Tag: Cooper Hodges

Jaguars place OL Cooper Hodges on injured reserve

Jaguars place OL Cooper Hodges on injured reserve

The Jacksonville Jaguars placed second-year offensive lineman Cooper Hodges on their injured reserve Monday, effectively ending his season after he suffered a leg injury against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday.

Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson said earlier Monday that Hodges’ injury would “probably” bring his year to an end.

“That was a significant leg injury during the game,” Pederson said Monday. “We’ll miss him.”

Hodges got hurt on Jacksonville’s two-point conversion to make the score 22-16 with just over five minutes left in the third quarter. He was transported to a hospital in Philadelphia after being carted off the field.

From Glen St. Mary, Fla., just outside Jacksonville, Hodges was the Jaguars’ No. 226 overall pick in the seventh round of the 2023 NFL draft, out of Appalachian State.

Hodges missed his entire rookie season after dislocating his right kneecap against the Dallas Cowboys during the 2023 preseason. He appeared in nine games this year and made the first start of his career Sunday, filling in for injured starting left guard Ezra Cleveland.

Pederson updates Jaguars OL Cooper Hodges’ ‘significant’ leg injury

Pederson updates Jaguars OL Cooper Hodges’ ‘significant’ leg injury

Jaguars offensive lineman Cooper Hodges, who made the first start of his NFL career Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles, “probably” suffered a season-ending leg injury in the game, Jacksonville head coach Doug Pederson revealed on Monday.

Pederson did not offer specifics about the injury.

Hodges went down on Jacksonville’s successful two-point conversion with just over five minutes left in the third quarter and was carted off the field. Pederson said after the game that Hodges was transported to a hospital.

“That was a significant leg injury during the game,” Pederson said Monday. “We’ll miss him.”

Hodges, a seventh-round NFL draft pick by Jacksonville in 2023 and a native of nearby Glen St. Mary, has appeared in nine games with the Jaguars and filled in for left guard Ezra Cleveland against the Eagles and when the starter suffered an ankle injury against the Green Bay Packers in Week 8.

Blake Hance, who signed to Jacksonville’s active roster from its practice squad last week, took over at left guard upon Hodges’ exit from the game.

Doug Pederson updates injury statuses for trio of second-year Jaguars

Doug Pederson updates injury statuses for trio of second-year Jaguars

While NFL rules allowed nine-season NFL veteran Jarvis Landry to participate in Jaguars rookie minicamp this month, three rising second-year players, including two who did not appear in a single game as a rookie, were unable to work out in the same setting this offseason with Jacksonville.

Still, Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson is encouraged by the recoveries from injury of 2023 draft picks, linebacker Ventrell Miller (fourth round), cornerback Christian Braswell (sixth round) and offensive lineman Cooper Hodges (seventh round).

Each player ended their rookie campaign on the injured reserve, prohibiting them from taking part in camp between Friday and Saturday, although they have been active in other voluntary team activities.

“Because they’re on IR, they get a pension credit, so they can’t be a part of the rookie minicamp, which is kind of interesting,” Pederson said.

“All three of them have been able to work,” he added.

Of the three, only Braswell took the field for Jacksonville in 2023. He appeared in three games and logged nine snaps exclusively on special teams, before his season effectively ended in October when he suffered a hamstring injury.

Miller missed all of 2023 after rupturing his right Achilles tendon during the preseason. Hodges similarly was hurt before the season began, hindered by a patella injury that required surgery.

In April, Pederson noted that Miller and Hodges had made a strong enough impression last offseason that they were on track for playing time as rookies. He believes that, so long as each player is healthy, they’ll have an opportunity to contribute in year two.

“Ventrell’s doing extremely well. He’s healthy and he’s moving around really well. He’s competing and doing some really good things out there,” Pederson said. “Cooper and Christian, they’re doing really well. All three of those guys have really done a great job doing their rehab this offseason so far.”

Jaguars OL Cooper Hodges reportedly underwent knee surgery

Cooper Hodges never returned from his preseason knee injury because it eventually required surgery.

It seemed like Cooper Hodges would only be temporarily sidelined when he was injured in preseason. Instead, the Jacksonville Jaguars’ seventh-round pick missed his entire rookie season on the team’s injured reserve without much of a whisper about a potential return.

According to Jaguars team reporter John Oehser, Hodges never made his return in 2023 because the patella injury he suffered eventually required surgery.

The Jaguars liked him very much – enough to keep him on the active roster entering the regular season even though he was going to start the season on injured reserve with a patella injury. That meant he took a roster spot. He eventually underwent surgery and missed the entire season. My thought is he likely would have played – and perhaps started – at some point this past season. We don’t know for certain how he would have fared. I expect he will enter the offseason and camp with a chance to contribute or start.

Hodges, 23, was making a strong impression in training camp before suffering a going down in the Jaguars’ second preseason game. The initial prognosis for Hodges wasn’t too severe with Doug Pederson telling reporters in August that the lineman was “going to miss a little time.”

“He’s still on track,” Pederson said on Oct. 9. “He’s not necessarily ready to put a lot of load-bearing weight on that knee right now, but he’s another one that’s getting close.”

The Jaguars’ depth on the interior offensive line was tested often in 2023 with Walker Little, Ben Bartch, Tyler Shatley, Ezra Cleveland, and Blake Hance all seeing time at left guard. It seems likely that Hodges would’ve been inserted into the lineup at some point late in the year if he’d been able to return.

Addressing the team’s offensive line woes will be a top priority for the Jaguars this offseason. It’d be a significant boon for the team if Hodges returned at full health in 2024 and pushed for a starting role.

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Dawuane Smoot, Antonio Johnson, Cooper Hodges traveling to London

Doug Pederson says a trio of Jaguars players are getting closer to making their 2023 season debuts.

The Jacksonville Jaguars are bringing three players recovering from injury to London, opening the possibility that Dawuane Smoot, Antonio Johnson, and/or Cooper Hodges will make their season debut(s) soon.

During a press conference Wednesday, Jaguars coach Doug Pederson said Smoot (on PUP list), Hodges (on IR), and Johnson will make the trip overseas.

Smoot, 28, re-signed with the Jaguars in July, but is still recovering from an Achilles tear that ended his 2022 season in December. At the time of the injury, Smoot led the team in sacks.

“In Smoot’s case, obviously we want to get him acclimated into practice,” Pederson said. “Once we activate him, we don’t have to make a decision right away. We want to see where he’s at with kind of the rigors of practice.”

Johnson, a fifth-round draft pick earlier this year, is on the active roster but hasn’t practiced since suffering a hamstring injury in August. On Wednesday, the rookie defensive back was back on the field at the Miller Electric Center.

 

“In regards to Antonio Johnson, he’ll actually be able to do some things this week just individual-wise just to kind of get him back into practice a little bit,” Pederson said. “Then we can actually practice him next week going into Buffalo [in Week 5] and see where he’s at. … There is a chance that he could make it for the Buffalo game.”

Hodges, a seventh-round pick in the 2023 NFL draft, suffered a knee injury in preseason that landed him on the injured reserve.

“Cooper, we’re not going to rush yet, there’s no need at this time,” Pederson said. “We’ll see how he handles the two weeks over there [in London]. He can’t — obviously, because he’s on IR — he can’t practice with the team. But he can do a lot of stuff off to the side.”

If the Jaguars designate Smoot and/or Hodges for return, it’ll open a 21-day window where those players can practice without counting against the 53-man active roster.

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Jaguars move rookie OL Cooper Hodges to injured reserve

Cooper Hodges is eligible to come off the Jaguars injured reserve any time after the team’s Week 4 game.

Jacksonville Jaguars rookie offensive lineman Cooper Hodges will miss at least four games after getting moved to the injured reserve Thursday.

Hodges, 23, suffered a patella injury in the Jaguars’ second preseason game and has been sidelined during his recovery. If the team put the rookie on the injured reserve prior to Wednesday, it would’ve ended his 2023 season. Instead, the lineman is now eligible to return any time after Jacksonville’s Week 4 game against the Atlanta Falcons.

Prior to the injury, Hodges was impressing in training camp with offensive coordinator Press Taylor praising the rookie for the physicality and energy he brought to the practice field. After a strong preseason debut against the Dallas Cowboys, Hodges told reporters that it proved to him that “definitely belongs here.”

The decision to put Hodges on the injured reserve opened room on the roster for veteran lineman Blake Hance to return to the Jaguars. After swapping in Hance for Hodges, Jacksonville still has eight offensive linemen on the active roster.

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Jaguars bring back OL Blake Hance two days after release

Two days after Blake Hance was cut by the team, the Jaguars re-signed the veteran offensive lineman Thursday.

The Jacksonville Jaguars brought back offensive lineman Blake Hance on Thursday, signing him to the active roster two days after releasing him Tuesday.

Hance, 27, spent time with six teams, including a brief stint with the Jaguars in 2019 and 2020, before returning to Jacksonville in November 2022. He appeared in nine regular season games with the Jaguars a year ago and appears primed to be a swing tackle for the team in 2023.

“Hance is probably that guy,” Jaguars coach Doug Pederson said last week when asked who would be the swing tackle. “We got to see where [Ben] Bartch and [Tyler] Shatley pan out, see where Josh [Wells] is at with his health. Right now, if this were Week 1, it would be Blake.”

While Bartch and Shatley have been cleared to participate fully in practices and games, the Jaguars placed Wells on the injured reserve Tuesday.

Ultimately, the decision to release Hance was just a procedural move to keep rookie Cooper Hodges on the roster Tuesday so the seventh-round pick could be placed on the temporary injured reserve Tuesday.

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How Jaguars’ injuries could affect the 53-man roster

The Jaguars’ offensive and defensive line injuries could have an impact on the final 53-man roster.

With the preseason coming to a close, the Jacksonville Jaguars’ injuries, especially on the offensive and defensive lines, could influence the 53-man roster.

The Jaguars will play their final preseason game on Saturday against the Miami Dolphins. Jacksonville’s starters are mostly healthy, but some of the rotational players are less than 100 percent.

The Jaguars have already dropped one player due to injury on the defensive line. They reportedly released 27-year-old Henry Mondeaux on Tuesday from the injured reserve with a settlement.

He was set to handle second-team nose tackle duties behind DaVon Hamilton before he suffered an undisclosed injury — presumably during Jacksonville’s first preseason game against the Dallas Cowboys.

Hamilton is also out of action while he deals with a “non-football related medical issue” that’ll keep him out Saturday. Head coach Doug Pederson said Hamilton is “doing extremely well” and could be back in the building as early as next week, but it’s unclear when he’ll return to the field.

While Pederson spoke positively about Hamilton’s recovery, if the tackle is out for an extended period, other players could sneak into the 53-man roster. Seventh-round pick Raymond Vohasek may be in position to play himself into a roster spot with a strong performance Saturday.

The offensive line has also faced issues staying healthy. Another seventh-round rookie, Cooper Hodges, suffered a patella injury, which Pederson said will cause him “to miss a little time.” He said Hodges won’t need surgery, but a spot on the injured reserve could be a real possibility.

Veteran tackle Josh Wells is also set to miss time. Pederson didn’t have a timetable for return for the offensive lineman, but said he’ll miss some time, as well.

Wells’ injury could have an impact on the offensive line rotation. Blake Hance is currently the most likely winner of the swing tackle position, but Wells could be in the conversation, if healthy. Pederson recognized the unfortunate timing of the team’s offensive and defensive line injuries.

“If these injuries were going to happen, you’d love for them to be at the beginning of camp, and now they’re getting healthy,” Pederson said.

Wells and Hodges could be candidates for the physically unable to perform list or injured reserve, which would provide an opening for someone else on the roster.

Pederson also acknowledged the waiver wire as a possible resolution to the team’s injury troubles.

“That all factors into this, so we’ll take a look at it and see if someone is available to help you out whether it’s short-term or long-term,” he said.

After the Jaguars’ final preseason game on Saturday, the roster will need to be cut down to 53 players by Tuesday afternoon.

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Jaguars OG Cooper Hodges will ‘miss a little time’ with patella injury

Cooper Hodges will miss the remainder of training camp and preseason due to the knee injury he suffered Saturday.

Jacksonville Jaguars offensive lineman Cooper Hodges suffered a patella injury that’ll keep him out of action for a little while, coach Doug Pederson said.

“He had a patella injury in the game and he’s going to miss a little time,” Pederson said Monday during a Zoom call with reporters. “Not sure how much time, but he’ll miss the rest of training camp and won’t play in this last preseason game.”

Hodges, a seventh-round pick in the 2023 NFL draft, suffered the injury while blocking for a field goal in the first quarter of Jacksonville’s 25-7 win against the Detroit Lions. After the game, Jaguars coach Doug Pederson told reporters that the team believed it to be a patella injury and that further testing would reveal the extent of the injury.

Given the possibility of a patellar tendon tear, which likely would’ve ended Hodges’ rookie season before it began, the update from Pederson seems to indicate that the lineman avoided a significant injury.

Prior to the injury, Hodges was impressing coaches in training camp and preseason with his tenacity and physicality. He has also quickly endeared himself to Jaguars fans with cartwheels and high fives prior to camp practices.

Hodges spent his entire collegiate career as a starting right tackle for the Appalachian State Mountaineers, but has transitioned to guard with the Jaguars. He is currently listed on the depth chart as the second-team right guard behind Brandon Scherff.

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Jaguars rookie OL Cooper Hodges carted off in preseason

Cooper Hodges was helped off the field before getting carted to the locker room with a knee injury.

Jacksonville Jaguars rookie offensive lineman Cooper Hodges was carted off the field Saturday during the first quarter of a preseason game against the Detroit Lions.

Hodges, 23, was injured after blocking on a field goal and needed assistance to hobble off the field. After the Jaguars ruled Hodges as questionable to return to the game, Kainani Stevens of Jaguars.com reported that he was carted to the locker room with a brace on his right knee.

The Jaguars drafted Hodges, a Jacksonville-area native, in the seventh round of the 2023 NFL draft and coaches have been impressed with his play in training camp and preseason. After playing a team-high 68 snaps during the Jaguars’ first preseason game, Hodges appeared set to play a significant amount of the game against the Lions.

A four-year starter at right tackle for the Appalachian State Mountaineers, Hodges has been attempting to make the Jaguars’ 53-man roster as a right guard.

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