars, but the latter isn’t non-existent. Here’s who stood out most in the team’s Week 8 win at Acrisure Stadium: