Jacksonville Jaguars Week 12 Injury Report: Laviska Shenault will play

The Jacksonville Jaguars are getting reinforcements on offense.

There are some good and bad news for the Jacksonville Jaguars heading into Week 12. On the bright side, they’re going to have rookie wide receiver Laviska Shenault Jr. back after missing the last two games. On the downside, wide receiver Chris Conley, cornerback Sidney Jones, wide receiver DJ Chark Jr. and guard Andrew Norwell won’t suit up for the team’s Week 12 matchup against the Cleveland Browns.

The team’s final Injury Report heading into Sunday was a short one but a dire one. Besides ruling Norwell, Jones, Conley, and Chark out, the ‘Jags’ listed quarterback Gardner Minshew II and running back Dare Ogunbowale as questionable for the Browns game.

Before missing the last two games, Shenault was one of the Jaguars’ most electrifying players and his 75.3 Pro Football grade still ranks fifth among first-year wide receivers. This season, he’s hauled in 30 passes for 323 yards and one touchdown.

Jacksonville’s wide receiver corps should benefit from the rookie’s presence even though they will be without Chark and Conley.

What does Shenault’s return mean to the Jacksonville Jaguars?

The Jaguars coaching staff should be ecstatic about Shenault’s return, but having him in the lineup may not be enough to overcome all the injuries the team has sustained in recent weeks. Chark is the team’s leading receiver and arguably their best offensive player not named James Robinson.

On the other hand, Sidney Jones has been a key cog in their secondary and the unit struggled without him against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Although it’s good news the team won’t place him on the Injured Reserve list like rookie C.J. Henderson, Jones’ absence is a meaningful hit to the team’s cornerback group.

The ‘Jags’ will be short-handed once again, but if the team can get solid production from their offense and the defense can force stops and turnovers like they have the last two weeks, the team may have a chance to pull an upset.