Even though the Jacksonville Jaguars just dismantled the Los Angeles Chargers, they aren't resting on their laurels. Just one day after the 36-5 win in Week 11, the Jags are making a couple of tweaks at safety.
The team announced that they added veteran Juan Thornhill to their practice squad. At the time of the signing, they had a pair of spots open, so they didn't have to make a corresponding move. But just a few hours later, Jacksonville released Kahlef Hailassie.
The Jaguars weren't able to find a role for Kahlef Hailassie
The Jags originally poached Hailassie from the Minnesota Vikings' practice squad. At the time, they needed depth at safety. Eric Murray and Andrew Wingard were the starters, and Antonio Johnson was the primary backup at the position. Rayuan Layne was also in the mix but mostly saw time on special teams, so Hailassie provided much-needed depth at the position.
However, Hailassie never got playing time in Jacksonville. In fact, he was a healthy scratch in every game he was on the active roster. Now, the Western Kentucky product will have a chance to join a team where he can contribute.
It's hard to tell why things didn't work out with the Jags, but Hailsassie was a dependable contributor on special teams during his stint with the Minnesota Vikings. That said, Jacksonville went in another direction when it brought Thornhill.
Thornhill struggled during his stint with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He signed with them in free agency and suited up for seven games before he was benched. He previously played for the Kansas City Chiefs and the Cleveland Browns. A second-round pick in 2019, the former Virginia Cavalier has appeared in 96 games with 75 starts with eight interceptions, 25 passes defensed, and 375 tackles. He gives the Jags a veteran option in case the injury bug strikes.
What will the Jaguars do with the roster spot Kahlif Hailassie left?
The Jaguars didn't announce a corresponding move when they released Kahlef Hailassie, but there's a chance they'll sign either wide receiver Tim Jones from the practice squad or perhaps they are making room for tight end Brenton Strange to return to the active roster after having his 21-day window activated.
Jones has been promoted to the active roster via standard elevation in the past and can be promoted one more time. After that, if the Jags want him to suit up, they'll have to sign him to the active roster. On the other hand, Strange is back at practice but is still officially on IR. Once he's activated, the Jags could use the spot they left open when they released Hailassie.
Another possibility, albeit less probable, is that Jacksonville could add an unsigned free agent to the roster. However, giving the spot they opened to Strange is a more likely scenario.
In the end, though, the Jags are making changes at safety because they want to ensure they have depth in case the injury bug strikes further in the second half of the season. That, in turn, should put them in a solid position to earn a playoff run.