Tag: D.J. Chark

Doug Marrone expecting Brandon Linder, Andrew Wingard to return from injuries soon

The Jags seem close to the returns of Brandon Linder, Andrew Wingard, and D.J. Chark, all of whom should be available for practice next week.

The Jacksonville Jaguars entered their Week 3 game against the Miami Dolphins without center Brandon Linder, but it appears he has a chance to be back Week 4. According to coach Doug Marrone, Linder is trending upward and should be able to practice Monday.

Linder injured his knee in the Jags’ Week 3 game against the Tennessee Titans. The injury occurred early in the third quarter and Tyler Shatley was inserted into the game in his place. Shatley also started in Thursday’s game against the Dolphins, marking his eight career start at center.

As the leader of the Jags’ offensive line, it would be huge to have Linder back  in the trenches, especially when considering the Jags’ struggles to run the ball Week 3. The team only had 72 rushing yards against the Dolphins and that simply must change if they are to have success.

The Jags will also likely be getting receiver D.J. Chark (chest/back) back soon, who is arguably the best player on the team. Marrone said it was just a matter of him clearing a few tests, so it feels like his chances are good for a Week 4 return. That’s great news because the Jags’ offense didn’t function all that well without him against the Dolphins and the group failed to register a passing touchdown.

Marrone also stated that the team hopes to have safety Andrew Wingard back on the practice field Monday after he left Thursday’s game with a core muscle injury. Wingard was filling in for the Jags’ initial starter at safety, Jarrod Wilson, who sustained a hamstring injury Week 1 and was placed on injured reserve afterward. Brandon Watson filled in for Wingard Thursday, so it looks like he’ll be the one to start for the second-year player if he’s not available against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Jags release list of 6 inactive for Week 3 game vs. Dolphins

D.J. Chark and Brandon Linder were officially listed amongst the Jags inactives for Thursday Night Football.

The Jacksonville Jaguars released their list of inactives for Week 3’s Thursday Night prime-time game against the Miami Dolphins. This week, receiver Dede Westbrook wasn’t amongst the group as many expected due to D.J. Chark (chest/back) being ruled out early Thursday afternoon. Likely starting in his place will be Keelan Cole.

The other notable player to surface on the list, of course, was Brandon Linder, who the Jags ruled out on the final injury report with a knee injury. Starting in his place will be veteran Tyler Shatley who has started in seven games at center.

With Westbrook seeing his first action of the year it will be interesting to see if he also takes some snaps as a returner as rookie Chris Claybrooks had some muffed returns Sunday against the Tennessee Titans.

As for the Dolphins, there was only one notable listed on their group of inactives and that was cornerback Byron Jones (Achilles/groin), who was also ruled out on the final injury report like Linder. Starting in his place will likely be first-round rookie Noah Igbinoghene.

Report: D.J. Chark ‘trending upward’ for game vs. Dolphins with chest and back injuries

Jags WR DJ Chark will be a game time decision for Thursday night, but NFL insider Tom Pelissero reported that he’s ‘trending upward.’

While we will ultimately know his status closer to the game, Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver D.J. Chark is trending in the right direction health-wise for tonight’s Thursday Night Football battle against the Miami Dolphins.

NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero was able to provide an update on the third-year receiver early Thursday morning after Chark was limited in practice Monday and Tuesday, but missed Wednesday’s session and was ruled questionable on the final injury report.

If Chark can play, it would give Gardner Minshew II his top target as Chark accumulated 73 catches for 1,008 yards and eight touchdowns in 2019 and went to the Pro Bowl. This year, Chark has only managed to garner seven catches for 109 yards and a touchdown, but that’s been because Minshew has done a good job spreading the ball around.

Having Chark suit up could also be a huge issue for the Dolphins as they ruled out starting cornerback Byron Jones with a groin and Achilles injury. Starting in his place will be first-round rookie Noah Igbinoghene, who had a rough Sunday against the Buffalo Bills, allowing seven completions for over 140 yards and two touchdowns. With that being the case, our comrades over at Dolphins Wire believe Miami should utilize Xavien Howard to cover Chark if he plays.

If Chark is held out of the game, things could be a little closer, but still favorable for the Jags. Their depth at receiver is on a strength of the team and there are several others who could step up in the absence of Chark like Keelan Cole or Dede Westbrook (who was inactive Weeks 1-2). They’ve also received solid contributions from rookies Laviska Shenault Jr. and Collin Johnson.

Clearly, we’ll know more about Chark’s status when the Jags release their list of inactives. However, if the Jags want to allow him more time to heal up, this might be the right time because the Dolphins have struggled mightily on defense.

Listen to the latest from Jags Wire’s own James Johnson and Phil Smith on their podcast “Bleav in the Jags.” Subscribe via Apple Podcasts and check out our archived episodes via Bleav Podcasts.

Final injury report for Week 3: Jags rule Chark as questionable, Linder ruled OUT vs. Dolphins

The Jags may be without two key offensive starters against the Miami Dolphins, who have a key defensive injury of their own to deal with.

The Jacksonville Jaguars could be without several key players for their Thursday Night Football battle with the Miami Dolphins, most of which are on the offensive side.

As expected, the Jags ruled center Brandon Linder out after he sustained a knee injury in Sunday’s game against the Tennessee Titans. With him set to be sidelined, Tyler Shatley, who has seven career starts at center (15 starts overall) will start in his place.

Receiver D.J. Chark Jr. was ruled questionable and didn’t practice Wednesday. He was limited both on Monday and Tuesday so his status could go either way come game time. Luckily, if he can’t go the Jags a pretty strong at receiver with Keelan Cole, Dede Westbrook (who has been inactive all season), and rookies Laviska Shenault Jr. and Collin Johnson behind him.

As mentioned earlier, kicker Josh Lambo was ruled out with a hip injury and will be going on injured reserve. Starting in his place will be practice squad rookie Brandon Wright from Georgia State University.

The only two other players to surface on the injury report for the Jags, Tyler Davis and Brandon Watson, were full participants in practice and were left off the status column.

As for the Dolphins, they ruled their star cornerback Byron Jones out with a hip and Achilles injury, which means rookie Noah Igbinoghene will start in his place. In their last game, the first-rounder struggled mightily so his matchups on the outside will be worth watching Thursday.

The Dolphins also ruled backup safety Clayton Fejedelem out, too, while all of the others on their injury report were full participants.

Listen to the latest from Jags Wire’s own James Johnson and Phil Smith on their podcast “Bleav in the Jags.” Subscribe via Apple Podcasts and check out our archived episodes via Bleav Podcasts.

Jags injury report: WR D.J. Chark practices on a limited basis Monday

The Jags’ first injury report for Week 3 only had four players on it, including WR D.J. Chark who was limited.

The Jacksonville Jaguars will have a short week to prepare for their next game as they will face the Miami Dolphins for Thursday Night Football. Luckily, there weren’t many injuries to deal with after their game against the Tennessee Titans and only four players surface on the injury report Monday. Those players were receiver D.J. Chark Jr. (chest), tight end Tyler Davis (knee), center Brandon Linder (knee), and safety Brandon Watson (illness).

Chark and Davis were both limited while Linder and Watson didn’t practice.

Chark is a new addition to the injury report and wasn’t on it last week. However, with him surfacing on the report as a limited participant, it appears the Jags will slowly work him up to full participation before Thursday’s game.

Davis, on the other hand, has been on the report since the opening week of the season. He’s been a non-participant the whole time and Monday marked his first time practicing this regular season.

As previously reported, Linder was ruled day-to-day after sustaining a knee injury in the third quarter of Sunday’s game against the Tennessee Titans. He didn’t return after being ruled questionable and Tyler Shatley took his place for the remainder of the game. If Linder is unavailable, Shatley will remain in the lineup Week 3 as he’s started in seven games at the center position for the Jags.

Podcast: Jags Wire recaps Jags’ season opening win vs. Colts

Jags Wire’s James Johnson and Phil Smith look back at the awesome showing in which Gardner Minshew and company had Week 1 against the Colts.

With the Jacksonville Jaguars starting the 2020 regular season off on a high note and defeating the Indianapolis Colts by a score of 27-20, it was only right for us to record a victory episode of “The Bleav in the Jags Podcast” recapping all the action.

We started episode 33 off with a little box score review as Gardner Minshew put up and historic performance Sunday and distributed the ball well to all of his receivers. Afterward, we discussed some key takeaways like the defense’s been but don’t break showing that was just enough to beat Philip Rivers while also causing some concerns.

To listen simply checkout the media player below.

Listen to the latest from Jags Wire’s own James Johnson and Phil Smith on their podcast “Bleav in the Jags.” Subscribe via Apple Podcasts and check out our archived episodes via Bleav Podcasts.

Jags move up 6 spots in USA TODAY power rankings after win vs. Colts

The Jacksonville Jaguars are on the move in USA Today’s power rankings thanks to some Minshew Magic.

The Jacksonville Jaguars opened their season up with a 27-20 win over the Indianapolis Colts and, of course, their surprising win has reflected in the latest power rankings by USA TODAY.

After being ranked dead last entering the season, the Jags found themselves at the No. 26 spot in Tuesday’s power rankings for Week 1. After an incredible day by quarterback Gardner Minshew II, USA TODAY analyst Nate Davis seems to be ready for a dose of Minshew Mania 2.0 just as the people of Duval are.

26. Jaguars (32): Nineteen of 20, including three TD passes – while engineering Week 1 upset? Why would you want anything but Minshew Mania in #DUUUVAL?

Minshew’s performance against the Colts’ defense was absolutely surgical and he ended up making history as a result. When looking at performances of 20 passes or more, Minshew’s 95% completion rate ranked fourth in NFL history.

Minshew wasn’t the only young player to show up big for the Jags as Laviska Shenault Jr., D.J. Chark Jr., and CJ Henderson were some of the few notables to contribute touchdowns and an interception, respectively.

As for the rest of the division, the Tennessee Titans remained in the top-10, coming in at No. 7 (dropped from No. 5). The Indianapolis Colts fell down to the No. 19 spot (from No. 7) while the Houston Texans remained at No. 19.

Listen to the latest from Jags Wire’s own James Johnson and Phil Smith on their podcast “Bleav in the Jags.” Subscribe via Apple Podcasts and check out our archived episodes via Bleav Podcasts.

D.J. Chark emphasizes Jags’ support for Gardner Minshew

While some may feel skeptical about Gardner Minshew’s ability, D.J. Chark made it clear that he or the Jags aren’t amongst that crowd.

After a spring and summer of uncertainty, football is finally back and the NFL will kick things off tonight with a matchup between the Houston Texans and Kansas City Chiefs in a Thursday Night Football showdown.

For the Jags, who play on Sunday, this season could be the start of something special. Gardner Minshew II will start after a rookie season during which he garnered the attention of many around the league. This time around, Minshew will face mounting pressure to live up to the hype as he begins his first season as a true starter. 

Naturally, the teammates who’ve been closest to Minshew during the offseason are among his biggest believers after watching his growth first-hand. When asked Wednesday about the second-year quarterback’s growth, D.J. Chark Jr. shared his thoughts on Minshew’s performance as team captain. 

“[It’s been] just from confidence of filling in, to just being his team—being the captain,” Chark said. “I think that’s a big jump because you know that the guys in the locker room support you and they want you to succeed. [As] opposed to wishing that somebody else was quarterback and things like that. So, I think that’s the biggest thing that transfers on the field—translates to the field because when you’re dropping back, everybody on the team wants you to succeed.”

Chark’s statements come after former Jags running back Leonard Fournette called Tom Brady the only legit quarterback he’s had. While Minshew doesn’t have a large body of work to make a call on, it seems that Chark wanted to make it clear that the current locker room isn’t among his list of doubters. 

All of that said, Minshew will get his shot to further validate his rookie success Sunday against the Jags’ longtime foes in the Indianapolis Colts. While a win wouldn’t necessarily make or break the season for the Jags, it would be huge for the team’s momentum and put another feather in the cap of Minshew to silence his critics.

4 Jaguars the Colts must game plan for in Week 1

Keep an eye on these Jaguars in Week 1.

The Jacksonville Jaguars had a busy offseason after trading away or releasing a large portion of their team. Only a small percentage of players still remain from their improbable 2017 AFC Championship berth.

While their talent is limited, they still have a lot of players who can have success in the NFL. This team is young and is building something for the future. Regardless, they should not be overlooked.

>>>MORE: Thursday’s injury report<<<

As the Colts head south to TIAA Bank Field this weekend, here are four Jaguars they must game plan for in Week 1:

QB Gardner Minshew II

Minshew is a guy that is tough to root against even for a Colts fan. The second-year quarterback out of Washington State has quickly become a popular young talent in the NFL. His future in Jacksonville is up in the air, which gives him all the motivation to have a big 2020 season.

After finishing with 3,271 passing yards and 21 touchdowns in just 14 games played, Minshew has the ability to put up points. With a young and talented receiving corps around him, the Colts will have to make him uncomfortable in the pocket to have success on Sunday.

The hope is that new defensive tackle DeForest Buckner can apply some pressure from the interior, but they will have to move Minshew off his spot early.

>>>MORE: Colts vs. Jags: Who has the edge?<<<

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Jags’ initial roster listed as the youngest in the NFL

The Jags average age is 24.9, per Philly Voice Sports, making them the NFL’s youngest team for 2020.

Once the Jacksonville Jaguars named their initial 53-man roster Saturday many fans predicted that it would be the youngest in the NFL — and those fans weren’t wrong.

In the calculations done by Jimmy Kempski of Philly Voice Sports, the Jags registered an average age of 24.9, good for first when looking at all 32 teams. The team that came in at a close second was the Miami Dolphins who acquired an average of 25 of the dot.

Last season the Jags’ average was 25.6, which was good for eighth in the league. However, they lost several key veterans over the age of 28 this season when they traded quarterback Nick Foles (31), defensive lineman Calais Campbell (34), and cornerback A.J. Bouye (29). They also released receiver Marqise Lee (28) and nose tackle Marcell Dareus (30).

With no roster changes since Saturday, the Jags have 16 rookies on their roster, 12 of whom were selected in April’s draft. The other four were undrafted rookies in cornerback Luq Barcoo, defensive tackle Doug Costin, long snapper Ross Matiscik, and running back James Robinson.

Despite the Jags’ youth movement, general manager Dave Caldwell and Doug Marrone clearly have been high on the group as the Jags head into a crucial season for both personnel members. Caldwell once again expressed his faith in the roster Saturday and warned people not to count the group out until we see what they can do in the regular season.

“I love this team,”  Caldwell said. “I love the energy this team brings. I love some of the veteran leadership we brought in with Joe Schobert [and] Tyler Eifert. We’re not that young on offense. You have a guy like Chris Conley. The offensive line has all played a lot of games together. Keelan Cole, Dede Westbrook, we have guys. DJ Chark Jr. So, don’t count this team out yet and I think they’ll tell you the same thing.”

As for the rest of the AFC South, the Indianapolis Colts (27.7) registered the tenth youngest roster while the Houston Texans (26.1) were No. 21 and the Tennessee Titans (26.5) were No. 28. Only time will tell how much these averages will effect each other, but many national pundits believe the Jags will be last in the division and could possibly land the No. 1 overall pick for 2021.