During their 26-21 win over the San Francisco 49ers, the Jacksonville Jaguars lost edge rusher Travon Walker to a wrist injury. He didn't return for the game, and Jeremy Fowler of ESPN broke the news a day later that the former Georgia Bulldog was scheduled to see a specialist to determine the severity of the ailment. Just now, the NFL insider has dropped another update.
Fowler reports that Walker is classified week-to-week after consultation. All things considered, this is great news. Sure, the Jags would like Thomaston, Georgia native, not to sit out any games. However, the injury could be worse, and based on the latest update, he probably will miss just a few games.
The first overall pick in 2022, Walker had a somewhat quiet rookie campaign. However, he showed improvement the last two seasons, logging a combined 20.5 sack in that span. The fourth-year pass rusher had made four start this season and registered two sacks.
Travon Walker will probably miss a few games (but it's hard to tell just how many)
For his part, head coach Liam Coen didn't provide an update aside from the appointment with the specialist.
"Yes, so Travon hurt his wrist during the game," Coen responded when asked for an update on Walker one day after the win over the Niners (6:50 mark). "He is going to see a specialist today. We are in the information gathering process with that, and we'll know more after he has that appointment to be able to see what his status will be moving forward."
As you can see, Coen didn't offer any meaningful update, which isn't surprising when you take into account that the new regime likes to keep things close to the vest when it comes to injuries.
It's possible that Thurday's injury report will provide a clearer picture, but there's a strong chance that Walker won't suit up for the Monday Night Football matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs.
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How will the Jaguars replace Travon Walker if he misses time?
James Gladstone has proven that he's not afraid to swing for the fences, but it's hard to picture the Jaguars making a trade to replace Travon Walker, especially if his absence isn't extended. Instead, expect pass rushers Emmanuel Ogbah and Dawuane Smoot to see an uptick in playing time in an effort to replace him.
Similarly, undrafted rookies B.J. Green and Danny Striggow haven't done much of note but could get their roles expanded in the upcoming weeks.
The bottom line is that losing Travon Walker, even if it's just for a handful of games, definitely stings. Having said that, the Jaguars have the players in place to soften the blow.