Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson cleared up some of the team’s top injury question marks entering its Week 3 game against the Buffalo Bills on Monday Night Football.
In his meeting with the media prior to Saturday’s practice, Pederson updated the four players who showed up on this week’s practice report. As usual, there was good news and bad news for the Jaguars.
First, the good news: Pederson said left tackle Cam Robinson is expected to play through the knee injury that’s limited his practice reps in recent weeks. Robinson started and played 60 snaps in Jacksonville’s 18-13 loss to the Cleveland Browns in Week 2, and he should be in his usual spot again on Monday night.
The Jaguars are also expected to have backup running back Tank Bigsby (shoulder) back in the lineup this week. Bigsby led the team in rushing in Week 1, rumbling for 73 yards on 12 carries (6.1 average). Travis Etienne was the clear workhorse back in Week 2 with Bigsby out, but the rush attempts were split 50/50 between the two in Jacksonville's Week 1 loss to the Miami Dolphins.
Jaguars vs. Bills Week 3: Full injury designations
Buffalo Bills
Out
- LB Terrel Bernard (pectoral)
As expected, Bernard sits this week after sustaining a pec injury last Thursday night against the Dolphins. According to ESPN, the starting middle linebacker is a candidate for injured reserve, but the injury is not considered season-ending. Former seventh-round pick Baylon Spector filled in for Bernard in Week 2 and will be the next man up for Buffalo vs. the Jaguars.
- CB Taron Johnson (forearm)
The Bills lost Johnson, their starting nickel corner, early in their Week 1 game against the Arizona Cardinals. He wasn’t placed on IR, as the team wanted to gather more information on his forearm injury first. The main information to note for Week 3 is Johnson wasn’t able to log a single practice, meaning he’ll be inactive yet again for the Bills. Buffalo figures to use some combination of 2022 undrafted free agent Ja'Marcus Ingram — who hauled in a pair of interceptions against the Dolphins — and veteran Cam Lewis in Johnson’s absence.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Out
- TE Evan Engram (hamstring)
Here's the bad news for Jacksonville. Engram tried to get back this week but just couldn’t get there, per Pederson. Jacksonville’s top tight end will be inactive for a second straight week with the hamstring injury he sustained during pregame warmups in Week 2. It’s a big blow to the Jaguars' struggling passing attack. Brenton Strange should operate as TE1 for quarterback Trevor Lawrence, who’s going to need more from his wide receiver group to keep up with Josh Allen and the Bills.
Questionable
- S Darnell Savage (Quadricep)
The Jaguars would love to have their starting safety back out there against a tough Bills offense, and Pederson expressed some confidence on Saturday. Though he sounds more like a game-time decision, Savage was able to practice all three days in a limited capacity. The extra day this week could help him return from the quad injury that kept him out Week 2.
- RB Tank Bigsby (shoulder)
Again, Bigsby should be on the right side of questionable after logging three limited practices. Expect the 2023 third-round pick to be active. Bigsby should give the Jaguars a modest boost, as he opens up more for the offense than third-string running back D’Ernest Johnson.
- WR Tim Jones (foot)
A late addition to the injury report, Jones was listed as a limited participant in Saturday’s practice and ends up with a designation. Jones is mainly a special teams player at his point for the Jags.
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