Season-Ending Surgery
In a recent development that has shaken the Jacksonville Jaguars’ postseason prospects, cornerback Jourdan Lewis is slated to undergo foot surgery that will end his season. A source familiar with the injury told The Associated Press on Thursday that the surgery will be definitive and that Lewis will be placed on injured reserve.
Lewis sustained the injury during the 34-20 victory over the Denver Broncos last Sunday. The injury was first reported by NFL Network, which said the cornerback would need surgery to address the damage.
The Jaguars have already moved to accommodate the loss. Lewis was officially placed on injured reserve, and the team signed former Carolina, Kansas City and Atlanta cornerback Keith Taylor to fill the roster spot. Taylor, who has played five seasons in the league, will join the Jaguars’ secondary as the team looks to shore up a defense that has already suffered significant setbacks.
## Roster Shake-Up
With Lewis gone, Jacksonville’s defensive backfield is facing a major reshuffle. Lewis is the second starting cornerback the team has lost this season; rookie Travis Hunter has also been sidelined with a knee injury. Together, the two losses have removed the entire starting cornerback trio that the Jaguars began the year with: Lewis, Hunter and Tyson Campbell.
Campbell, who was traded to the Cleveland Browns in early October, was exchanged for Greg Newsome II. The trade left the Jaguars with Newsome, Montaric Brown and Jarrian Jones to shoulder the defensive responsibilities from the week of the Indianapolis game onward, including the playoff run.
The loss of Lewis, Hunter and Campbell means that the Jaguars’ secondary will be forced to rely on depth players and veterans to cover the open field. The team’s depth chart has already been strained, and the loss of these key defenders will test the coaching staff’s ability to adapt.
## Lewis’s Season and Career
Jourdan Lewis started 12 games for Jacksonville this season after signing a three-year, $30 million contract in free agency. Throughout the season, he recorded 39 tackles, two interceptions and a fumble return. These numbers reflect a productive year for the former Dallas Cowboys player, who spent the first eight years of his NFL career with the Cowboys.
Lewis’s foot injury came at a time when the Jaguars were riding a strong 11-4 record. The team’s defensive unit was a cornerstone of that success, and the loss of a starting cornerback of Lewis’s caliber will have a noticeable impact on the team’s defensive performance moving forward.
## Other Key Injuries
The Jaguars are also expected to be without two starting offensive linemen in the upcoming game against the Indianapolis Colts. Center Robert Hainsey is dealing with a groin injury, and right guard Patrick Mekari has a back issue. The Colts, who sit at 8-7, will be looking to capitalize on the Jaguars’ offensive line woes.
With the Jaguars’ offense and defense both facing significant injury challenges, the team’s playoff aspirations will be tested in the coming weeks.
## Key Takeaways
– Jourdan Lewis will miss the rest of the season after foot surgery.
– The Jaguars have signed Keith Taylor to replace Lewis on the 53-man roster.
– The team’s starting cornerback trio-Lewis, Hunter and Campbell-are all out for the playoffs.
– Lewis’s season stats: 39 tackles, 2 interceptions, 1 fumble return.
– Offensive linemen Hainsey and Mekari will also be out against the Colts.
The Jaguars’ season is now in a precarious position, as the loss of key defensive and offensive players could derail their playoff run. The coaching staff will need to rally the remaining roster to keep the team competitive as the season progresses.
