Jaguars dodge a bullet, James Robinson day-to-day with foot injury

The Jacksonville Jaguars got soundly beat by the Seattle Seahawks in Week 8. To add insult to the injury, second-year running back James Robinson left the game with an ankle injury and never return. After the game, head coach Urban Meyer told the media he was going to undergo testing Monday. The Jags can now breathe knowing the injury isn’t as serious as it could potentially have been.

Adam Schefter of ESPN reported tests revealed Robinson “escaped serious injury”. He added that the running back is expected to be day to day and his status for the Jags’ game against the Buffalo Bills is in question. Head coach Urban Meyer also confirmed the report when he met with the local media Monday.

Of course, a better outcome would have been Robinson not getting hurt. However, the team’s brass should be relief they may not be without the former Redbird for long. The fact that there’s a chance, as slight as it may be, that he will play in Week 9 should be a reason for optimism.

Robinson has been arguably the Jaguars’ most valuable player on offense. He’s racked up 88 carries for 482 yards with five touchdowns this season. He’s hauled in 18 receptions for 133 yards. Against the Seahawks, he toted the rock four times for 22 yards before leaving the game. Moreover, he’s one of the league’s top running backs in both traditional and advanced statistics.

Who will step up for the Jaguars in case James Robinson misses time?

It’s not a given Robinson will miss time but if he does, Carlos Hyde will take his place in the backfield. The 2014 second-round pick has been a reliable running back throughout his eight-year career, logging 1,186 carries for 4,866 yards and 36 trips to the end zone. This season, he’s run the ball 33 times for 140 yards.

Dare Ogunbowale is another running back on the Jaguars’ active roster. He would effectively become the primary backup if Robinson doesn’t play. The Jags can promote Kerrith Whyte from the practice squad if needed but the team’s brass can afford to wait until game day is near to make any potential moves.

The Jaguars could also sign a running back off the street but that’s unlikely since Robinson might not miss much time. On the other hand, if the sophomore doesn’t make any progress, Jacksonville could add someone. The Tennessee Titans are going to host Adrian Peterson for a workout. Other free agents available are Frank Gore, Todd Gurley, D’onta Foreman, Kerryon Johnson, and Alfred Morris. The truth is that none of them are particularly enticing options, and may not contribute much.

Robinson’s injury is worth monitoring. The Jags would surely like to have him in Week 9 but if he has to miss time, it won’t hopefully be much.