The Jacksonville Jaguars will face off against the Cleveland Browns in Week 1 of the regular season. While they're relatively healthy going into the contest, they could be without a couple of key offensive pieces. Right tackle Cole Van Lanen is recovering from a knee injury he suffered late in 2025 and will be a game-time decision. Liam Coen had a similar forecast for sophomore running back LeQuint Allen Jr.
Allen is dealing with a soft tissue injury that forced him to miss a substantial portion of training camp, and Coen says Jacksonville will wait until game day to determine whether the former Syracuse Orangeman will suit up against the Browns.
"It will be exactly very similar to Cole that way, where we'll work him out. We'll get a game-time decision from him. It's been a while, right? So we'll have to work through it," Coen told the local media. (11:56 mark). "But I have a lot of faith in LeQuint and trust in him to be able to know the game plan and give us a chance if he's ready to go in that workout. I'll feel confident that he can come in and help our team.
If Allen isn't good to go, veteran Ameer Abdullah could have a bigger role in the game plan against Cleveland.
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The Jaguars will lean on Ameer Abdullah if LeQuint Allen Jr. isn't good to go
While it's encouraging to hear that LeQuint Allen Jr. could be available for the opener, there's a chance he won't. Although Bhayshul Tuten and Chris Rodriguez Jr. are the top options in the Jacksonville backfield, Allen's absence would be notable because he's the team's best pass protector and a pretty good pass-catcher out of the backfield.
If Allen is ultimately unable to play, Ameer Abdullah will fill his role. Abdullah signed with the Jags in the offseason. Although he looked like a camp body at the time, he made the most of his chances and earned a spot on the 53-man roster.
Like Allen, Abdullah excels in pass protection and catching passes. He can also contribute on special teams, so the Jags should be just fine.
While having LeQuint Allen Jr. would be huge, the Jaguars are better off not rushing back if he isn't good to go. After all, Ameer Abdullah can hold the fort while he gets back at full strength.
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