Jacksonville Jaguars’ bold predictions before game vs. Raiders
The Florida Times-Union breaks down what could happen in the Jacksonville Jaguars’ upcoming matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders.
The Jacksonville Jaguars have placed safety Eric Murray on the injured reserve list, sidelining him for a minimum of four games.
Murray, a 10-year veteran, was dealing with a neck injury prior to the bye week and played through the injury but missed multiple practices after the team returned from break.
He’s in his first season with the Jaguars after being signed by general manager James Gladstone as part of the large free agent class that helped reshape the roster.
Murray has recorded 34 total tackles, four pass deflections with an interception and a quarterback hit in seven starts with the team. He’s become a vital part of Jacksonville’s defense, using his veteran experience to step into a leadership role in the secondary.
Now, the team will turn to third-year safety Antonio Johnson, rookie Rayuan Lane and newcomer Kahlef Hailassie.
Andrew Wingard will man the opposite safety spot as he has all season, with the other three players likely sharing time on the field. Expect Johnson to get the start and a majority of reps, though.
“I think Eric is a really good communicator, and I think Antonio Johnson’s done a really good job stepping in when he had to come in for Eric last week,” defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile said earlier in the week. “I thought he did a really good job. If you watch him in the game against the Rams, he had a pretty good game for us, and he’s done a good job stepping in.”
Safety is actually a position the Jaguars invested in this offseason, drafting rookie Caleb Ransaw in April to compete for a spot on the 53-man roster. However, Ransaw suffered a lower body injury during training camp that’ll sideline him for the duration of his rookie season.
The team also moved on from veteran safety Darnell Savage earlier this season despite surviving cuts after training camp. That’s when the team signed Hailassie, but he has not played in any game this season.
Johnson has been a rotational player throughout his career, though, he made a crucial interception at the end of the game against the Houston Texans earlier this season. Lane has stood out as an ace on special teams, often making open field tackles against returners.