The Jacksonville Jaguars easily defeated the Indianapolis Colts in Week 8 but lost two key contributors on defense. Apart from defensive tackle DaVon Hamilton, Eric Murray suffered an elbow injury on the opening kickoff. He left the game and didn't return. One day later, head coach Liam Coen provided a bleak update.
Coen told the local media Monday that Murray was done for the season, via Mia O'Brien of ESPN Radio. He also confirmed that Hamilton will miss the remainder of the year.
Both injuries sting, but it may be a bit harder for the Jags to replace Hamilton. After all, they have enough depth to overcome Murray's absence, at least in the short term.
The Jaguars will miss Eric Murray, but have options
Back in the offseason, Liam Coen heaped praise on Eric Murray, noting that he brings an element of nasty and aggressiveness to the defense. The former Minnesota Golden Gopher appeared in six games with five starts this season, registering 15 total tackles.
It's also worth noting that Antonio Johnson is dealing with an ankle injury, which is why Rayuan Lane and Kaevon Merriweather started at safety in the win over Indianapolis once Murray left.
Regarding Johnson, Coen told reporters that there's a chance Johnson will suit up against the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday Night, noting that the team will have a better idea when they practice Tuesday.
If Johnson isn't available Thursday, Merriweather and Lane will start again, while Jalen Huskey will be the primary backup. That said, there's a strong chance the team's brass will add depth at the position to finish the year.
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The Jaguars could trade for Budda Baker in light of Eric Murray's injury
The Jaguars could either promote Cam'Ron Silmon-Craig from the practice squad or sign him to the active roster. They'll have one spot open once they place Eric Murray on the Injured Reserve list. However, Jacksonville could also trade for a safety at the November 10 deadline; the issue is that the pool of candidates is somewhat shallow.
With the Los Angeles Chargers placing Darwin James on IR, Budda Baker may suddenly be the Jags' best option. Nobody would bat an eye if the Arizona Cardinals made him available because they're 3-5 and a long shot to make the playoffs.
Baker can play multiple positions across the backfield and would give defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile an intriguing chess piece to work with. Of course, Jacksonville also has to replace DaVon Hamilton, which could be a tougher task, so it's possible that the front office won't make an aggressive move to bolster the safety position.
In the end though, the show must go on, and the Jaguars will need to find a way to replace Eric Murray. The silving lining is that they'll have options, so it'll be interesting to see what they end up doing.
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