The Jaguars are getting some reinforcements this week. At 2-7 in the basement of the AFC South, it seems likely that a run for the playoffs is not in the cards for 2024. Still, as injuries continue to beleaguer Jacksonville, they’ll take all the help they can get. That help comes today in the form of safety Andrew Wingard and return man Devin Duvernay, who are being activated from injured reserve.
The Jaguars knew Wingard would be unavailable early in the season after the veteran safety suffered a knee injury in training camp. At the time, Jacksonville was hosting a position battle between Antonio Johnson and Terrell Edmunds for the starting safety spot next to Andre Cisco to open the year. Edmunds ended up on the practice squad and eventually was re-signed by the Steelers, who drafted him in the first round in 2018. Johnson and Darnell Savage have worked together to fill in the starting safety spots with Cisco.
Wingard provides some starting depth in the secondary. He’s not a full-time starter for the team but did start 15 games for the team in 2021. He’s started 26 games in his five seasons in Jacksonville. While he’s not necessarily a gamechanger, the Jaguars will take any help they can help for a defense that ranks 29th in points allowed, 30th in yards allowed, and 31st in passing yards allowed.
Duvernay’s influence is solely on special teams. While he did have a couple decent receiving contributions during his time in Baltimore, his experience in his first year with the Jaguars has come with minimal time on offense. Despite having missed the last four games, Duvernay still leads the team with a combined 12 kickoff and punt returns.
During Duvernay’s absence, though, the Jaguars may have found someone more worthy of the role. A sixth-round pick from last year, Parker Washington has been electric in the return game for Jacksonville. A 96-yard punt return for a touchdown easily pushes Washington’s yardage and per return average over Duvernay’s. On kick returns both Washington and running back Tank Bigsby average more yards per return than Duvernay, though Bigsby may not be an option with Travis Etienne‘s recent injuries.
The Jaguars have a lot of work to do if they have any hopes of making a run here to end the season. As injuries continue to plague the team in Duval, seeing players become healthy and add depth is crucial.