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Jacksonville Jaguars News & Rumors

Jaguars WR Gabe Davis To Undergo Season-Ending Meniscus Surgery

November 18th, 2024 at 12:56pm CST by Adam La Rose

12:56pm: Head coach Doug Pederson confirmed (via Rapoport) Davis is indeed out for the year. Thomas will be relied on to shoulder much of the workload at the receiver spot down the stretch with Davis and Kirk out of the picture until 2025.

10:35am: The Jaguars’ offense has suffered multiple notable injuries in 2024, and the unit is set to be further shorthanded. Wideout Gabe Davis is feared to have suffered a meniscus tear, Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL Network report.

[RELATED: Trevor Lawrence Could Make Post-Bye Return]

Surgery is on tap as a result, and that procedure will dictate the length of Davis’ absence. A trim would entail a multi-week recovery and likely a stint on injured reserve, but it could leave the door open to a return late in the campaign. A full repair would, on the other hand, shut Davis down for the rest of the season.

Of course, with Jacksonville sitting at 2-9 on the year, there is little reason to rush the 25-year-old back onto the field. A full repair carries a better long-term outlook, and Davis’ attention will no doubt be focused primarily on 2025 with a playoff berth out of reach for this season. The former Bill signed a three-year, $39MM deal in free agency, so being fully healthy by Week 1 of next year will be a priority for team and player.

Davis was set to play a key role in Jacksonville’s new-look receiving corps in 2024 after the team lost Calvin Ridley on the open market. Davis has logged a 72% snap share during his debut campaign in Duval County, but it has not yielded a consistent role in the passing game. The former fourth-rounder has received three or fewer targets four times this year, amassing 239 yards and a pair of scores on 20 receptions.

Those totals have yielded a yards per catch average of 12.0, the lowest of Davis’ career. Having been brought in to serve as a deep threat, the UCF product has seen first-round rookie Brian Thomas Jr. succeed in that capacity. Thomas has posted a 42-689-5 statline this season, cementing his status as a key member of the team’s offense now and for years to come. Christian Kirk – who was the subject of considerable trade talk in general and negotiations involving the Steelers in particular – is under contract for next year.

Most of Davis’ compensation for 2025 ($12.5MM) is guaranteed, so he is set to remain in Jacksonville for at least one more season. Week 1 of that campaign may represent the next time he is available to the team, which is already the case for Kirk given his broken collarbone. For the time being, Thomas will be positioned to handle a heavy workload atop the WR depth chart after the Jags’ bye week.

Midseason Firing In Play For Doug Pederson?

November 17th, 2024 at 6:32pm CST by Ely Allen

It was made pretty clear coming into Week 11 that Doug Pederson‘s job security was hinging heavily on his team’s performance against the Lions. A report last week indicated that, while a loss was expected, a blowout loss would put a midseason firing on the table in Duval.

Unfortunately for Pederson, today’s loss was not only a blowout, but it was also one of the team’s most lopsided losses in franchise history. Losing 52-6, the Jaguars 46-point deficit at the end of the game was their worst since 1995, when Jacksonville lost to the Lions for the first time 44-0 in their inaugural season. The Jaguars were also outgained by the Lions today by 475 yards, the biggest yardage differential in a game since 1979.

These results don’t bode well for a head coach that is, at the very least, trying to make it to the end of the season. Six of Jacksonville’s nine losses this year have come in one-score games, something which could help Pederson’s chances of surviving until the end of the year. Today’s blowout, though, changes that perspective a bit.

Per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, when asked after today’s loss whether this may have been his last game as head coach, Pederson told the media, “I can’t control that. Listen, I’ve been around this league a long time. If it’s going to happen, it’s going to happen, obviously. But at the same time, I have a job to do.”

Peliserro also reported that Pederson “won’t rule out making staff changes over” the team’s bye upcoming bye week. An obvious candidate to replace him on an interim basis does not necessarily exist on staff, which further strengthens his case for the rest of 2024. Removing coordinators or assistant coaches from the picture may further reduce the options to replace him in the short term.

Regardless, with his job on the line, Pederson’s team put up its worst game perhaps in franchise history. It’s starting to feel like a foregone conclusion that he will lose his job, but today’s performance may bring about that change sooner rather than later.

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/16/24

November 16th, 2024 at 8:56pm CST by Ely Allen

Saturday’s minor moves, including standard gameday practice squad elevations:

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tennessee Titans

Toney is set to make his debut for the regular season. The former first-round pick out of Florida has had a rocky first four years in the league, despite coming away with two Super Bowl rings in Kansas City. He was signed to the Browns’ practice squad just after the season opener and will be eligible to see game action with Cleveland in Week 11.

O’Donnell was added to the 49ers’ practice squad earlier this week given the chance of Mitch Wishnowsky missing time. The latter is now on injured reserve, ensuring at least a four-game absence. O’Donnell, 32, is a veteran of 145 games but Week 11 will mark his first regular season action since 2022.

Doug Pederson’s Jaguars Job Status Could Be Tied To Week 11 Performance?

November 15th, 2024 at 10:00pm CST by Adam La Rose

Throughout the season, the future of Doug Pederson in Jacksonville has been a talking point. The Jaguars experienced a nosedive to close out the 2023 campaign and missed the playoffs as a result. 2024 has not gone according to plan either, leading to continued rumblings about a coaching change.

Owner Shad Khan gave a vote of confidence to both Pederson and general manager Trent Baalke last month, but the team has dropped to 2-8 since. Quarterback Trevor Lawrence is set to miss his second straight game due to injury, and it remains to be seen when he will be available for the Jags. In the meantime, a matchup against the NFC-leading Lions is on tap. A loss is therefore expected on Jacksonville’s part, and a lopsided defeat could be key in determining Pederson’s status.

Veteran insider Josina Anderson reports Khan’s preference would, to no surprise, be to wait until the end of the campaign to make a decision on Pederson and/or Baalke’s job security. She adds, however, that a blowout loss in Week 11 would leave a mid-season firing on the table. A coaching change would not spark a push to the playoffs to close out the 2024 campaign, but it would bring Pederson’s tenure to an end amidst a poor run of form across two years. Overall, the former Eagles Super Bowl winner sits at 20-24 with the Jags.

Six of Jacksonville’s eight losses this year have come in one-score games, something which could help Pederson’s chances of at least surviving until the end of the year. An obvious candidate to replace him on an interim basis does not necessarily exist on staff, which further strengthens his case for 2024. Pederson – whose relationship with Baalke has reportedly headed in the wrong direction this year – remains confident in his team at this point as attention turns toward the offseason and the potential for changes along the sidelines.

“That’s a tough thing in the sports world today, in general across all sporting events and sports teams, teams that go through slumps and defeats and things like that, sometimes it is hard. They feel defeated,” Pederson said (via Pro Football Talk’s Michael David Smith). “But I’ll tell you what, you don’t see that with this team. And I think it’s a credit to the leadership of this group… In order to pull yourself out of this, you have to have that type of leadership and a close group, even when you’re not getting the results you want.”

Mac Jones is in position to once again lead the Jags’ offense on Sunday. He had a forgettable Jacksonville debut last week as the team lost 12-7 to the Vikings, and a step forward in production will be needed against the Lions. Detroit sports a record of 8-1 and heads into Week 11 on a seven-game winning streak, so the possibility certainly exists of a lopsided score in favor of the home team. If that comes to fruition, it will be interesting to see how Khan and the Jaguars react.

Trevor Lawrence Out For Week 11; Jaguars Optimistic About Post-Bye Return

November 14th, 2024 at 9:47am CST by Adam La Rose

Trevor Lawrence missed only the second game of his career last week as he continues to deal with an AC joint sprain. Jacksonville’s starting quarterback will be sidelined again in Week 11, but his status beyond that point is uncertain.

Lawrence’s sprain is in his non-throwing shoulder, and for the time being he is attempting to address the matter through rest and rehab. Surgery could be an option at some point, however, and that would shut him down for the remainder of the campaign. For the time being, team and player are taking a week-to-week approach.

Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson confirmed Lawrence will be out for the upcoming game against the Lions. That matchup will be followed by the team’s bye week, and Pederson expressed optimism (via ESPN’s Michael DiRocco) Lawrence could be back in place in time for Jacksonville’s Week 13 game. The team will no doubt be cautious with the former No. 1 pick’s rehab process, but multiple weeks on the mend could help in his recovery to a notable degree.

The Jaguars sit at 2-8 on the year, so a second-half turnaround leading to postseason contention should not be expected. Lawrence’s long-term health is an obvious priority for the franchise given his five-year, $275MM extension signed this offseason. After the Clemson product played through a number of ailments late last season, it would come as no surprise if avoiding the risk of further injury received consideration in 2024. Having Lawrence in place would, on the other hand, give the Jags a chance to find better consistency and production on offense down the stretch – something which, in turn, could play a role in determining Pederson’s job security.

Mac Jones got the nod in Week 10, going 14-for-22 in a loss to the Vikings. The former Patriots first-rounder threw a pair of interceptions; he also committed one fumble and was sacked three times. An improved performance will be the goal against the 8-1 Lions, although expectations will likely be rather low on that front given the caliber of Jacksonville’s opposition. Recently re-acquired C.J. Beathard will dress as Jones’ backup for at least one more contest before a potential post-bye Lawrence return.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/12/24

November 12th, 2024 at 7:09pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s practice squad moves:

Atlanta Falcons

Carolina Panthers

  • Released: LB Cam Johnson

Dallas Cowboys

Detroit Lions

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

New York Giants

San Francisco 49ers

Tennessee Titans

The Falcons have added a notable name to their special teams corps in Jakeem Grant. The long-time Dolphins returner has collected six ST touchdowns in his career (four via punts, two via kickoffs), and he’s even hauled in 100 catches. However, the veteran hasn’t seen the field since the 2021 campaign while spending the past few years on Cleveland’s practice squad.

With Dak Prescott done for the season, the Cowboys have added some extra QB depth. In comes old friend Will Grier, who spent the 2021 and 2022 campaigns in Dallas. The former third-round pick has since bounced around the NFL, including stops with the Bengals, Patriots, and Chargers in just 2023. Grier still only has two career appearances on his resume, both coming with the Panthers in 2019.

The Texans have added some experienced OL depth in Cameron Erving. The veteran is coming off a 2023 campaign where he started two of his three appearances for the Saints, and he barely played in 11 appearances with the Panthers in 2022. Still, the 32-year-old brings 98 games (58 starts) of experience to Houston, a factor that could be valuable down the stretch. To make room on the practice squad, the Texans moved on from cornerback Desmond King. The veteran has only seen time in one game for Houston this season, although he’s not far removed from a 2022 campaign where he started 13 games for the Texans.

Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence Could Miss Remainder Of Season

November 10th, 2024 at 8:05am CST by Rory Parks

Earlier this week, it was reported that Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence was likely to miss his club’s Week 10 matchup with the Vikings today. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com confirms that Lawrence will indeed be sidelined for the Minnesota contest, and it is possible that the former No. 1 overall pick will be out for the remainder of the season.

As Rapoport details, Lawrence has a significant AC joint sprain. The ailment is to his left (non-throwing) shoulder, though it can make throwing, and even basic functioning, difficult. While the current plan is for the Clemson product to simply rest and rehab the injury, surgery remains a distinct possibility. 

Such a decision would naturally force Lawrence to miss the balance of the 2024 campaign. Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports that the 25-year-old passer is still gathering information about his options, one of which includes a premature end to his season.

If Lawrence is unable to suit up again in 2024, it would likely not have too much of an impact on Jacksonville’s immediate fortunes. The 2-7 outfit has almost no chance of qualifying for the playoffs, and the Jags will therefore want to be extra cautious with their high-priced signal-caller, who signed a five-year, $275MM extension in June. 

However, should the losses continue to pile up, it becomes even more likely that head coach Doug Pederson and GM Trent Baalke will be fired. Owner Shad Khan voiced his support for both men last month, but Khan also called this year’s roster the best in franchise history, and as the club has struggled even with its QB1 in the lineup, it would not be a surprise if Khan opted for an organizational overhaul.

Mac Jones, an offseason trade acquisition, will get the call in Lawrence’s absence. The former first-round pick of the Patriots, who finished second in Offensive Rookie of the Year voting in 2021, saw the early stages of his career undermined by New England’s coaching and schematic maneuvers the following season. With the Pats holding the No. 3 overall pick in this year’s draft and wanting to start afresh with a new coaching regime and a new quarterback, Jones was dealt to his native Jacksonville in exchange for a sixth-round pick.

Now 26, Jones did have to hold off C.J. Beathard for the Jags’ backup gig over the summer (Beathard is now back on the team after Jacksonville recently signed him from the Dolphins’ taxi squad in the wake of Lawrence’s injury). Jones has thrown just nine passes this season, but he is in a contract year, and he could have a real chance to build some momentum down the stretch as he tries to position himself for at least a shot at a starting gig somewhere in 2025.

Jaguars Activate WR Devin Duvernay, S Andrew Wingard

November 9th, 2024 at 2:23pm CST by Ely Allen

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.

Jaguars’ Trevor Lawrence Unlikely To Play In Week 10

November 7th, 2024 at 10:52am CST by Adam La Rose

Trevor Lawrence is dealing with an injury to his non-throwing shoulder, and it could lead to missed time. The Jaguars’ franchise quarterback will likely be out for Week 10, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports.

Lawrence is weighing his options at this point and is currently considered day to day. If he were to miss Jacksonville’s next game, it would mark only the second time in his career he was unable to suit up for a contest. Surgery could be a consideration down the road, but Rapoport adds nothing is imminent on that front.

Injuries were an issue for much of last season in Lawrence’s case, and his play when on the field did match expectations as Jacksonville fell short of a postseason berth. The 2024 campaign has also not gone according to plan, and with a 2-7 record the Jags are once again on track to miss the playoffs. A cautious approach with respect to Lawrence’s recovery process would thus come as no surprise.

The former No. 1 pick’s passer rating for 2024 (87.9) is the lowest mark of his career since his rookie season, and his 11:6 touchdown-to-interception ratio leaves plenty to be desired. Jacksonville’s offense is already notably shorthanded with wideout Christian Kirk out for the season, and the unit would face an even steeper challenge against the Vikings if Lawrence were to be sidelined as well. Given the latter’s $55MM-per-year extension worked out this offseason, a long-term outlook with respect to his recovery would be sensible.

Provided Lawrence does indeed miss out for Week 10, Mac Jones will be in line to get the start in his place. The offseason trade acquisition has played only 17 snaps so far this year, but that could change in the immediate future. Jacksonville reunited with C.J. Beathard yesterday, a move which gives the team depth under center if needed. Lawrence’s status over the coming days and (especially if surgery does become a possibility) beyond will be worth following closely.

Jaguars Sign C.J. Beathard From Dolphins’ Practice Squad

November 6th, 2024 at 8:00pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Jaguars signed C.J. Beathard to their 53-man roster from the Dolphins’ practice squad on Wednesday, adding quarterback depth with Trevor Lawrence‘s status for Week 10 in question.

Lawrence played all of Jacksonville’s Week 9 loss to the Eagles but required some medical attention during halftime after taking a hit, according to ESPN’s Michael DiRocco. He was a limited participant in Wednesday’s practice with his left shoulder listed on the injury report. Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson said it was too early to prognosticate about Lawrence’s availability for Sunday’s matchup with the Vikings, per DiRocco.

Beathard will be insurance if Lawrence can’t play, backing up Mac Jones who will start under center. Jones was traded to Jacksonville by the Patriots this offseason and has appeared in garbage time of two of the Jaguars’ losses this year, completing six of his nine passing attempts for 28 yards.

Beathard spent training camp with the Jaguars and competed with Jones for the backup quarterback gig before injuring his groin in the team’s preseason finale. He was released with an injury settlement and found a new home on the Dolphins’ practice squad in October with Tua Tagovailoa still on injured reserve. Beathard appeared in seven games for the Jaguars in 2023, completing 40 of his 53 passing attempts for 349 yards and one touchdown.

The Jaguars also designated Devin Duvernay for return from injured reserve, opening his 21-day practice window. Duvernay served as Jacksonville’s primary returner with minimal involvement in the offense until he injured his hamstring in Week 5. Parker Washington and Tank Bigsby have split returning duties in his absence, but Duvernay will likely reclaim the job once he’s back on the active roster. He has three weeks to practice with the team before he must be activated or revert to season-ending IR.

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