Just before the Jacksonville Jaguars were about to take the field in training camp, they announced that they placed sophomore defensive tackle Maason Smith on the Physically Unable to Perform list and will miss time. While it's never good to see any players deal with injuries, the news comes with a bit of a silver lining.
The Jags could activate Smith at any point of training camp (if his injury isn't serious), but fellow 2024 draft pick Jordan Jefferson will get extra reps and an extended look during his absence.
A fourth-round pick in 2024, Jefferson was teammates with Smith at LSU. He appeared in eight games as a rookie and logged 12 tackles and one sack on 151 snaps. Although the former Tiger isn't expected to make as steep a leap as Smith, he should earn more playing time in his sophomore campaign.
Now, veteran DaVon Hamilton may be Smith's immediate replacement but he won't benefit nearly as much as Jefferson from the extra reps.
Hamilton was a third-round pick by the Jags in 2020. He joined the starting lineup at the midpoint of his rookie campaign and progressively got better. The Jags were pleased enough with his progress in 2023 that they gave him a long-term extension. Unfortunately, Ham suffered a non-football back injury that year that forced him to sit out a good chunk of the regular season. And when he returned, he wasn't 100 percent.
Fast forward to 2025, and Hamilton is two years removed from the back injury and back at full strength. He could step in Smith's place if he were to miss extended time next season.
Related: The Jaguars are betting on their young leaders to finally flip the switch
The Jaguars have the depth to overcome a potential Maason Smith absence
With DaVon Hamilton ready to step up if needed and Jordan Jefferson should have a bigger role on the defensive line rotation, the Jacksonville Jaguars have the depth to overcome Maason Smith's potential absence.
Granted, all eyes are on Smith ahead of the 2025 season because he was expected to break out. However, having Arik Armstead return to defensive tackle after mostly lining up on the edge last year could lessen the blow of not having Smith in the lineup.
Of course, there's a chance that it all will turn out to be much ado about nothing. It's hard to tell just how much time Maason Smith will miss, and he could ultimately be back for the opener against the Carolina Panthers. In the meantime, Jordan Jefferson will gladly take on all the valuable reps that would've otherwise gone to his fellow defensive tackle.