Liam Coen's remarks confirm Jaguars urgently need Montaric Brown back

The Jacksonville Jaguars are dealing with injuries in the secondary ahead of their Week 8 matchup against the Indianapolis Colts. However, reinforcements could be on their way: Cornerback Montaric Brown has missed a couple games but could suit up for the divisional bout.

Having Brown back would be huge, as Jacksonville's depth at corner is running thin. On top of that, head coach Liam Coen just explained how valuable he is to the team.

Montaric Brown is a full participant in the Jaguars' Week 8 injury report

Head coach Liam Coen met with the local media the Wednesday ahead of the Colts game. He heaped praise on Montaric Brown, noting that the team misses his ability to make plays and his tackling skills.

"Buster's not only a pro's pro, [he has] consistent communication and can make plays on the football. He stabilizes things and also is a really good tackler in space," Coen told reporters (11:48 mark). "So anytime we can be at full strength, it's a benefit to our defense."

Coen continued, "It allows those four specific DBs to be able to stay fresh, stay healthy, rotate in its spots, and play in different areas of the field in which we feel as though they're a strength for us and situationally as well, so anytime you go down that corner, which a lot of teams do, it just gets thin quick."

Brown missed Weeks 4 and 6 and barely played in Week 5 because of the hamstring injury. The good news is that he's trending toward returning. The team posted the initial injury report against Indianapolis, and the former Arkansas Razorback was a full participant.

On the other hand, defensive back Antonio Johnson sat out Wednesday's practice as he continues to recover from a shoulder injury, so there's a chance he may not play in Week 8. Meanwhile, wide receiver Jakobi Meyers (hamstring, defensive tackle Ruke Orhorhoro (ankle), linebacker Jahlani Tavae (hamstring), and long snapper Ross Matiscik (shoulder) were listed as limited.

You may also like: The Jags' rumored trade interest in Josh Downs makes no sense

Montaric Brown would give the Jaguars huge flexibility at corner

Jarrian Jones has struggled to defend the past the past few weeks. With Montaric Brown back in the mix, the Jaguars could move Jones to the slot or have him rotate with Brown in the boundaries. It's also worth noting that cornerback Jaylon Jones didn't pop up on the injury report, so he could make his debut with the Jags — he was signed in early October — and provide crucial depth at the position.

And if Brown plays well, the Jaguars may not need to bring in reinforcements at corner. For context, the injuries and ineffective play at the position led to chatter about the team trading for a cornerback at the deadline, but that will no longer be necessary if the group plays well against the Colts, which is a real possibility when you take into account that quarterback Daniel Jones has been underwhelming this season.

The Jaguars would still be in a favorable position to beat the Colts on the off chance Montaric Brown didn't play. But if he's available, their odds of winning will increase.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow