Jaguars elevating former 1st-round pick from practice squad ahead of Week 1
![Jacksonville Jaguars safety Terrell Edmunds (45) catches a pass during the second day of a mandatory minicamp Tuesday, June 11, 2024 at EverBank Stadium’s Miller Electric Center in Jacksonville, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_3990,h_2244,x_0,y_692/c_fill,w_1080,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images%2FImagnImages%2Fmmsport%2F55%2F01j7763sqa700d19hkd6.jpg "Jacksonville Jaguars safety Terrell Edmunds (45) catches a pass during the second day of a mandatory minicamp Tuesday, June 11, 2024 at EverBank Stadium’s Miller Electric Center in Jacksonville, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]")
The Jacksonville Jaguars were hoping that safety Daniel Thomas was going to suit up against the Miami Dolphins in Week 1. However, they've ruled him out ahead of the game. The good news is that they had a more than capable replacement waiting in the practice squad.
The team announced Saturday that Thomas will sit out the season opener. To fill the void, they've promoted safety Terrell Edmunds from the practice quad to the active roster via standard elevation.
We have elevated S Terrell Edmunds to the active roster from the practice squad for #JAXvsMIA via standard elevation.
— Jacksonville Jaguars (@Jaguars) September 7, 2024
S Daniel Thomas has been downgraded from questionable to out and will not travel.
Thomas' absence doesn't come as a surprise. He has been dealing with a heel injury and was the only player who popped up on the injury report ahead of Week 1. A fifth-round pick in 2020, the former Auburn Tiger has spent his whole career in Jacksonville. He was set to become a free agent in the offseason but instead inkted a two-year deal to return.
Given that Thomasmostly contributes as on special teams, there was a chance the team's brass would elevate Matthew Jackson, who's also a gunner. However, the Jags went with the most experienced Edmunds.
A first-round pick in the 2018 draft, Edmunds spent his first five NFL seasons with the Pittsburgh Seelers. He signed with the Philadelphia Eagles last year and was traded to the Tennessee Titans midseason.
The former Virginia Tech Hokie was one of three players the Jaguars signed after the 2024 NFL Draft. The other two were Tre Flowers and Ty Summer. None of them made the initial 53-man roster but Edmunds and Flowers landed on their practice squad. Throughout his career, he has appeared in 95 games with 79 starts, registering six interceptions, 28 passes defensed and one interception.
The Jags would surely want to have Thomas for the season opener. On the other hand, they're mostly at full strength, so they'll have a fighting chance against Miami.
Signing Terrell Edmunds is already paying dividends for the Jaguars
As important as Daniel Thomas is on special teams, he hardly ever gets playing time on defense, having logged 32 and 14 snaps in 2022 and 2023, respectively. While Terrell Edmunds also plays special teams, he's also played extensively on defense.
Andre Cisco and Antonio Johnson are the starters at safety but Terrell Edmunds could also get plenty of work. Andrew Wingard was No. 3 on the depth chart but he'll miss at least four games after starting the 2024 NFL season on Injured Reserve.
Without Dewey and Thomas, Edmunds automatically becomes the top backup behind Cisco and Johnson. If either one gets hurt, the former Steeler will be thrust into action. He could also see the field if defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen deploys a big nickel (three safeties) package in order to slowing down quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who will try to get the ball to Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle as early and as often as possible.
Either way, signing Terrell Edmunds in the offseason and later keeping him in the practice squad is already paying off. As the saying goes, the backup is always one injury away from taking the football field, and the Jaguars have a pretty good one for Daniel Thomas.
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