Jaguars vs. Lions: Initial injury reports

Jaguars vs. Lions: Initial injury reports

Find Jacksonville and Detroit’s initial injury reports for the Jaguars and Lions’ Week 11 matchup below.

^ indicates player is designated to return from injured reserve 

Jaguars injury report

  • RB Keilan Robinson^ (toe) — full
  • RB D’Ernest Johnson (hamstring) — limited
  • WR Brian Thomas Jr. (chest) — limited
  • WR Gabe Davis (shoulder) — limited
  • OL Brandon Scherff (knee) — limited
  • OL Ezra Cleveland (ankle) — limited
  • OL Blake Hance (knee) — limited
  • DE Josh Hines-Allen (shoulder) — limited
  • DT Maason Smith (ankle) — limited
  • CB Tyson Campbell (shoulder) — limited
  • S Daniel Thomas (hamstring) — limited
  • QB Trevor Lawrence (left shoulder) — did not participate
  • RB Tank Bigsby (ankle) — did not participate

Analysis: Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson ruled quarterback Trevor Lawrence out of Week 11 before practice on Wednesday, making his nonparticipation not a surprise.

The Jaguars added left guard Blake Hance, defensive end Josh Hines-Allen and cornerback Tyson Campbell to their injury report, meaning each player either suffered an injury against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 10 or during practice Wednesday. Each player was limited to begin the week.

Running back Tank Bigsby, who was limited daily in Week 10 with an ankle injury and briefly exited against the Vikings, did not practice Wednesday.

Starting left guard Ezra Cleveland returned to practice in a limited capacity after missing Jacksonville’s last two games with an ankle injury.

Lions injury report

  • DT Brodric Martin (knee) — full
  • CB Emmanuel Moseley (pectoral) — full
  • S Ifeatu Melifonwu (ankle) — full
  • OT Taylor Decker (shoulder) — limited
  • LB Malcolm Rodriguez (ankle) — limited
  • TE Sam LaPorta (shoulder) — did not participate

Analysis: Star Detroit tight end Sam LaPorta did not practice Wednesday after suffering a shoulder injury in Week 10 against Houston. Starting left tackle Taylor Decker and rotational linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez were limited participants to begin Week 11 after not playing against the Texans.

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.

Jaguars activate CB Tyson Campbell from injured reserve

Jaguars activate CB Tyson Campbell from injured reserve

Previously anticipated, now official: The Jaguars have activated starting cornerback Tyson Campbell from their injured reserve ahead of Jacksonville’s Week 7 matchup with the New England Patriots at Wembley Stadium in London, the team announced Saturday.

Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson shared last Wednesday that Campbell was likely to be activated in Week 7, and reiterated the suggestion this past Friday, “barring any setbacks.”

“Tyson looks good, had a good week of preparation,” Pederson said.

It appears there were no setbacks, with Campbell trending toward returning to the gridiron Sunday for the first time since Week 1, when he suffered a hamstring injury against Miami. He went on the injured reserve on Sept. 12.

Campbell recorded three tackles including one for loss against Miami in the season-opener, his first game after signing a four-year, $76.5 million contract extension with Jacksonville in July.

The Jaguars’ No. 33 overall pick in the second round of the 2021 NFL draft, Campbell has recorded 207 tackles with seven for loss, six interceptions, 30 defended passes and two forced fumbles in 44 career appearances.

Jacksonville vs. New England will kick off Sunday at 9:30 a.m. ET / 2:30 p.m. BST, at Wembley Stadium in London.

Jaguars CB Tyson Campbell ‘should be cleared’ for Week 7

Jaguars CB Tyson Campbell ‘should be cleared’ for Week 7

Jaguars cornerback Tyson Campbell continues to trend toward a return to action in Week 7 against the Patriots, Jacksonville head coach Doug Pederson shared on Friday.

Campbell, who the Jaguars placed on injured reserve Sept. 12 after hurting his hamstring in Week 1 against Miami, had his 21-day practice window opened last Wednesday.

Pederson revealed at the time that Campbell was “leaning” toward being activated from the injured reserve in Week 7. Six practices later, he remains on that trajectory.

“Tyson looks good, had a good week of preparation,” Pederson said Friday. “And again, just barring any setbacks, he should be cleared and good for the game. We’ll make that decision.”

Pederson added that such a decision would be made officially on Saturday.

Campbell recorded three tackles including one for loss in Week 1, his first game after signing a four-year, $76.5 million contract extension with Jacksonville in July.

Since being drafted No. 33 overall in the second round by the Jaguars in 2021, Campbell has logged 207 tackles with seven for loss, six interceptions, 30 defended passes and two forced fumbles in 44 games.

Jacksonville vs. New England will kick off Sunday at 9:30 a.m. ET / 2:30 p.m. BST, at Wembley Stadium in London.

Doug Pederson lays out plan for Jaguars CB Tyson Campbell’s return

Doug Pederson lays out plan for Jaguars CB Tyson Campbell’s return

This story was updated to correct a typo. 

The Jaguars are “leaning” toward activating cornerback Tyson Campbell from their injured reserve in Week 7 before hosting the New England Patriots at Wembley Stadium in London, Jacksonville head coach Doug Pederson revealed Wednesday.

Campbell’s 21-day injured reserve practice window was opened by the Jaguars shortly before Pederson virtually met with reporters and the team began to practice Wednesday morning.

“We’re excited to be in a position to open his window,” Pederson said.

“And really it just allows him, the player, to just kind of work himself back into practice. He’s been training and rehabbing, [but] it’s different from the football movements and it’s a way for us as coaches, too, to monitor that and keep him in kind of a controlled environment.”

Campbell was placed on Jacksonville’s injured reserve Sept. 12 after injuring his hamstring in Week 1 against Miami. He finished the game with three tackles including one for loss.

The injury led Campbell to miss the Jaguars’ last four games and will likely leave him out of Week 6 against the Chicago Bears, also in London at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, barring a surprise acceleration of his recovery timeline in practice this week.

Campbell, who signed a four-year, $76.5 million contract extension with Jacksonville in July, has recorded 207 tackles with seven for loss, six interceptions, 30 defended passes and two forced fumbles in 44 career appearances.

Pederson suggested Campbell has handled his injury well despite its timing, before the first game of the season even concluded.

“I see Tyson every day and he’s got a smile on his face. He’s a great kid, obviously,” Pederson described. “He’s handled it well. Been in a great frame of mind, he’s attacked his rehab and he’s in a position now to work himself back.”

Jaguars open IR practice window for CB Tyson Campbell

Jaguars open IR practice window for CB Tyson Campbell

The Jaguars opened cornerback Tyson Campbell’s 21-day practice window Wednesday, allowing him to begin working his way back into action after his Sept. 12 placement on the injured reserve.

Campbell missed Weeks 2-5 with a hamstring injury, suffered in Jacksonville’s Week 1 loss to Miami.

The Jaguars can officially activate Campbell from the injured reserve any time within his 21-day practice window.

Jacksonville’s second-round, No. 33 overall NFL draft pick in 2021, Campbell signed a four-year, $76.5 million contract extension with the Jaguars this July, which included $53.4 million in total guarantees.

He opened the 2024 campaign with three tackles including one for loss against the Dolphins, bringing his career stat line to 207 tackles with seven for loss, six interceptions, 30 defended passes and two forced fumbles.

Montaric Brown, a seventh-round draft pick by Jacksonville in 2022, has occupied Campbell’s role during the starter’s absence.

Brown leads the Jaguars with 37 total tackles this season, including three for loss, tied for second-most on the squad. Brown has also broken up three passes.

Key matchups for Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Buffalo Bills

Key matchups for Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Buffalo Bills

After starting the regular season 0-2, the Jacksonville Jaguars look to get in the win column for the first time this year as they travel to Buffalo for Monday Night Football in Week 3. 

This week the Jaguars are still searching for their identity on offense and are currently facing scrutiny for their inconsistent offensive execution and play-calling. This could prove detrimental in trying to keep up with the Bills, which feature one of the powerhouse offenses in the AFC, led by quarterback Josh Allen.

Week 3 of the regular season is now a must-win for the Jaguars and they must prove they can contend with top teams in the conference like the Bills. Finding their offensive identity and consistency will be key, and if they fail to do so at this crucial point of the season on the national stage, it will become fair to wonder if their issues can be fixed this year.

With that in mind, Jaguars Wire is here to identify three key matchups for Jacksonville’s Week 3 road matchup against Buffalo, which the Jaguars must win to avoid digging themselves into a deeper hole. 

Jaguars WR Christian Kirk vs. Bills’ linebackers and slot cornerback

Through two games, the Jaguars starting slot receiver has just two catches on seven targets for 29 yards. While it is early in the season, Kirk’s lack of significant targets has been concerning, especially amid Jacksonville’s offensive struggles. 

Yet, Monday night presents an opportunity for Jaguars offensive coordinator Press Taylor and head coach Doug Pederson to get Kirk heavily involved in the offensive game plan.

The Bills’ man coverage rate this season is just 20 percent as they remain a zone-heavy, two-high safety team that will leave plenty of green grass. That creates an advantage for Kirk, who has a knack for identifying the soft spots in zone coverage. 

A top target in the middle of the field for quarterback Trevor Lawrence over the last two seasons, Kirk led the Jaguars with 1,108 receiving yards in 2022 and was on track for over 1,000 in 2023 before a Week 13, year-ending injury. He has proven productive and effective with an average target separation of over three yards in the last two seasons.

With linebacker Terrel Bernard and nickel corner Taron Johnson out for Monday night’s bout, Buffalo could be thin at both spots, meaning Jacksonville could open up its passing game with Kirk as the focal point.

Baylon Spector and Cam Lewis are expected to start in place of Bernard and Johnson, respectively.

Jacksonville’s defense vs. Buffalo’s offense

While the Jaguars’ offense has sputtered to this point, Jacksonville’s defense is respectable, and daring in coverage.

According to Next Gen Stats, Jacksonville aligned its outside corners in press coverage on 36 percent of snaps. That is the fourth-highest mark in the league, showing that defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen trusts his corners on an island.

The unit deploys Cover 1 coverage 53% of the time, per Hayden Winks, despite the absence of cornerback Tyson Campbell. Nielsen utilizes broad man coverage on 52.6 percent of opposing dropbacks, the highest rate in the NFL.

Thus far, passers are averaging 6.5 passing yards per play against the Jaguars, ranking No. 21 in the league. Quarterbacks are struggling to score through the air against Jacksonville, though, as Miami’s Tua Tagovailoa and Cleveland’s Deshaun Watson combined to throw for one touchdown in Weeks 1-2.

Jacksonville’s man coverage will be tested against arguably the best NFL signal-caller not named Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, and his offensive coordinator Joe Brady on Monday night.

Next Gen Stats show Allen producing the lowest air yards per attempt of his career at 7.4 this season, despite his career-high 73.8% completion percentage through the first two games. This shows that Brady is allowing Allen to distribute the ball around the offense and trusting receivers to compete after the catch.

Considering how difficult Allen is to defend as both a passer and runner, there’s a possibility Nielsen could veer off his man coverage path and play more zone this week. Perhaps it is unlikely given his tendencies as a play-caller, but this is something to keep in mind ahead of Monday night.

Not only will Allen present a tough task, but so will tight end Dalton Kincaid, running back James Cook and receiver Khalil Shakir. The latter owns the highest catch rate of all wide receivers in the league at 88.7 percent.

If Jacksonville can force Allen into bad decisions against its man-heavy defense and limit his rushing opportunities, the Jaguars’ struggling offense should obtain more opportunities to find a rhythm compared to previous games.

Jacksonville’s offense vs. Buffalo’s defense 

While Kirk could be the focus of the Jaguars’ passing offense against the Bills, the unit must perform better situationally across the board in its attempt to establish an identity of any sort.

It starts up front. Lawrence’s protection must improve Monday night against a strong Bills pass rush featuring Von Miller and Gregory Rousseau.

Lawrence has been sacked on a league-high 11.5 percent of dropbacks this season, according to Next Gen Stats. Perhaps Lawrence is responsible for some of the pressure he has faced, but Pro Football Focus dings Jacksonville’s offensive line for allowing six of the seven sacks he has taken.

Next Gen Stats also notes the Jaguars own the third-worst time to pressure in the NFL in 2024, 2.57 seconds.

While explosive plays have occasionally popped up from the likes of running back Travis Etienne Jr. and rookie wideout Brian Thomas Jr, the Jaguars must do a better job of winning on early downs to make third downs more manageable and become less reliant on chunk gains.

Jacksonville has converted just over 26% of its third-down attempts, the fifth-worst mark in the league ahead of Denver, Atlanta, Cleveland and Carolina. The offense will sail much smoother if it can improve drastically in this area.

The Jaguars will be without versatile tight end Evan Engram again this week after suffering a hamstring injury during pregame warmups last Sunday. His absence is why Kirk will be the X-factor for the Jaguars’ passing offense, paired with the Bills’ top linebacker and nickel cornerback out. 

Pederson cannot afford his team to fall to a 0-3 record. His defense is capable of helping win games, but it is Jacksonville’s offense, Pederson’s bread and butter, costing the Jaguars the most.

That has to change on Monday night.

Jaguars vs. Browns: Jacksonville elevates practice squad DB for Week 2

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.

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.

All-22 review: Jaguars vs. Dolphins

All-22 review: Jaguars vs. Dolphins

The Jacksonville Jaguars are off to a rough start to their 2024 campaign following an embarrassing defeat on the road against the Miami Dolphins, 20-17.

At one point, the Jaguars held leads of 14-0 in the first half and 17-7 in the second, leaving many to wonder what happened after such a great start to the game.

Jaguars Wire broke down the matchup’s All-22 film to digest Sunday’s events with better context, sharing its biggest takeaways below.

Defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen impressed in his first game with the Jaguars

Jacksonville Jaguars defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen talks to the media ahead of the second day of an NFL football training camp practice session Thursday, July 25, 2024 at EverBank Stadium’s Miller Electric Center in Jacksonville, Fla.

One of the key matchups Sunday was Ryan Nielsen’s Jacksonville defense versus arguably the most explosive offense in football. One key concern was capping the big plays Miami has been known to produce throughout the last two seasons. 

Despite Dolphins receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle producing crucial explosive plays late in the contest, Nielsen otherwise called in a great game. Jaguars defenders on all three levels of the field flew around the field but rarely appeared out of place outside of a couple of occasions.

One of the most impressive things from this unit is that it rarely got caught in Miami’s barrage of shifts and motions, staying disciplined and on task while forcing quarterback Tua Tagovailoa off his spot and forcing throws.

Jacksonville’s linebackers were stout in their run fits. According to Next Gen Stats, the run defense held Miami to just 69 yards of offense on 23 touches and negative 44 rushing yards over expected, the lowest since Week 9 of 2021. 

Linebacker Foyesade Oluokun played terrific in coverage and against the run. He made an excellent play in the second quarter on fourth & short by shadowing double slants on the front side and nearly secured the interception.

Other defensive players such as safety Darnell Savage Jr. and defensive lineman Arik Armstead had quality performances.

Before leaving the game with an injury, star cornerback Tyson Campbell played with sound technique in press-man and zone shells. Rookie Jarrian Jones had a couple of one-on-ones with Hill and held his own.

Edge rusher Travon Walker’s season is off to a great start. He piled up two sacks in Week 1 with elite explosiveness, power at the point of contact, an impressive bull rush, and the rare athleticism he has been known for since he was drafted No. 1 overall in 2022.

Jacksonville’s first-half offense displayed a glimpse into the future…

MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA – SEPTEMBER 08: Trevor Lawrence #16 and Brian Thomas Jr. #7 of the Jacksonville Jaguars celebrate after a touchdown during the second quarter against the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium on September 08, 2024 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images)

Sunday offered a peak into what the 2024 Jaguars offense could become under whoever is calling plays in Jacksonville, head coach Doug Pederson or offensive coordinator Press Taylor. There were more under-center, vertical passing concepts that opened up the offense to an extent. The operation seemed steadier and smoother.

Franchise signal-caller Trevor Lawrence had a quality first half, making a terrific throw seemingly every series. He had a couple of middle-of-the-field darts for big completions, including the beautiful bucket drop to rookie wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. to go up 14-0 in the second quarter.

Lawrence did a great job using his eyes to manipulate second and third-level defenders while maintaining his progressions.

The Jaguars have the potential to field a consistently explosive offense. Second-string running back Tank Bigsby broke off a couple of nice runs. Thomas also looks as advertised as a deep threat, showing vertical separation almost consistently with subtle movements to create space and opportunities for Lawrence to make accurate, on-time throws.

Jacksonville could have continued to mash its foot on the gas and attack Miami’s secondary with vertical play-action attacks from under-center and route concepts to put its players in positions to succeed. As the score later showed, it didn’t.

…but the second-half offense offered a not-so-good blast from the past

Sep 8, 2024; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson looks on from the sideline against the Miami Dolphins during the first quarter at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

As soon as the Jaguars’ offense took the field in the second half, there was an easy tell to the momentum swing that began to occur. What went from an explosive and dynamic first 30 minutes to a stale and conservative final 30. 

Pederson or Taylor let their foot off the gas almost entirely, especially after running back Travis Etienne Jr. fumbled in the red zone. 

The offense reversed back to what led to its demise late in the 2023 season. There were very few concepts that allowed Lawrence to attack the middle of the field and several play-action rollouts that only allowed for the short area of the gridiron to be attacked. 

Thomas received no targets in the second half, a head-scratching reality considering his earlier production paired with Jacksonville’s late offensive stalls. The Jaguars offensive line largely held its own throughout the game, allowing Lawrence to navigate the pocket and reset his base when needed.

The lack of aggression from the offense was staggering and it allowed Miami to take the field for just enough plays, including the 80-yard touchdown by Hill, to stage a successful comeback.

There was also too much faith placed in the Jaguars’ rushing offense and defensive performance to secure the victory. This kind of approach has far too often put coaches at a disadvantage against explosive teams such as the Dolphins or Kansas City Chiefs.

Jacksonville will host the Cleveland Browns in the Jaguars home opener this weekend. They have the offense and personnel to be an aggressive, explosive offense. If the Jaguars learn to keep mashing the gas pedal when up 10 or more points, this could be a potent team throughout the season.