Jacksonville Jaguars: CJ Henderson and Luq Barcoo experience setback

Just a few days ago, Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Jake Luton, along with New York Giants wide receiver Kadarius Toney, were placed on the COVID-19/Reserve list. At the time, they were the first players to test positive for the virus in 2021. Two more Jaguars have now joined Luton.

The team has announced they placed CJ Henderson and Luq Barcoo on the Reserve/COVID-19 list. Similarly, linebacker Leon Jacobs joined the Active/Physically Unable to Perform list. Not long ago, undrafted rookie Dylan Moses was also placed on the Active/Non-Football Injury list.

The Jaguars don’t mention whether Henderson and Barcoo are vaccinated. This may be important, as vaccinated players can return to practices after testing negative in back-to-back days while unvaccinated individuals will be placed on an isolation period of ten days. The Jags were lagging in vaccination rate among players and it’s uncertain if that number has gone up since then.

Training camp is just around the corner and the regular season is less than two months away. The NFL is ensuring that every single game takes place. Teams that can’t suit up because of a COVID-19 outbreak will have to forfeit the game and will be credited with a loss. Although it’s too early to say with certainty that there’s an outbreak in the Jags’ locker room, the team needs to take a close look at the situation to do as much as possible to prevent future cases.

The Jacksonville Jaguars are fine in spite of the cases.

Jake Luton was the fourth quarterback on the depth chart, so his absence isn’t a major blow. The same isn’t true for Barcoo. After going undrafted, he landed in Jacksonville in 2020. Due to the number of injuries the team experience at cornerback last year, the San Diego State product ended up appearing in three games with one start. He registered seven total tackles, one tackle for a loss, and one pass defensed. He was on the roster bubble ahead of training camp and landing on the COVID-19/Reserve list doesn’t help his chances of earning a roster spot.

Meanwhile, Henderson is set to start opposite Shaquill Griffin. The Florida product display flashes in 2020 but a groin injury cut his rookie campaign short. He underwent labrum surgery early this year. If he clears COVID-19 protocols, he should be ready for the season opener.

On the other hand, Jacobs could be affected depending on how much time he misses. Last season, he played three games with one start but suffered a season-ending injury against the Miami Dolphins in Week 3. The Jags signed Damian Wilson earlier this year and they have a couple of studs in Joe Schobert and Myles Jack. However, Jacobs could offer valuable depth at linebacker.

Training camp will start on July 27. It’s hard to tell if Jacobs, Barcoo, and Henderson will be back with the team by then. For the time being, the Jacksonville Jaguars need to keep the number of positive cases in check. From a competitive standpoint, they want to be as ready as they can ahead of the 2021 season.