Darnell Savage Jr. – Page 2 – Syndication Server

Pederson: Jaguars TE Evan Engram ‘probably’ out vs. Bills

Jacksonville head coach Doug Pederson on Saturday cast doubt on tight end Evan Engram being available for the Jaguars’ Week 3, Monday Night Football matchup in Buffalo against the Bills.

Engram suffered a hamstring injury in the hours before Jacksonville hosted Cleveland on Sunday, forcing him out of the contest.

“Evan, probably not going to make it,” Pederson said. “He tried this week, just not there yet. Hopefully next week, we’ll see.”

Pederson added that Engram likely will not travel with the team to Buffalo and instead remain in Jacksonville to continue treatment for his injury.

Engram caught one pass for five yards in Jacksonville’s season-opener at Miami on Sept. 8, an uncharacteristic performance for the tight end following his 114-reception, 963-yard, four-touchdown campaign with the Jaguars in 2023.

Through just over two seasons with the club, Engram has caught 188 passes for 1,734 yards and eight touchdowns.

Pederson also provided an update on starting Jaguars safety Darnell Savage Jr., who missed Week 2 and has been limited in practice this week due to a quadriceps injury.

“Darnell, we’ll give him one more day, today. See if he can push through it. Don’t want to risk anything further, but we’ll see where he’s at the end of the day,” Pederson said.

Savage, who signed a three-year, $21.8 million free-agent deal with the Jaguars in March, tallied two defended passes in his debut with Jacksonville, against Miami in Week 1.

Starting offensive tackle Cam Robinson (knee) and running back Tank Bigsby (shoulder) are slated to play in Week 3, per Pederson.

Ryan Nielsen looking forward to Jaguars DB Darnell Savage Jr.’s return

Following the versatile defensive back’s Week 2 absence due to a quadriceps injury, Jacksonville defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen is looking forward to having starting safety Darnell Savage Jr. back on game day.

Savage, who signed a three-year, $21.8 million free-agent deal with the Jaguars in March, experienced his injury in practice last Thursday, leading him to be ruled out against the Browns on Friday. He returned to practice in a limited fashion this week.

“Having him back, now we’ve got another guy out there who’s a good player and allows some other guys to free up in personnel packages and do things like that,” Nielsen explained on Friday.

“So, we never want to lose a guy for a game or two games or whatever it is, but happy to have him back and get him back into the role and routine of playing football and we’ll see him out there on Monday.”

Nielsen’s comment follows that of Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson, who on Thursday expressed that “hopefully” Savage will be available for Jacksonville’s Week 3, Monday Night Football matchup with Buffalo.

Although his sample size in the Jaguars’ defensive scheme is limited to one game, Savage has already emerged as a valuable, multi-positional contributor under Nielsen.

Savage logged snaps at four different defensive positions in various alignments during Week 1 against Miami: 25 as a slot cornerback, 11 as a free safety, 11 as a box safety and two as an outside linebacker.

Savaged recorded two defended passes and, according to Pro Football Focus, allowed two receptions over five targets for four yards against the Dolphins.

While he is eager to see Savage back in action, Nielsen commended rookie Jaguars cornerback Jarrian Jones for his performance in place of the starter against the Browns. Jones took the field for 57 snaps defensively in Week 2, exclusively as a slot corner.

“You always want to have good players, and he’s a good player. But last week didn’t feel like — you know, next man up, and Jarrian went out there and he performed pretty well,” Nielsen said. “As well as the group, thought we covered really well last week.”

Although Cleveland’s Deshaun Watson completed 64.7% of his passes against Jacksonville in Week 2, the Jaguars limited the quarterback to 186 passing yards with no touchdowns scored through the air.

Jones, the Jaguars’ third-round pick in the 2024 NFL draft, allowed three receptions over four targets for 26 yards to Browns pass-catchers, per PFF.

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: Jacksonville elevates practice squad DB for Week 2

The Jaguars have promoted practice squad defensive back Christian Braswell to their active roster via standard elevation ahead of Jacksonville’s Week 2 home matchup with Cleveland, the club announced.

Braswell was called up after the Jaguars ruled starting safety/nickel cornerback Darnell Savage Jr. out of the contest on Friday, and placed starting cornerback Tyson Campbell on injured reserve Thursday.

A 2023 sixth-round pick by Jacksonville out of Rutgers, Braswell made Jacksonville’s 53-player roster as a rookie and appeared in three games before landing on the injured reserve, effectively ending his season although he was at one point designated to return from the list.

Healthy this preseason, Braswell was a frequent standout in training camp and his performance translated to Jacksonville’s August exhibition games. He compiled eight total tackles in three appearances and over 53 defensive and special teams snaps.

Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson credited Braswell for his effort in forcing a fumble against the Chiefs on Aug. 10, which Braswell recovered and ran back for a 52-yard touchdown before referees reversed the play’s result, saying Kansas City’s Nikko Remigio was down by contact.

“Braswell has done a great job,” Pederson said about Braswell on Aug. 19.

“You look at all these guys, second-year players, that are just getting opportunities. It’s part of that developmental theme, just developing your roster and letting these guys perform. It’s benefiting them.”

However, Jacksonville waived Braswell amid the NFL’s late August roster cutdowns. He signed to the Jaguars’ practice squad Aug, 28.

Jacksonville vs. Cleveland is scheduled to kick off at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday, at “TrEverBank” Stadium.

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.

Pederson: Savage to play in Jaguars vs. Falcons; Armstead to practice

Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson offered promising injury updates on marquee Jaguars’ free agent additions, defensive lineman Arik Armstead and safety Darnell Savage Jr. Monday.

Armstead is set to practice with the Jaguars for the first time this week while Savage will make his playing debut when Jacksonville faces Atlanta for Week 3 of the preseason.

“We’re going to see how [Armstead] is in practice. I can’t speak on the game just yet but we’re going to work some individual stuff and progress slowly with him,” Pederson said.

“And then Savage, his red [non-contact] jersey came off so he’s officially cleared to go. So, he’ll play this week.”

Armstead, who signed a three-year, $43.5 million contract with Jacksonville after his release by San Francisco in March, has yet to participate in team activities in recovery from February surgery on a knee injury he suffered with the 49ers in 2023.

He missed the final five games of the regular season due to the injury but returned for the 49ers’ run to Super Bowl LVIII, where San Francisco lost to Kansas City. He recorded 11 tackles and a sack in three playoff appearances, increasing his postseason career totals to 38 tackles and eight sacks in 12 games.

Arik Armstead: Jaguars ‘have all the pieces’ to win a Super Bowl

In nine regular seasons with the 49ers, Armstead recorded 302 tackles with 43 for loss, 33.5 sacks, three forced fumbles and six defended passes.

Armstead began Jacksonville’s training camp on the team’s physically unable-to-perform list but was activated Tuesday. Upon clearance to play, he is expected to start at defensive tackle along the Jaguars’ defensive line.

Savage, meanwhile, is listed as Jacksonville’s starting free safety but has primarily practiced as a nickel cornerback in his first offseason with the Jaguars.

He has regularly participated in training camp and other activities, but without contact as he continues to nurse a rotator cuff injury suffered with Green Bay last year.

Savage produced 302 tackles with nine for loss, nine interceptions, 32 defended passes and two forced fumbles in five seasons with the Packers, adding 25 tackles with one for loss, one interception and two defended passes in seven playoff games.