The Jacksonville Jaguars dropped discouraging news when they announced that cornerback Jourdan Lewis will undergo foot surgery. They'll miss his playmaking skills during their playoff run, but the silver lining is that they have a replacement in place ready to go.
With Lewis expected to miss time, the Jags will turn to Jarrian Jones to replace him. In his latest exchange with the local media, head coach Liam Coen expressed confidence in the sophomore cornerback to come through.
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The Jaguars are counting on Jarrian Jones to replace Jarrian Jones
One day after the Jags announced that Jourdan Lewis will miss the rest of the regular season, Liam Coen met with the local media. He said that it stings to lose the veteran cornerback but noted that Jarrian Jones had made the most of his chances this year.
"Elite communicator, guy that brings energy and focus and playmaking to our defense. So that's always hard, but he's handled it like a pro," Coen told reporters about Lewis (0:22 mark). "He's been extremely confident with guys around him, continuing to try to pour into them as much as possible, and Jarrian, just every opportunity, he's continued to get better, and has made some huge plays for us this year."
Coen continued, "His play energy is always something that I appreciate, and he's tackled at a high level, especially in space, so continuing to get him moving in the right direction, and we're going to need him down the stretch."
Later in his exchange, Coen stated that he's not sure about the timeline for Lewis' return but doesn't expect much from him the remainder of the season. Knowing that he landed on Injured Reserve and will miss four games, the sooner he could return would be for the AFC Championship game if Jacksonville makes it that far.
Before undergoing surgery, Lewis missed three games with a neck injury. He appeared in 12 games with seven starts, registering 39 total tackles, two interceptions, and 10 passes defensed. Meanwhile, Jones has logged 45 total tackles, two picks, and six passes defensed.
199 of Jones' 439 defensive snaps in 2025 have come at nickel. He's posted a Pro Football Focus overall grade of 78.9.
Jarrian Jones gives the Jaguars a solid replacement in the fold
Earlier this season, Jarrian Jones struggled in the boundaries. After two games, he was phased out in favor of Montaric Brown. However, the former Florida Seminole bounced back as the year progressed. He's seen more time outside but will get an increased workload in the slot in the upcoming weeks.
With Jones sliding into the primary nickel role, Greg Newsome will see an uptick in playing time opposite Montaric Brown: Christian Braswell and the recently signed Keith Taylor could also see the field in reserve roles during Jourdan Lewis' absence.
The bottom line is that Jourdan Lewis is a important piece of the Jaguars' defensive puzzle, but having Jarrian Jones around will help soften the blow of his absence.