The Jacksonville Jaguars have an enforcer at safety in Eric Murray, but their backfield could be vulnerable if Antonio Johnson doesn't suit up against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 8, which is highly likely when you take into account that a shoulder injury has forced him to sit out practice.
With Johnson out of the mix, Kaevon Merriweather will be the next man up. And ahead of the divisional bout, head coach Liam Coen talked about how much the team will need him to step up.
The Jaguars need Kaevon Merriweather to show out vs. the Colts
Liam Coen met with the local media ahead of the Colts game. He talked about Kaevon Merriweather, noting that he showed out when the two were together with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2024.
"Need Kaevon to continue to step up and evolve, but being with him in Tampa, he was a guy that really helped on teams and played his tail off there," Coen told reporters (6:17 mark). "He was also able to step in, and he started like eight games for us that year in 24 at safety. The game wasn't too big for him, and then when you went and watched him transition to Houston."
Coen continued, "Then watch him throughout the preseason and the regular season on special teams, you could tell he took on some of the identity and ways in which Houston plays. That physicality, like running to the football, burning, burning it down, and going and playing your ass off. That was something that was intriguing for us as well. And I've always just thought the game wasn't ever too big for Kaevon. Never really got too high, too low, and he's done a nice job stepping in for us."
During his stint in Tampa Bay, Merriweather appeared in 42 games with seven starts, registering 46 total tackles and two passes defensed. He only suited up for one contest with Houston and registered three total tackles, though.
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Kaevon Merriweather is quietly earning a bigger role with the Jaguars
You can bet that the Jags signed Merriweather because of Coen's intel on their stint in Tampa Bay. The Bucs signed Kaevon Merriweather as an undrafted free agent in 2023. The former Iowa Hawkeye spent two seasons and a good chunk of 2025 with them but was waived late in 2025. The Houston Texans promptly signed him to their practice squad and released him before the start of the 2026 season.
Jacksonville signed Merriweather to its practice squad before the opener and later signed him to the active roster when Caleb Ransaw landed on Injured Reserve in early October. Following the decision to place Ransaw on IR, the expectation was that rookie Jalen Huskey would step in his place. However, Marriweather got ahead of him on the depth chart.
While Kaevon Merriweather hasn't started for the Jaguars yet, he did play a total of 64 defensive snaps the past two weeks. Sophomore Rayuan Lane III will most likely get the starting nod next to Eric Murray, but expect Merriweather to once again have a big role.
And if he comes through, it will be hard for the Jaguars to take him off the field.
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